If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be living in Paris, working at one of the biggest companies in the world, I would have smiled, sipped my coffee, and thought: cute, but let’s be realistic. And yet, here I am, writing this from my Amazon office in the City of Lights, living proof that persistent ambition (and maybe a little bit of stubbornness) can get you exactly where you want to be.
The Road to Paris: 100+ Applications, Countless Rejections & a Whole Lot of Persistence
Let’s get one thing straight: landing an internship in Paris wasn’t some casual, “Oh, let’s see where life takes me” kind of decision. No, Paris was the goal from day one. The dream. The vision. But dreams don’t happen overnight. I sent out over 100 internship applications, yes, triple digits. For months, my inbox was a battlefield of rejections, “we regret to inform you” emails, and no signs from companies I was certain would love me. Spoiler alert: they didn’t. Then, Amazon happened.
A month after applying, an email landed in my inbox: “Amazon Interview – Second Stage.” For a second, I stared at it, confused, honestly, I had completely forgotten I even applied. But then reality kicked in. This was it. My shot. And if I let it slip? I’d regret it.
So, I did what any determined (slightly obsessed) candidate would do: I went full Amazon mode. Two weeks, countless YouTube videos of past interns, a notebook overflowing with notes on their marketing approach, culture, online presence, pros, cons, and USPs. I followed their LinkedIn page like it was my personal news feed, analyzing every post, every trend. I engaged myself in everything Amazon, from A to Z. Why? Because I wasn’t just looking for any internship, I was looking for a paid internship at a company that values its interns. And guess what? I found exactly what I wanted.
Paris, Marketing & My First Big-Girl Job
Fast forward to today, and I’m here in Paris, working in paid social marketing at Amazon, helping shape digital ad campaigns across 5 European markets. (Yes, that includes scrolling through TikTok and analyzing content, dream job, right?)
What’s it really like? Imagine this: Your morning commute takes you past charming Parisian buildings, stopping by a café for a fresh pain au chocolat and a good coffee. You spend your day analyzing data, optimizing paid social campaigns, and developing strategies, all while collaborating with teams from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Every day brings new challenges, and you’re always pushing to innovate and improve. By the end of it, you’re meeting new people and feeling encouraged by the impact you’re making. It’s a bit like “Emily in Paris”, but with less drama and more PowerPoint slides.
The Takeaways: What I’ve Learned So Far
– Rejection is just redirection. If I had given up after my 50th, 75th, or even 99th rejection, I wouldn’t be here. Keep going. The right opportunity will come.
– If you want it, work for it. When I made it to the second round, I didn’t just hope for the best, I prepared for it. Two weeks of non-stop Amazon research made sure of that.
– You never really know your potential until you push yourself. So aim high, you might just surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
Final Thoughts: To Future Interns & Dreamers
If you’re a media and communication student wondering if you’ll ever get that internship, here’s my advice: keep applying. Keep learning. Keep aiming high. Because one day, you’ll be sitting in your dream city, working at your dream company, thinking back to all those rejections and realizing they were just stepping stones to something bigger.
And trust me, when you finally get there? It’s so worth it.
À bientôt!
