My Internship Experience at Criteo: Bridging Theory and Practice

As an international relations and international business student at ESEI, my journey as a full-time account strategist intern at Criteo has been a great learning experience. In this blog post, I will share my insights and experiences, discussing how this internship aligns with my profile, contributes to my master’s degree, and fuels my professional development.

How did I come across the internship opportunity at Criteo, and how did my profile align with the role

I was contacted through LinkedIn by a recruiter at Criteo. She had come across my profile and noticed that my background in international business matched the vacancy they had in digital advertising. Additionally, my previous experience in the PR tech industry also caught her attention. So, my profile aligned well with the requirements of the role.

What aspects of the role appealed to me and motivated me to proceed with the application

Initially, I was primarily looking for a job to sustain myself while living in Barcelona. However, as I learned more about Criteo and the role they offered, I became genuinely interested. I was impressed by the well-structured operations and global alignment of the company. Being an intern at a multinational corporation like Criteo was something I admired and looked up to. Moreover, I had studied marketing extensively during my university courses but had never had the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice. The chance to apply my learning and actively use the materials taught in courses was an exciting prospect. Additionally, the challenging and dynamic environment of ad tech intrigued me, and I felt motivated to learn and grow in that ‘unknown’ field.

My favorite aspects of the job and how they have contributed to my learning and development

There are several aspects of my internship that I truly enjoy and find rewarding. Firstly, the variety of tasks and the dynamic nature of the job have been particularly engaging. No two days are the same. On some days, I am fully booked with client meetings, while on others, I spend considerable time monitoring performance and drafting emails to clients or communicating with technical support. This variety keeps me motivated and constantly learning.

Secondly, working with people from different cultures has been an invaluable experience. It has required me to adjust my communication approaches and find the best way to interact with each party involved. This has taught me patience, adaptability, and has helped me develop both personally and professionally.

Lastly, the team I work with is amazing and highly diverse. My closest coworkers, including the senior account strategist I mainly assist, come from Latin America, and I have other close colleagues from France, Spain and Canada, amongst others. The company also organizes regular fun activities, which have allowed me to meet and connect with many other coworkers. Building relationships, both professional and personal, has been an integral part of my internship experience and has contributed to my overall growth and development.

The ways my internship at Criteo contribute to my master’s degree and academic development at ESEI

My internship at Criteo has provided me with the opportunity to apply the concepts and theories I learned during my master’s degree to real-life companies and challenges. This practical application has significantly enhanced my understanding and has helped me distinguish between academic knowledge and the real world. I have come to realize that everything takes time and that there is a substantial lead time involved in my role as a mediator between our internal departments and clients. It has also reaffirmed the importance of effective communication, particularly in cross-cultural settings.

Moreover, the course on cross-cultural management that I took during my studies has been immensely helpful in my internship. It has not only taught me to be patient and respectful but also to adapt my communication style when working with companies from different nationalities. This has been particularly valuable as I was hired as an intern for the Nordics and Benelux region, but I also have Spanish clients. For instance, I have observed notable differences between the Dutch and Spanish working cultures, such as communication styles, problem-solving approaches, and budgeting preferences.

Overall, my internship at Criteo has been an enriching experience that has allowed me to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the field of digital advertising. Through the variety of tasks, multicultural collaborations, and practical application of academic concepts, I have grown both professionally and personally. I am grateful for the opportunity to work in a dynamic and challenging environment, where I continue to learn and develop and I’m excited for the upcoming months.

Author: Elisabeth Tops, IRIB Master Student at ESEI