Career Development at Criteo: A Mentor's Tale

We stay behind the scenes of the mentee-mentor relationship a little longer, learning about Julien's experience since he started mentoring Sebastien.

Can you tell us a bit about your own Criteo journey?  

Sure! I joined our R&D department five years ago as a Senior Software Engineer. Since then, I have had the opportunity to work on different highly strategic areas of expertise, such as budget consumption, security related topics, marketplace advertising, retail media platform & digital payment research. Our culture in R&D favors innovative initiatives, which makes Criteo a place where you can explore, test, and learn a lot.   
  

In terms of learning opportunities, any key moments come to mind?   

I contributed to creating a workforce focused on the standardization of our API guidelines & offering. I was also involved in the implementation of Retail Media which merged HookLogic & Storetail solutions. As part of our internal mobility program - the Voyager - I had the chance to switch teams for a while and explore the Supply side of the business, along with a different management style.   

Have these internal mobility experiences helped you figure out which career path to choose?   

They have definitely made me consider Criteo as a place to grow personally and professionally. By providing easy access to learning opportunities internally and promoting a trusting and flexible working philosophy, I feel Criteo tries to put people first as much as possible; it is like beginning a journey where you know you are in the driver's seat.  

So, is it safe to say you see yourself grow and thrive with us?  

Regarding my current and former managers, I have always felt that they valued my personal goals and tried their best to find business opportunities that would match these goals. On top of that, I believe the learning curve that Criteo offers prevents employee monotony; you can constantly learn new things, if you are proactive.  

You are mentoring Sebastien, another fellow Criteo. How did you come to be a mentor?   

One day, Sebastien got in touch with me. He wanted to ramp up and learn a coding skill he was missing (C#). After getting the green light from his manager, he asked me if I was willing to teach him. I said yes, obviously. I believe in mentoring; it is a great initiative that I have worked to promote internally at Criteo. Mentoring is a great way to learn from divergent points of view, share experiences, limit risk, gain confidence and reach goals faster.   
  

Would you call a mentor-mentee relationship a win-win situation?  
  

I shared my experience with Sebastien, but I also learned a great deal from him. Mentoring has brought me to take a step back to identify the things I know and those I don't. Through the process, I learned to develop new skills and identified possible areas of improvement. It also fluidifies how we share knowledge within our organization. Through the pair programming, I also learned from Sebastien's experiences and projects. Another thing is that we shared our network, enabling new connections and opportunities for innovation. We have built a trusting relationship.  

In your experience, what is essential to enable career development?    

Career development is about setting clear goals but also realistic expectations. One must be honest with oneself when thinking of how much time one is willing to dedicate to it and the level of engagement you can commit to. If we are talking about mentoring, the key to success is trust, so it is essential that both mentee and mentor share similar values.   
  

What would you recommend to a fellow Criteo looking for internal career development opportunities?     

I highly encourage fellow Criteos looking for internal career development to go for it.  It will allow you to develop a new skillset, break away from potential monotony at work, and gain confidence. As skills multiply, future career opportunities flourish.  
  

Any tips to share with other Criteos when it comes to career development?   

If you are willing to broaden your skillset, diversify your knowledge, share your experiences and, in the end, have a positive impact on others, get involved in Criteo's Mentorship program. 

Find Sebastien's (Julien's mentee) story here: Career Development at Criteo: The Upsides of Mentoring | Tech Innovation