Aissatou Diop, HR Manager at Pulse Senegal, is a remarkable person. In this edition of Pulse People, she talks us through finding her path, warming up to her Pulse colleagues, and her role at Pulse Senegal.
Tell me about your background, and how you came to be involved in editorial work and digital publishing.
After obtaining my baccalaureate, at the Prives school Khadimou Rassoul, I was a little lost. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted, so I tried everything from field salesperson to executive assistant to a recruitment manager. I really turned to Human Resources when my grandfather died. He always told me that the world is full of people with big hearts and a great desire to be there for others. At first, I didn’t understand the meaning of his words, but after a certain period I made the final choice to pursue a 100% Human resource professional career, thanks to my DSG Bachelor 3 business administration (human resource management of companies and administrations) at the Higher Institute of Management; I am a sociable and altruistic person so it makes sense.
Tell me how you got into Pulse. (How did you hear about the role and your whole interview process)
I entered Pulse in January 2021. I heard about Pulse through a friend of a friend, I sent my CV, and the HR who was there gave me a first interview which went very well. Afterwards, I came back to meet the CEO. Our interview also went well and I understood Pulse’s expectations for this position. It was two days later that I received a call confirming that my application had been accepted. During my first week, everyone was at the office on time LOL. For them, I was the pet peeve who was going to give orders and fire (hence my nickname black-eyed dragon) but over time I was able to put the employees at ease and show that HRs are there for the good of the company but also so that the work environment is best suited for them. So I had no experience in the field of digital marketing, but fortunately, on-site, I met an open-minded MD and Managers who did not hesitate to assist me on many things. (Big thank you to you!).
Tell me about your current role at Pulse Senegal.
My role is quite diverse; the other managers each have a well-defined role, but HR is constantly changing and I adapt accordingly. Mainly I help make Pulse flourish but also make sure that the work of collaborators is correctly carried out and that these also have the objective of advancing the company while ensuring the well-being of employees because to achieve the objectives, whether short, medium or long-term, it is essential to create a comfortable and caring work environment.
What does a typical day look like for you?
An HR does not really have a typical day (lol), but rather a daily life punctuated by emergencies, appointments and meetings. She receives employees in the office in case of internal concerns (conflicts between colleagues for example). My HR day comes down to change management, recruitment, remuneration, motivation, skills assessment, and resolution.
Work can sometimes get tiring. How do you find inspiration?
When it happens to me, I isolate myself, silence becomes my ally, and I write on a white sheet everything that goes through my head, good or bad.
How do you have fun? How do you spend your time when you are not at work?
I’m almost always going on a trip to discover a place I’ve heard of, but otherwise, I spend the day with my family watching Netflix or Amazon prime video.