Sara Ruggeri, Social Media & Crisis Communication Manager, Givaudan

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Alumni Service

16 September 2019

In order to help current students and recent graduates to find their way in the working world, many of our alumni shared their career story. Here the story of Sara Ruggeri, Social Media and Crisis Communication Manager in Givaudan in Geneva (CH). USI Deree: Master in Marketing, 2010

How did you start your career?

I had the great chance to start my career in the Human Resources field as HR Assistant at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics.

Why did you choose a career at Givaudan?

As I’ve been fascinated by the great experience I had at CERN, I’ve then decided to develop myself in HR at Givaudan, a world renowned Swiss company, global leader in its industry and for this reason an excellent international career opportunity for me.

What is your current role/duties?

I have joined Givaudan in 2012, initially in the Talent Acquisition department where I designed the Company’s global digital and social media strategy and established Givaudan’s first ever social media presence focusing initially on employer branding and gradually evolving the scope to broader corporate communications. I have then moved to Corporate Communications where I am now responsible for Social Media and Crisis Communication. In my current role I am in charge of the full social media lifecycle, of the Company's social media governance, learning and education activities and I support the Crisis Management team in handling crisis situations, crisis monitoring and crisis preparedness.

In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career at Givaudan?

Have a strong customer focus and a lot of creativity, be determined and results driven and last but not least a fundamental team work spirit and time management ability in order to be able to stick to the deadlines.

What are USI’s positive featuresand qualities?

USI has some of the best international professors who gave their contribution to the Marketing and Economics’ literature. At USI you have a great multicultural environment with students coming from all over the world, almost like an Erasmus experience. In my opinion the most outstanding aspect is that USI gives you the chance to acquire a deep knowledge about specific subjects, Marketing and Business Strategies in my case, not only from the books, but putting it into practice through several case studies, team works and the most significant one, the Field Project, which allows you to collaborate with a company and this was for me the first step to explore a real working environment.

What competences and/or skills acquired in your USI Study Program have been useful/are useful to your professional career?

During my Master at USI I learnt to work in teams, collaborating with people with different cultures and therefore to respect others’ opinions. I acquired also the time management skill, as at USI a lot of multiple team projects had to be developed together and the time to work on them and be ready for the final presentation was really short.

What is your advice to USI students entering the job market?

Take advantage of the several internship opportunities that USI offers to its students during their study program and also the Erasmus or International Exchange Program is a great chance to explore new markets. After graduation it’s important to set a long-term career development and then just go straight for it, because only in this way, with a clear target in your mind, you will not be discouraged once you face some difficulties to achieve what you are looking for.