Michael Salloum - Dare to Dream
Michael Salloum, HEC Paris Master in Management student, landed two dream internships at TikTok AND Disney in the first year of starting the program. His experience at HEC positioned him with the contacts and experience to start working at his goal companies -- even before graduating! Here is a deeper look at how he landed one of those internships.
“It started with me coming to Paris in January 2019,” Salloum said. “I was a regular Disney fan, but a real super fan of the business they do.” He had heard about the Disneyland Paris Career Fair from a friend who was already attending HEC. Being there he realized he needed more to make his profile stand out - and he sparked the idea that he would start to apply to top business schools to get his master’s degree. “I saw that they way to get into the doors of the entertainment through the doors of a top-tier school.”
Labeled as an “entertainer” by his friends, Salloum knew that he wanted his career to make a difference and aimed his trajectory outside the traditional goal in finance and consulting. His optimistic and outgoing nature served him well, as he adamantly made fun and creativity a priority. “Taking your strengths and natural disposition is important when considering what kind of industry you want to work in.”
"When I had my first-ever Disney interview, and when conversing with the recruiter, I brought forward some points that I have never talked about in other interviews I had (creativity, eye for detail, artistic point of view...) This is where I realized that going for an unconventional job would foster those skills that span a lot more than a typical consulting or analytical role would."
During his time at HEC Paris, Salloum’s Disney obsession only grew. He leveraged his coursework to “HEC helped me work on projects I both love and actually need.” The HEC curriculum allowed Salloum to explore his interests and for the final examination of his Strategic Marketing, he presented a project called the “Disney Dimension”, which was actually presented to the management at Disney. He got feedback from the team at Disney, and he stayed in the manager’s mind -- and the rest is history!
Throughout his internship, Michael Salloum will have the opportunity to learn from some of the most talented and experienced professionals in the industry. He will also have the chance to network and make valuable connections that will be beneficial for his future career. Salloum is excited to begin his internship and is determined to make the most of the opportunity. He hopes to one day be able to work for Disney full-time, and he believes that this internship will be a great step in achieving that goal.
The Walt Disney Company is one of the most respected and recognized entertainment companies in the world, and Michael Salloum is honored to be a part of the team. He is confident that this internship will be an unforgettable experience that will help shape his future.
Overall, Michael Salloum's dream internship at Disney is not just an opportunity for him to learn and grow, but also to contribute to the company's ongoing success. He is grateful for this chance and is looking forward to making the most of it.