The Journey Begins

How does a CEO feel on the first day of work? Stressed? Excited? Nervous?

All of this and more actually. When I think back, some very vivid memories come to mind: the red of the Adecco board, the white of my blazer against a dark armchair. I was not sure what to expect and honestly, filling in more application forms was the last thing on my mind. Yet, there I was, filling in page after page of the Global CEO Challenge assessment.  It felt like an exam week for me! All I had been doing recently is filling assessments. There was a video to be made too. Have I mentioned I can’t memorize lines? It is half the reason I can’t be a Shakespearean Actor at the Globe Theatre; alas it took 3 takes to satisfactorily complete the video. They also needed a picture of me, against a white background. I certainly chose the perfect day to wear a white blazer! I was not carrying any photographs with me and ended up running around to locate a studio; not a very smart move when wearing heels. Lesson learnt: CEO’s have places too be- stick to comfortable shoes in future.

Next was finally meeting the AdeccoME Team. So many lovely people, so many faces! I hope I will not confuse their names. Everyone is so welcoming and encouraging. I even received my own personalized stationery! “CEO for one month” Proudly screams across my notepad, my file and I got loads of post-its too. Have I mentioned my obsession with post-its? My desk is already covered with tasks and little bits of information to remember. Oh! Yes, I have my own desk, with a beautiful view of Dubai, and centrally located so I can walk up to anyone with my million questions. It took a while for all formalities to be completed and then I was told to go home and rest. The real grind would begin from tomorrow, meanwhile, I had research to catch up on, reports, industry trends and a project for Global CEO! The wheels are in motion and the challenge officially begins!

I would not make it past one day had it not been for such a supportive team: from the CEO Romain Liot, to the HR head Ismini Papadopoulou, The P.P director Damian Brown and absolutely everyone has been so eager and willing to help me understand processes, the way to work, the various sectors, models etc. I look forward to broadening my horizon, understanding AdeccoME and its industry, and striving to achieve great results here.