Carolina Du Chene: Full Circle from IE Student to Employer of IE Students

With a confident stride, Carolina Du Chene de Vere walked the familiar halls of IE University – but this time as an employer for hospitality sector giant Marriott.  She had never considered a career in hospitality, but as she reflected on how much had changed over the past year—from a student trying to secure a job to where she stood now—she felt a profound sense of accomplishment.

Her goal-oriented mindset set the stage for the full circle moment that flashed before her eyes– from student to recruiter via IE Talent & Careers’ flagship event Careers Forum where students have the opportunity to network with multi national companies.

Carolina is an Italian graduate of the dual degree International MBA + Master in Talent Development and Human Resources. She was on campus for the Careers Forum to share insights, and tips at the  Madrid Edition of The Global Voyager Leadership Development Programme, a year-long internship, which immerses participants in operations of their specific discipline.

One year earlier she was the job-seeking student at Careers Forum looking to discover her place in the labor market and this time around she was the representative at the same event for her employer Marriott.

Now it was her responsibility to connect students with her company, where she herself had kickstarted her professional journey as a Human Resources Intern at Marriott: The Madrid Edition. This event, another strategic initiative hosted by IE Talent & Careers, aimed to introduce students to potential career opportunities within the industry.

"In March, I went there more focused on finding a job. I printed my CV, created my name tag with all the information like email and LinkedIn, and went in very goal-oriented," she remembers.

As she made her way around the Career Forum, Du Chene came across The Voyager Programme by The Madrid Edition. She had never considered the hospitality sector, but keeping an open mind ultimately served her great benefit. She took the first step to building the bridge with positive results.

"We started talking, and there was a connection from the beginning. We talked for half an hour, one-on-one, which I think is very important at career fairs,” she reflected. “Many times, people talk with HR in groups at career fairs, and no one really has the opportunity to know you. It’s very important to get that one-on-one connection."

Du Chene strategically continued to foster the connection with the company by messaging with them through LinkedIn, and said it enabled the opportunity of future interviews.

"When I talked to them, everything was super easy. The jobs they were explaining to me, like what HR actually is there and what my assignments would be, I really liked them," Du Chene explained. “ After the interview, I felt it went pretty well."

Eventually landing the job, Du Chene dealt with multiple responsibilities, preparing her for real world scenarios.

"I help with interviews and castings, manage the legal side with external employees, and organize monthly events for interns to make their experience more engaging," she said. "It’s a mix of responsibilities that’s giving me real, hands-on experience in HR."

Her ability to adapt as well as her ambition throughout her internship is what led her to speak in the event and become a recruiter to search for candidates for the same program. Sharing about her experience and providing tips for students interested in following her steps was inspirational for attendees.

Attending the Talent & Career Forum for the third time, now as a recruiter, Du Chene realized just how far she had come. Reflecting on her journey, she remembered standing on the opposite side of the booth just one year ago, with the world at her feet.

Exploiting opportunities, Du Chene encourages others to take actions, and looks to inspire others to follow her lead.

"I still may not have all the answers about my future. I am just very grateful that I seized the opportunities that came into my life,” she reflects. “And when I saw an opportunity, I took it."