Institutions Flashcards
How do you describe yourself?
Ambitious: I grew up with my mother and sister in a mountain village of 700 inhabitants, before setting off on an adventure at the age of 14 to a military high school where I was a boarder. I then joined IEP Grenoble, had the opportunity to travel and gain experiences in the UN system. Today, I have plans to join the Bank of France and make a career in this prestigious institution. This would be the culmination of this desire to succeed that I have carried with me for a long time.
Passionate: After a demanding academic journey, I decided to deepen my knowledge with a year in the Talents preparatory class at INSP. Having always been interested in economics, I enjoyed preparing for the Bank of France competition. Outside of studies, I like to accumulate knowledge in the fields of astronomy, music, and sports. I also plan to join a reading club and learn botany.
Dedicated to serving the public interest: My professional experiences with international organizations have convinced me that above all, I want to join the public service. The independence of the Bank of France and its expertise convince me that it is the best place for me to thrive professionally.
Easy-going: Throughout my journey, I have learned to build healthy relationships within my various groups and to highlight my leadership. My skills, coupled with my relational ease and loyalty, are assets that make me a trustworthy person for those around me.
“In your life, what do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Being admitted to the Bank of France’s competitive examination: it required a lot of investment, a strong desire, and was challenging, especially considering my starting point (CdL). The competition was introduced to me quite late, just over a year ago. A few months after that, I met one of your colleagues who was working at that time on AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism), and she convinced me that the executive position at the Bank of France was meant for me. Since then, I know that this is what I want to do.”
Réussir dans votre vie professionnelle, c’est :
- Le sens profond. Ne pas me poser la question de pourquoi je me lève chaque matin. Lorsque l’on exerce une mission de service public, d’autant plus dans une institution indépendante et experte comme la Banque de France, on sait que notre mission aide les autres. Aider est un synonyme de réussite professionnelle pour moi.
Quels ont été vos échecs (professionnels) ?
Not having had more opportunities for professional experiences. During my studies, I worked as a supervisor in a military high school (the same one where I was previously enrolled). With this occupation, I didn’t have enough time for an internship.”
Who are the people you find it most difficult to get along with? How do you then act?
[In a ‘it’s not a big deal’ tone] First of all, I believe encountering misunderstandings is an event one must be prepared for in the professional environment, where a diversity of behaviors and personalities is encountered. I sometimes find it challenging to work with colleagues who seem less engaged or involved in team projects, especially if this behavior reduces the overall performance of the team and makes achieving collectively set goals more difficult.
As a colleague, when I encounter this type of situation, I first try to understand if external factors are influencing their level of engagement. If this is the case, I show understanding. When I was an intern at the Embassy, this happened to me. Sometimes I was given work that was supposed to be assigned to another intern. But I knew that this intern had just gone through a breakup, so I took it upon myself, and it wasn’t ultimately a big deal. It’s something that can happen to anyone.
As a manager, I would then try to involve them more by assigning tasks aligned with their interests or skills. Sometimes it can simply be a matter of competence.”
With what type of people do you like working the most?
I enjoy working with highly technical people, regardless of their preferred discipline. I find that it’s an opportunity to learn a lot from someone who is passionate about their work. It’s also satisfying in that a positive dynamic is created: there’s a desire to reach the same level of devotion. Overall, working in such an environment creates synergies that I find very positive.
My experience at the Embassy involved drafting meeting reports and working with all the sectors of the mission. Trying to understand everyone’s points of attention to aggregate them into a single document. For example, on the phone with X, ‘You mentioned this point, what relationship do you think it might have with another aspect that X mentioned? (e.g., COVID, WTO, and WHO → patents on vaccines). Do you think it would be relevant for the Ambassador if I make a connection between these two topics? etc.’
So, I really appreciate working with technicians from diverse backgrounds.
Do you prefer working alone or in a group?
To answer this question, I’ll use a saying we often repeat in rugby: ‘Alone we go fast, together we go far,’ to emphasize the importance of teamwork.
I see it as a continuum; it’s a matter of degrees. If I need to go fast, I prefer to work alone. I set up my own method,
If the project is too big to be done alone, I like to work in pairs. If the project is too large for a pair, I prefer to work in a trio, and so on.
Alone, I have already worked quickly: for example, evaluating weekly performances at UNHCR from available data (efficient work on Excel, using macros to avoid repetitive tasks).
In a group, I have produced significant achievements: like organizing an international conference
What do you read?
This year, I’ve mainly read academic works.
Currently, I am reading a graphic novel called ‘Le Choix du Chômage,’ written by a pair of investigative journalists.
In general, I read historical books. Recently, I read ‘En Cherchant Majorana’ by Etienne Klein
Why did you choose this course of study?
Political science: I absolutely wanted to remain in an interdisciplinary approach.
International relations: the desire to study an unsurpassable horizon. ‘Understanding the world.’ Understanding national issues is inseparable from understanding international issues. I like to understand the root causes. This prompts me to study history and the national policies of other geographical areas (the Middle East, Africa, China, Latin America).
“What courses did you enjoy the most? The least?
The courses that I succeeded the most in were always economics and international relations.
Conversely, I found sociology and applied political science less to my liking.
What results did you achieve?
I graduated with honors.
Could you explain your study methods during this training?
I used Brainscape.
If you had to pursue another degree, what course would you choose today?
International Economics and Finance.”
What was the topic of your final project (dissertation, thesis, project, etc.)?
I worked on disinformation in international relations. I chose this subject because I am interested in the risks associated with the digitization of our societies. There was abundant literature on cyber-sabotage operations, data theft, and embezzlement. But much less on the topic of disinformation through cyber means. The problem that guided my work was the following: how do states adapt their international strategies in the face of this new threat.
This work first led me to understand how cyberspace is defined as a strategic space in its own right. Then, I was able to identify. On the one hand, there are offensive strategies: Russia. And on the other hand, defensive strategies: China. I was also led to be interested in the impact of these changes on societies, especially in France. What I noticed is that, for the moment, these strategies have had little impact, including on financial markets. But this work was carried out before the boom in generative AI, which has the potential to reshuffle the cards.
A certain risk identified: what would be the impact of a massive disinformation campaign against a systemic bank? Hacking social media accounts. SVB -> Bankrun of 42 billion, via panic spread by social media.
If I had to redo this work today, I would approach the problem from this angle. The risk of disinformation is, in my opinion, a systemic risk.
If we also add other risks related to AI: high-frequency trading.
You have to prepare an information note on the solvency of a financial institution for the Governor, how do you go about it?
I take time alone to think about my method. I make a little plan, step by step, of the things I must do to ultimately produce this note.
Once my steps are identified, I execute: personal information research, solicitation of colleagues if needed, drafting, sending to my superior for proofreading, correction if necessary, and sending to the Governor’s office, with interested parties copied.
