Why did you choose IE University?
IE University came to my high school around February. At that time, I had already selected the university I wanted to attend and my desired degree. However, a student recruiter named Esther Diaz gave an incredible pitch about the university, discussing its international atmosphere and good reputation, as well as the option to complete your degree entirely in English. I knew that the labor market was going to be highly competitive and that I needed a competitive advantage to stand out. Furthermore, IE’s scholarship program helped me realize that, with my grades from the last two years of high school, I’d have the opportunity to attend even with limited financial means. After attending IExperience, a weekend where groups of incoming IE University students from around the world meet in Madrid for orientation activities, I decided that IE University was the place I wanted to be. I want to send a big thank you to the Financial Aid department for believing in me and giving me a huge scholarship to make my dreams come true.
Is there anything you’d like to highlight about your experience at IE University? Do you have any anecdotes that you’d like to share?
The people are what makes IE University great: from the university staff, like our beloved security guard Jesús, to the students who are in different years but are still willing to help. When I began the interview process for my summer internship at Google Poland, I was overwhelmed, especially because I was doing an exchange semester in London at the time. However, IE University gave me the resources to show off my best self. I wrote an email to the Career Services department to ask for tips. Not only did they give me tips, but they also set up a one-hour mock interview with a highly regarded US company. This helped me succeed in the 7 month long interview process. IE University really prepares you for the real world, giving you incredible and useful tools.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned during your time at IE University? How do you apply it in your daily life?
Nowadays, only the best is good enough. The combination of teamwork, diversity and innovation is a requirement for success. Globalization is within us and all around us, and will be the norm in the near future. Knowing how to work with people from other cultures, work under pressure and be creative at all times will be required for all types of jobs. These skills are very useful in your personal life, as well. Learning to listen, fight stress and multitask is key, which is something I learned during my years at IE University.
Could you please tell us your job title and the date you started working at your company?
I am fortunate to say that I’ve worked at Google Dublin since January as a full-time employee. I was able to finish my degree in three and a half years, taking more classes every year. I started at Google fifteen days after handing in my thesis.
Can you please talk briefly about your previous jobs? Did you make a significant change in terms of job function, company, industry or location?
Since my first year of university, I’ve wanted to try all different fields of business administration to figure out exactly what I want to do. In 2014, I did a part time summer internship at a real estate company in Tenerife. This gave me the opportunity to improve my administrative and sales skills. During my second year, I won a scholarship from Santander Bank to work at a startup in Barcelona. There, I learned financial modeling and got to be part of the venture capital process. Finally, in my third year, I did a summer internship at Google Poland in the Global Customer Care department.
Can you please talk briefly about your current job (functions/company/industry)?
I work in the online marketing industry, scaling and implementing solutions for our EMEA top advertisers, and improving and optimizing their online advertising using Adwords, Analytics, Youtube, Google My Business & Merchant Center.
Were you interested in this job position/sector/ company before starting your studies? How does your current job fit into your career strategy?
Marketing was always a subject I enjoyed as well as market research. It is a world of innovation and creativity, and where almost everyone is. Marketing’s atmosphere motivates you to be updated with all the trends; reading is a must nowadays. That is why, when I was offered a position as an Associate Account Strategist, I thought (and I was right) it was a good fit in my personal objectives. From here, I would like to move to a more international strategy position somewhere in Asia or Latin America, a career path with Google that can be somehow easily achieved.
What are the most important things you have learned in your work?
Earning the best grades does not mean you are intelligent. Proving your abilities is what shows people you’re smart. Prove your skills every day in a sustainable way—that’s the most important advice I can give to students. We all need to learn. Nobody’s born knowing. Recognizing that you don’t know something will make you grow.
What are your long-term career objectives?
Right now I just want to learn and to live in as many countries as possible. I’m the right age to do it, with no responsibilities, so I want to have as many experiences as I can. After figuring out what sort of position I want, I would like to come back home and enjoy the wonderful quality of life we have in Spain.