The job market is becoming more and more complex, companies  are constantly asking for highly specialised professionals. In the past, students could build their own careers step by step according to a  learning by doing logic. Today, students have the need and opportunity of making their own choices in terms of industry or professional role.

Choosing to attend a master is almost an obvious choice for students who, although very young, have clear ideas about their professional goals.

To understand how to achieve their professional goals, young graduates had the opportunity to meet Barbara Del Neri, Head of Marketing for Southern Europe at Procter and Gamble, at LUISS Business School on September 24, 2015. She graduated with honours from LUISS Guido Carli and was immediately called for an interview in marketing with P&G. In other words it was the chance of a lifetime, since working at P&G had been her dream since high school. But how did she attain the position she holds today?

Crucial are her intense passion for the job, a learning by doing attitude and a leadership style that goes beyond simply giving orders.

Del Neri states that “there is a great difference between imposing oneself and being followed. Leaders belong to the latter category: they listen, suggest, innovate to create the environment that drives innovation”. It is essential to make choices that involve sacrifices, investing on oneself is important when it comes to education, talent is not enough, you have to learn and have passion, a lot of passion.

Talking about post-graduate education Barbara Del Neri  affirms the importance, in the present situation, of acquiring the necessary knowledge to operate in a specific field. But no matter if the field of choice is Finance, Marketing or Real Estate she underlines the need for young people to have a strong background in terms of soft skills, can-do attitude, ability to compete at a global level and flexibility of thought and action. The current scenario forces us to face new challenges and constant changes that only the ability to adapt and a global mentality can master.

Finally, when a student points out how hard it is nowadays to choose one’s own career path, Barbara Del Neri suggests to continue pursuing their dreams despite having to accept some compromises: you have to love your job to get good results!

Watch the video

29/09/2015