Happy Anniversary to me!

March 10, 2000

Whoa, this dates me.  This picture was taken in  August 2000 and was then featured on the Marcelle Website.  I was first hired as National Training Manager.

I received my certification in esthetics in June 1998.  I always remained in contact with one of my teachers.  I went on to do my certification in electrolysis and worked part-time in  a salon until the end of my studies.  A little over a month after I finished electrolysis, the phone rang and my esthetics' teacher was telling me that a friend who worked for Marcelle had called her to ask if she knew of anyone who could fill-in for the Training Manager position.

There were 6 weeks of Canadian coast-to-coast training to do, in both languages, for drugstore Beauty Advisors.  There was a possibility for me to stay after the 6 weeks if the experience had been satisfactory for the employer and myself.  "But the only thing I know about this brand is that it's perfume free and hypo-allergenic and sold in pharmacies.  I know nothing about this brand!", I remember telling my teacher.  You don't understand, she tells me.  "I have talked about you and they are waiting for your résumé".  Gasp.  Ok, put fear aside, let pride take over and email that résumé!

I first spoke to the Consumer Relations' Director who was my teacher's contact and then to the person who would be my boss for nearly a year.  This was on a Tuesday.  The position required that I travel across Canada.  Was I ready to embark?  Yes.  It required that I use a LCD projector and teach using PowerPoint presentations which were already put together by the Training Manager who was still in position until the end of the week.  I had no clue what a LCD projector was and had never used PowerPoint before, except maybe to view an email I had been forwarded.  Rest assured, they would show me.  The woman who was going to be my boss could not interview me in person until Thursday.  "There is one problem", she told me.  "The Training Manager is giving his last training tomorrow (luckily - 20 minutes away from my home).  So if you want to know what the job consists of, you should attend the training session, but I can't pay you since I need to interview you first".   I went anyways!  I figured this was a time when too much information was better than insufficient information.  The Consumer Relations' Director also attended the session and filmed it for me.  The Trainer showed me how to use and plug the projector, laptop and PowerPoint presentations.  He showed me his training book.

The following day, I had to go to my interview and do a short presentation on skin and skin care.  I was officially hired on March 10, 2000 and was sent home with a suitcase full of products to try and use so I would know what I was talking about.  A suitcase full of skin care and colour cosmetics?  Love at first sight!  I spent the whole week-end going through the books and PowerPoint presentation since I had to do my first training session on March 14, less than a week after seeing the presentation for the first time!

I will always be grateful to my teacher for giving me this opportunity.  She opened a door for me and I made sure to work hard at this chance I had been given.

My responsabilities since then have changed.  I now have the privilege to work in collaboration with Beauty Bloggers.  

 Here with Lipstick Rules' Beauty Blogger

 Above, with Spiced Beauty's Beauty Blogger

The passion which I discovered for the Annabelle and Marcelle brands that year remains.   Today, I celebrate ten years working for Groupe Marcelle. Happy professional anniversary to ME!