Can you share some information about your experience as a CEMS graduate and starting your career at Gartner? How did your experience at a CEMS affiliated university prepare you for your first role?
As a CEMS graduate I was not yet sure of my career path. I discovered Gartner through the CEMS career portal when applying for internships and I soon found out that a friend of mine from the previous year cohort did take part in the Gartner internship program. I then reached out to him to better understand his experience and get his support for the interview process. When the internship program ended I was offered to start working for Gartner full time after graduation.
During my time at Rotterdam School of Management in the CEMS program I got exposed to different career options through career fairs and through electives. This helped me mostly select what I did and did not like, narrowing down the path I wanted to take after graduation.
What does the average day look like for you?
In my current role I work as an interim Account Executive for clients all over Europe whose local Account Executives have decided to take on a different role inside or outside Gartner. Therefore everyday I get to speak with different clients in different countries and in different industries. On a normal day, I tend to have a couple of client calls as well as a couple internal calls with local managers to discuss the accounts I’m currently covering. The rest of the time I dedicate to tasks like preparing collaterals for clients or handover materials for the new Account Executive who will take over the client. In this role, each day is different and sometimes weeks can become quite busy with client calls. One important aspect of my role that is extremely important for me is work-life balance, and I appreciate that I can work from home and that even on the busiest days I manage to stick to 8 hours of work.
How has your team, manager, and/or Gartner as a whole supported your career growth and development?
Everybody at Gartner has always been extremely supportive of career growth and personal development. In particular, last year when I decided I wanted to move in a different role and explore other departments in Gartner, I discussed options with my manager who then set up a meeting with my VP. My VP then helped me by introducing me to the different department heads and facilitating meetings in which I could better uncover the day to day requirements of other roles in Gartner. It is thanks to him that I got to meet my new manager and decided to take my current role as Client Relationship Specialist. I can confidently say that at Gartner, career progression is something that is constantly present in your management reviews. In addition, I’ve always found that colleagues in different roles are open to sit down with you to share their experiences and help you understand what the right path for you is. Last but not least, Gartner organizes an internal career day every year, so that employees can have better exposure to different opportunities for career development.
What is your favorite part of your role at Gartner?
My favorite part of my role at Gartner is my team. I’m fortunate enough to be part of a fully international team, with people based in Spain, the UK, India, China, and Australia. I love that we are an extremely collaborative bunch and we are always ready to lend a helping hand to a colleague in need. Having a team scattered all over the world also allows me to get exposed to different perspectives which can lead to solutions I didn’t think of for the problems I’m facing. Last but not least I appreciate having a manager who values the importance of work-life balance and whose main goal is to support me in my personal and career development, as she sees her success as the reflection of the success of each member of her team.
What advice do you have for someone who is in the process of applying for a role/interviewing for a role at Gartner?
If you have contacts that work or have worked for Gartner, reach out to them to better understand the day to day of the role you are choosing as well as get some tips for the interview process. If you don’t know anybody who has these insights, reach out to someone through LinkedIn (there are a lot of former CEMSies in the company!).
Are you interested in an opportunity at Gartner? Explore our open roles here or via our CEMS Company Profile
