Assistant Product Manager Review

I really enjoyed the year I spent in the Renault family and it has been hard to leave. I have been given a proper job with high responsibilities and I have been trike trusted by my team. In the accessories department I have developed many skills I am now able to use in an other job and I used my theoretical knowledge from my business school to improve and be proactive in my position. I can really tell this placement was for me.

My colleagues and particularly my manager were really valuing my hard work. They never hesitate to congratulate me and to give me more and more responsibilities. It is also good to know when something I have done is wrong and also at that point they always found the best way to say it for me to learn of it and not do it again. My work has been particularly valued at the end when it was time to review the whole year, then I realised how much I had brought to my department which u did not expect !

I have been given many responsibilities and I have work particularly independently so I won't say I have been very guided but it was because I wanted it and my manager thought it was a good was for me to learn and bring my own thoughts about the business. However, every time I had a question or doubt I have been listened and helped out which is the most important when one is new in a company.

I have been very busy at some point because of the seasonality of the business but it is good and much better that being bored. I could feel how useful I was for Renault and that if I was not ther to do the job then no one would have done it instead. It is very important to feel like this to get more in more involved in your position and to give the best of yourself in what you do.

I would have expected to be given that much responsibilities because I have been able to create all by myself new accessories which means I had a group of suppliers and had to brief them on which new accessories we would need and then get them manufactured, set up the pricing, communicate in them through the field team so the dealers can advertise them to the customer. Also I managed the animation of the incentive programme set up to push the accessories sales which has been extremely formative.

I think I have never learned that much than through that work expirience and now I fell confident for another job and to be given more responsibilities. I will be better in marketing decisions, pricing and communications. Also, from a technical point of view I am now totally at ease with Excel ! And fluent English by the way !

Even if my manager was very often in meetings with suppliers or other people in the company, I really enjoyed the atmosphere because Renault is definitely a family and the people I have been working with are amazing. they respect themselves so much and are always happy to help out. We liked to make jokes and to disconnect from serious stuff sometimes which is really important to feel at ease in a work environment.

Particularly the induction period was great because we have all been very integrated into our own departments and we have been able to get to know the other interns very well and quickly. Being taught by the previous intern how to do the job, and that for three weeks is very conforting. All along the placement I could ask the HR team for any doubt which is also really important.

I would not have imagined to be that involved in the company. For example I have been able to participate to the new vehicles product trainings and to a product day to get to know more the values of the company and the particularities of its cars. We have been able to get involved in so many event which is very formative and I do really think that Renault make a big effort of investment in the people they hire comparing to other companies.

I really liked to be part for one year of the Renault family and I would always consider any job opportunity at Renault in the UK or in other countries. I know now that I am able to work abroad and to fit in a new team and to have a proper job so I am open to any possibilities of evolving in the Renault team in marketing or in the sales department. However I am not sure I will be the good person to do a graduate program because I don't think I would like this kind of scheme where you have to leave the team you have integrated after two or three months... It is hard to get used to a job and be totally efficient, it takes time to build very good relationships with the people in your department... I don't like the idea that I would arrive in a new department knowing already I won't stay for long, it won't stimulate me.

With all the interns we were getting along very good together so we went out together and share time after work together which was very important particularly for the podlike like me coming from France. We were setting up in a new country and definitely needed to be with other young people like us to share the experience and make the most of it ! Also the company organised a list of socials so we could get to know also the managers and the people working in departments you Are not necessarily in contact with every day which was good.

Unfortunately London is an amazing city but really expensive. We got used to it in the end but the transition from my city in francs to London has been quite hard at the beginning. The cost of transport with the tube and buses in London to go at work was particularly expensive as well.

There was actually nothing to honour in the marrow area of work but with the tube we could easily go to central London and having a good night out !

We had the opportunity to play sports or sign up to a gym or Pilate classes which was great.