We spoke to Vincent Montet, Founder and Director of EFAP’s Specialized Digital Marketing & Business (DMB) MBAs and Vice President of the Digital Economy Association (ACSEL). He shares his advice for developing your professional network in the digital world, whatever your geographic area. The DMB MBAs train working digital professionals who wish to gain qualifications or as part of a retraining project, as well as the youngest at the end of their initial training in marketing and digital transformation. The program is offered in a part-time executive format, allowing you to pursue parallel professional activities in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Montpellier and Paris. The plus: Each campus is firmly anchored in the local digital ecosystem.
The advantages of a professional network for a career in the digital field
In order to be successful in professional life and to climb the career ladder in digital professions, it has become essential to build up a network. ” In the digital world, of course, we don’t do anything alone. Being a multidisciplinary sector, I have to contact such a person to learn more about a technology, call another contact to validate production dates or prices to be communicated to a customer … The notion of community is also an integral part of the DNA of this ecosystem ‘ explains Vincent Montet.
It’s not about being popular, it’s about being able to rely on your network and interacting with your contacts. ” Above all, companies are looking for talented people who have an address book. This is an aspect of recruitment that should not be overlooked. Another great reason to expand your professional network when you decide to pursue a digital direction or transition: Career development often involves meeting with stakeholders in your professional and geographic space. Building a professional network allows you to be kept up to date with job openings, take advantage of this opportunity and use your connections to put your resume at the top of the stack.
Advice and professional organizations to follow to grow your network
Future digital professionals have a variety of opportunities to make contacts and build their own network.
5 tips to activate your professional network in the digital world
Whether through your behavior In real life (IRL) or online, there are many levers to activate your professional network and build your community. Vincent Montet reveals his advice:
- Watch your posture if you meet a service provider, a specialist, a customer, a speaker or a graduate of your training…” Remember that honesty and sincerity are the two values that will help you overcome many barriers. »
- Add your contacts systematically on social platforms like LinkedInto connect with the members of your community, IRL and daytime running lights (Digital real life).
- Participate in professional events to expand your network by showing that you are present and interested in the topic.
- Meet key players or business leaders : ” Students, in particular, should use their dissertation or thesis to request an interview with a professional in the field in which they wish to advance “.
- Build your personal branding fully digital, by regularly publishing articles, content, but also by tagging the right people with the aim of starting a conversation.
Vincent Montet advises his students to aim for their inner circle first. ” If I start with the 40 speakers of the DMB MBA, then the 30 members of the Education Committee and some alumni, I already have 200 people to add to my network before I meet my own people. I notice that I can build up my own address book very quickly. But that takes practice and practice. ” It’s not easy to start alone for the first time. That’s all of our work and philosophy at EFAP: A student who lives this hybrid experience, online and offline, will emerge completely different.. »
Integrate interprofessional associations digitally
In addition to the Hub Institute, a think tank on digital and environmental transformation that organizes events, publishes studies and is the historical partner of the EFAP MBA DMB, you can also join interprofessional associations that are real sources of information for the sector: ACSEL ( the Association of digital economy), the IAB (derInteractive advertising agency about digital advertising), the CPA (the collective of digital marketing actors), the MMA (the association for mobile marketing) or even the DMA (the association for digital marketing). Not to mention local associations or incubators that also produce content in this area.
The peculiarities and possibilities of the digital ecosystems of the regions
In order to integrate the professional networks present in the regions, it is necessary to know the characteristics of each digital ecosystem. A brief overview of the characteristics of 4 major French cities.
New Aquitaine around Bordeaux
There are more than 60,000 digital jobs in the New Aquitaine region, according to INSEE figures. The 3 main sectors are the wine and food industries; wood, paper and cardboard; Aeronautics, space and defense. The main local players are Cdiscount, Bordeaux Métropole and Unitech, the French incubator of Tech Bordeaux. The following association is Digital Aquitaine.
Hauts de France around Lille
Characterized by the retail ecosystem, the Hauts-de-France region has 12 innovation parks including Digital (Lille), but also Digital Commerce (Roubaix), E-Health (Amiens), the Industry of the Future and Digital Robon (Saint-Quentin)… The the largest local player is EuraTechnologies, the first French incubator in terms of seniority and start-up accelerator. The following association is Place de la Communication.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes around Lyon
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is a dynamic entrepreneurship territory focused on health, transport and e-commerce. Considered the regional reference incubator, H7 is a totem-like place for digital startup life. Among the players of the Lyon ecosystem we find in particular Cegid Group, Bledina, BioMérieux, Sanofi and the agencies CyberCité or Niji.
Occitania around Montpellier
In addition to tourism, the Occitania region is fueled by cultural and creative industries (Ubisoft), animated cinema and historical sectors related to health and agronomy (Med Vallée). At the heart of this ecosystem is JVWEB, a keyword buying and affiliate agency. To be continued: Digital 113, the region’s digital business cluster, and the Leader Montpellier association.
EFAP’s specialized Digital Marketing & Business MBAs offer students the opportunity to be accompanied throughout their studies by a local educational correspondent who is a professional in the sector integrated into each regional ecosystem. The aim of the program: to help learners to find a professionalization contract, to enable managers to boost their careers or to switch to digital and to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to start their projects while strengthening their digital skills. ” We have 70% to 80% of our students who realize their professional plans in their region ‘ says Vincent Montet.
To learn more about the digital ecosystem in your region, gather on March 8 to attend the online information event organized by EFAP.
Register for the EFAP information session