Dernier cri

<p><i>Julia Ferhat is Director of Data &amp; Growth Marketing at Dernier Cri. She fell in love with digital marketing during an internship in London, and has stayed in the field ever since. She believes that empathy and understanding your client’s needs are essential qualities.</i></p><h3><strong>Falling in love with digital marketing</strong></h3><p>My career started during my gap year at business school. I was looking for an internship in product marketing, preferably for a luxury brand, and I wanted to go abroad. I ended up finding an internship in digital marketing in London.&nbsp;</p><p>My boss at the time was a French-American guy who was particularly demanding. I remember that the first thing he said to me was: “I will call you the trainee, “La Stagiaire”, and I won't learn your name until you impress me.” It was a bit harsh, but I accepted the challenge and learned more in those 12 months than in my entire university studies. That’s how I fell in love with digital marketing.</p><p>Besides my family, I never had a mentor or someone guiding me throughout my different jobs. But if I were to find a mentor, back then, I think I would participate in conferences and roundtables on the subjects that I'm passionate about and approach the most passionate speaker after the event to give me some advice on my career. I think you shouldn’t be too afraid to ask things — at worst you will be told no, but at best you will have created an amazing opportunity.&nbsp;</p><h3><strong>Ambition, vision and empathy</strong></h3><p>I think there were three factors that helped me get where I am today. The first is the willingness to take on new challenges. I think I’m a hard worker and a fast learner, which allows me to quickly get the skills that I need for my current job, or the next job I'm looking for. And I really love embracing new challenges.&nbsp;</p><p>The second element is the companies I worked for; I always try to find companies that are growing and have an ambition, not necessarily to disrupt the market, but with a strong DNA and with founders that have a vision. These types of companies provide lots of different opportunities to grow. And my managers have played a big part in pushing me to take on new challenges.</p><p>And the third component, which I observe more in women than in men, is empathy. Building strong relationships with your clients is really key to establishing trust and work on more and more interesting and long-term projects with them.&nbsp;</p><p>I do think empathy helps to uncover the needs they do not express and anticipate what they will need or want next. Besides, I often start the conversation by asking my clients what their objectives are for the next six months (not the ones of the project but really their own) and I make those objectives mine. This approach helped me keep two of my main clients for 7 years in my previous job.</p><h3><strong>What kind of hard skills for data marketers?</strong></h3><p>Besides these soft skills, data marketers should acquire some hard skills too. The first is understanding where the data comes from and how it is collected. Today’s marketing world is affected by the end of third-party cookies and the GDPR in Europe that bring complex challenges for advertisers. More than ever, brands have to juggle a mix of ad-centric, site-centric and client-centric data to acquire new prospects, convert them into clients and retain them over time.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3><strong>Inclusive and equal workplace drives motivation</strong></h3><p>It’s really in the DNA of Dernier Cri to be a safe, inclusive and motivating place to work, whoever you are. I really love the fact that there is no difference between men and women. We have equal pay regardless of gender, and there is a salary grid to empower you regardless of where you are. We have several agencies, but there's no difference in pay depending on location. This fairness and inclusivity is really valuable and appreciated at Dernier Cri.</p><p>Everyone has the same opportunities to learn and join great projects, and at the same time to find their balance in life. This flexibility brings a lot of value to me as a mother of a baby daughter. Today, at Dernier Cri, I'm working remotely 90% of the time which allows me to spend much more quality time with my daughter.</p>

“I always choose companies that have a strong DNA and a vision”

Team 50inTech