Working in France: Pranit Nagare, Data Steward at Pernod Ricard

Landing a position in a foreign country can be both exhilarating and challenging. Pranit Nagare, a Data Steward at Pernod Ricard in Paris, France, shares his journey of transitioning from India to France and offers valuable insights for professionals seeking similar opportunities.

Pranit graduated from Grenoble Ecole de Management with an MSc Management in International Business, and landed this job barely 2 months after he finished his end of study internship, thanks to a referral from his previous manager at L’Oreal where he did his internship. Was it pure luck, or something else that unlocked the doors of opportunity for him?

Let’s find out…

Tell us a bit about your job at Pernod Ricard.

My role is a mix of business and technical aspects. I am responsible for the maintenance of Power BI dashboards, data standardisation and governance, building ad-hoc reports, and implementing new tools that solve the region’s business problems. Alongside the above, I also act as a Salesforce Administrator on certain internal projects that help us track our company’s performance in supermarkets, hypermarkets, etc in the respective regions.

Despite facing uncertainties during the application process, with waiting periods stretching up to 4–6 weeks, Pranit persevered, emphasising the importance of resilience in the job hunt.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during your job hunt?

A major difficulty was the prolonged period of uncertainty (sometimes even 4–6 weeks) wherein I didn’t know if my application would move forward, and I would be receiving a call from the HR, or if my application would end up being rejected. Another difficulty was filtering out jobs and companies that were bilingual, or proficient in English, as I feel I wouldn’t be at my best working in a 100% French role and environment because of the technical terminology in certain tools like Power BI, Excel, etc. And then, you have to make small changes such as adopting the cultural norms, and expectations of the job market, and even understanding the nuances of job applications in France/Europe.

Adapting to the cultural and linguistic nuances of a new environment presented its own set of challenges. Pranit stresses the significance of adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and effective communication, especially when working in a diverse international setting.

If you come from a different international background then, adaptability and understanding cultural sensitivity are very important in my opinion. Being able to effectively communicate and collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds is also crucial. Being able to think critically and solve problems can be an asset. And then technical competence would be a necessity however, technical skills will differ from person to person and their target job role/profile. For example, in a data or analytical role, proficiency in tools and software would be important whereas in a Financial or Accounting role, one would need to be well versed with the Universal as well as the French Financial and Accounting System.

While technical skills are crucial, Pranit emphasises the importance of learning French for seamless integration into the French workplace and society.

Any pearls of wisdom for job hunters in France?

It may sound cliché, but the first and foremost advice would be to never lose hope; I believe perseverance truly is key. Networking or reaching out to friends, former colleagues, or even family can be super helpful — you never know who might lead you to your next opportunity. Personally, I do not put myself out there on LinkedIn or other networking platforms, or attend networking events as such, and prefer working on personal projects and adding them to my CV/resume.

However, I believe attending networking events, workshops, etc can boost your chances of finding a job or could potentially lead to something big. Lastly, I believe it is important to personalise your CV and cover letter for each job application. During my job search, I used platforms such as Jobscan and MonkeyLearn’s word cloud generator to see the keywords in the job description and would then cater my CV according to these keywords. But as I mentioned above, perseverance truly is key, as rejections can be hard to take, but one needs to keep forward.

As Pranit continues to thrive in his role at Pernod Ricard, his story serves as inspiration for job seekers in France. By embracing challenges, honing essential skills, and maintaining a resilient attitude, you can unlock exciting opportunities in the global job market. Pranit’s journey exemplifies the rewards that await those willing to venture beyond borders in pursuit of their career aspirations. With determination and adaptability, the world truly becomes a playground for ambitious professionals.