What does the transition from EPFL to the professional world really look like? On October 5, 2026, EPFL Alumni brought together three recent graduates at the Swisstech Convention Center to share their experiences and advice, as part of Forum EPFL.
Julia Ravagnani (CGC ’25), Technical Project Coordinator at Solar Impulse Foundation; Tugdual Kerjan (IN ’25), AI Engineer at Normal Computing; and Louis Flahault (MT ’25), Strategy and IT Consultant at OWT discussed job searches, career choices, skills and the realities of their first professional experiences, one year after graduating.
Beyond the classroom
A recurring theme was the importance of developing skills beyond technical expertise. While EPFL provides a strong technical foundation, communication, adaptability and networking are equally valuable in professional life. “Talk to people and go beyond what you learn in the classroom,” Julia advised. For her, developing these skills was also part of finding the right career fit: “I knew I wanted something in between the technical side and the human contact as well.”
Tugdual agreed: “It's hard to learn the technical skills that we learn at EPFL. You can build soft skills from there. It's way harder to go the other way.” His own experience illustrates this: “Go out there and talk to people. That's how I found my internship.”
A proactive approach to the job search
The panelists also shared their experience of looking for their first positions. Louis started applying early and sent applications to more than 40 companies over six months.
“It was tough to get past the CV check stage. Connections were important in that process. When you get to talk to a human, it's easier.” Tugdual chose a similarly proactive approach, reaching out directly to people and setting up calls. “I had a spreadsheet of companies I was interested in. Dare asking and send messages to people to set up a call. I wrote to a lot of people for informal calls.” Leïla Ojjeh, EPFL Alumni Director, concluded: “Don't ask for a job, ask for information. Then it can be useful when you apply.”
Finding your own path
The discussion also offered a glimpse into the variety of professional lives that can follow an EPFL degree. “No day looks like the other. I enjoy the diversity.”, said Julia. Louis, whose internship and Master's project were highly technical, discovered he was looking for something different. “I came out of it wanting more diversity and flexibility. That's what I have now in my company,” he explained. Today, he particularly enjoys the human side of his work: “Day to day, I love talking to and understanding the client. ”
The panel also discussed salary negotiations. The speakers encouraged students to research market expectations and recognise the value of experiences beyond their studies. “Take the time to negotiate if you can. Negotiating is also a good signal you send to HR that you value what you do,” Tugdual said, while also stressing that “salary is not everything though, people are also central.” Louis also underlined that the job market can be tough and that it's not always possible to negotiate.
Try, explore and don't be afraid
The event concluded with an encouraging message: there is no need to have everything figured out from the start. “Try, don't be afraid. Worst case, you get a no. If you fail, you'll get better next time,” Julia said. And, as Louis put it: “Try different things. At the end of the day, if it's not for you, you can quit.”
The experiences shared during the round table offered students an honest and encouraging perspective on the transition from EPFL to professional life: go beyond the classroom, talk to people, try different things and stay open to opportunities.
Commentaires0
Veuillez vous connecter pour lire ou ajouter un commentaire
Articles suggérés
