Have you ever felt discouraged that you did not find the role you were looking for?  Job hunting can often be quite difficult due to several factors, such as competition or mismatches between candidate and employer.  Even so, it is all about finding the element that sets you apart and drives you to achieve your goals.

Marius Lazar will tell us by his own experience how to stand out from the crowd.

  1. Tell us about your early days of your career.

I studied Comparative French Literature at Babes Bolyai University in Cluj. 

In my 3rd year of university, I applied for the Erasmus international mobility program and for 5 months, I had the opportunity to study in France, in the city of Clermont Ferrand, where I discovered new literary study practices and became friends with Erasmus students from other countries.

Immediately after graduating from university, I started looking for a French job in Cluj but after several unsuccessful applications, I decided to come to Bucharest for more hiring opportunities. After a while, I finally got the chance to start my career at a consulting company willing to provide accessibility resources for my job.

     2.  How did you get to CGI?

Because I wanted to practice my French language skills within the workplace and join a multinational company, I experienced new ways of looking for career openings. Therefore, I created a LinkedIn account through which I contacted ''key'' people within companies promoting French-speaking roles. One day, I wrote to HR manager from CGI in Romania, sharing the path I plan to follow in my career and the resources I needed for my job. In less than a month, I was already starting a new professional adventure in the helpdesk support team at CGI.

     3.   What did you discover at CGI?

After half a year at CGI in Romania, I confidently say that I met a great and collaborative team from whom I have acquired the necessary knowledge for my Helpdesk Support role. I am happy to work in a multicultural environment as I get to discover new people and cultures, practice my language skills and extend my network of friends. Another key feature at CGI is that I can set long-term career goals and have access to various learning resources tailored to my way of working.

     4.    Any advice for those who find themselves in your story?

I encourage those who are looking for a new career start to be proactive and take advantage of the functionalities provided by the recruitment and networking platforms such as LinkedIn because in my experience it was a facilitator in directly interacting with the employer and obtaining the desired role. Remember to be confident in your own strengths and follow your goal to the end!