Marthe Leloutre: How iMove Rewrote My Career Story
How Sanofi’s iMove program taught me that your degree doesn't define your career limits
Reading-based Marthe Leloutre, Employee Engagement Manager at Sanofi UK & Ireland, reveals how moving from communications graduate to project manager to employee engagement taught her that skills matter more than degrees – and why your career doesn't have to follow a linear path.
I never thought I'd be managing employee engagement at one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. When I applied for my iMove placement in 2020, I was a communications graduate with experience in internal communications through an apprenticeship. The role on offer? Project Management Officer for Sanofi's UK leadership team. Zero overlap with my degree.
I studied communications, and the PMO role was much more about management and project coordination. However, during the interview, it was all about showcasing the capabilities I had, rather than what I'd studied or already knew how to do.
Looking back now, five years later, I've learned something crucial about how careers actually work.
What interviews really test
During my iMove interview, nobody asked me to recite communication theory or demonstrate technical project management knowledge. Instead, they wanted real examples: "Tell me about a time you demonstrated critical thinking. Describe a moment when you were challenged." Personal experiences, professional ones – it could be anything.
The questions focused on how I'd demonstrate certain capabilities and skills. As they explained to me: "You're going to come into the role and learn within that role. We don't expect you to arrive knowing 100% what you need to do."
This approach makes perfect sense now. When I arrived in Reading, 80% of my work involved liaising with people and organizing complex, cross-functional projects. The interview tested exactly the skills I'd need daily: coordination, communication, and the ability to navigate different personalities and priorities across the business.
What's funny is that my communications degree became relevant again when I moved into employee engagement. It's really come full circle. But even though I'd studied communications, the work experience and real-life experience are entirely different. The theory you learn at school doesn't really apply to work life. Even if you've studied something, until you do it in your job, you've never really done it.
Why skills-based organizations work
Starting as a PMO was brilliant precisely because I wasn't expected to know everything. Sanofi operates as a skills-based organization where growth and learning are part of the job description. You arrive with the right mindset and capabilities, then develop expertise through doing the work.
What I've discovered is that Sanofi genuinely values what you can contribute, rather than the credentials you bring. I've met so many people here who haven't had linear career paths. This isn't accidental; it's how modern careers actually work.
My manager actively encourages me to think about what interests me next. If I wanted to explore digital, marketing, or even something completely different, there are development paths available. The key is having the right skills and mindset, not specific qualifications.
Each role was built on the previous one, but not in ways anyone could have predicted from my original degree. The apprenticeship experience at Sanofi Pasteur in Lyon taught me about internal communications. The PMO role developed my project coordination and stakeholder management capabilities. Now, in employee engagement, I'm applying all those skills while learning about organizational psychology and change management.
Embracing the non-linear path
Perhaps the most transformative aspect has been realizing my career doesn't have to be a linear path. I'm now comfortable with uncertainty. When opportunities arise that seem 70% aligned with my experience, I don't hesitate. The remaining 30% represents growth potential.
This mindset shift happened because Sanofi’s iMove program demonstrated that organizations like Sanofi invest in people's potential rather than just their existing knowledge. When you're supported to develop and given genuine responsibility, you quickly discover capabilities you didn't know you had.
Ultimately, your next career move might not align with your qualifications, and that could be exactly why it transforms your professional life.
Marthe joined Sanofi through the iMove program in 2020 and progressed from Project Management Officer to Employee Engagement Manager.
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