Since the beginning of the current school year, NEOMA BS students have been invited to connect to a new digital platform called My Job Glasses. The goal of the platform is to bring students and professionals together to discuss the realities of working in a particular profession. This innovative measure is particularly relevant given that almost half of under 24-year-olds leave their first permanent job before the end of the first year…
As part of the support provided to students by the Talent & Career department, interviews on My Job Glasses are now essential. Julianne, a 1st year Master in Management student shares her experience on this platform with us.
My Job Glasses has been included on the students' career orientation courses this year and is an integral part of the teaching approach.
“My Job Glasses was presented to us in an amphitheatre by the founder of the concept. The platform is now part of our "personal development" programme. During the lecture, we studied the best way to use the platform and how to present ourselves, make ourselves stand out and launch the creation of our own network,” explains Julianne. “Then, over a 2-3-month period we were free to apply these ideas on My Job Glasses. The work was graded and we were given specific objectives. We had to fill in a worksheet on two of the professionals we had met, draw up their profiles, identify the advice given and write a report on our meetings.”
How does My Job Glasses work?
As with any digital platform, a registration field needs to be filled in, either as a student or as a Mentor (i.e. professional). Then it is a question of agreeing on a convenient appointment time and initiating a dialogue. Addressing the realities of the job, exploring all aspects of the interlocutor's job and even discussing more personal issues such as the reconciliation of several aspirations all contribute to making the dialogue more exciting.
“It was a really interesting experience,” says Julianne. “As we can choose the professionals we want to meet, we get highly relevant feedback. Real answers about their life in the company, on the job. It is true that when you leave prep school, you have no idea of your value, your know-how and even less about business life. All we have is theoretical knowledge. The 4 professionals I spoke to were really kind, they took their time and spoke to me very sincerely. One of the interviews I had lasted more than an hour and a half.”
The platform interface is also user-friendly and facilitates time management for those professionals who decide to help the youngsters in their search for answers.
“I am so pleased that NEOMA BS alumni are the leading alumni network on site with more than 1200 mentors,” explains Agnès Flouquet, Executive Director of NEOMA Alumni. “I am personally present on My Job Glasses, I find that the system is really well done. Each mentor indicates how long they wish to spend discussing on the platform and when this time credit is exhausted, their profile is removed. This system is really innovative because creating a network is not something you are born with. It is a unique opportunity to raise the students' awareness of the importance of the network as they create it.”
In addition to interacting with their network and initiating first contacts, these privileged interviews also allow students to clarify their career paths.
As Julianne sums up: “These interviews have taught me that you can compromise and that you don't have to give up something you care about. I interviewed one of the alumni....Our discussion made me realise that, in fact, we can reconcile many careers and we can shape our future! That's what all the professionals I've met tell me and it's great when you realise that, in reality, you hold all the keys!”