Jean-Baptiste Gallot was born and raised in Paris and even though he studied in Barcelona for two years, he is back in his city. After studying business, he worked in sales within the digital advertising field with clients such as Le Monde. He grew in the company and ended up as a Sales Director for online ads, but he felt he needed a change.
Starting the change...
He loved client relationships, as it was a “great source of knowledge, but the advertising industry wasn’t for me businesswise.” He loved the technology behind ads, being able to understand online behaviours, but he felt that all great tech developments only had the goal of displaying an ad - and that’s all. Selling as the ultimate goal seemed like a waste. However, he started to see that the relationship between technology and data privacy was a crucial aspect in his company and a growing trend in the industry. He wanted to keep growing but he felt stuck in his sales role so he talked to his team and they came up with an agreement so he could leave the job and focus on his passion: technology.
Covid-19 also played a role in the transition
Due to the impact of Covid-19, he also felt stuck geographically speaking; he couldn’t travel, so he decided to do an online program. He talked to a friend who recommended Ironhack, thanks to its intensive format. His experience was really positive and encouraged him to find out more about Ironhack. Now, as part of the Cybersecurity bootcamp, Jean-Baptiste affirms that it is “a hard program. The rhythm is intense, but it's all worth it”
He wanted to learn something new where he could specialize in a role that combined contact with other people with the departments of IT, legal, or accounting. The Cybersecurity bootcamp combined many aspects that matched that. At first, he was worried about not having a technical background, but after talking to the admissions team at Ironhack, there was a click: “Going back to study after many years working in the same field at an expert level can make you feel nervous because you have to start from zero. The Admissions team answered all my questions, gave me guidance and I was confident to say: if I do this, I know I had to give 100%. So it's all in!”
He was worried about the intensity of the program, the remote format, and the uncertainty of doing something he had never done before. He wondered: “are we going to talk among us? Will we have a good atmosphere at class?” There were ten students so there was a good vibe really soon and he felt part of the group. He feels comfortable using Slack, they work in groups, and he feels there is a real connection in the class.
His bootcamp experience
His day starts at 9 am with an icebreaker - an activity to get to know each other and talk about a specific topic. After that, they talk about what they have been working on and explain what they are doing on that day. This meeting helps them get to know each other; there is a true interest in learning among colleagues and it doesn’t matter which background they come from, everyone is welcome to share their knowledge.
Now that he is learning cybersecurity, Jean-Baptiste says jokingly that his friends and family ask him frequently whether they are safe when browsing on the internet or if he will hack their computers. “No, this is not like the James Bond of computers. It is an interesting topic that everyone should be familiar with! Cybersecurity is not a fashion, but a crucial aspect of civil protection, both for companies and individuals in their daily life.”
Regarding his professional path, he is open to all opportunities, even combining sales and cybersecurity. He keeps the same attitude that he had when he joined Ironhack: “if you do it, do it with two feet.” And that's the same recommendation that he gives to anyone who is thinking about studying Cybersecurity at Ironhack.
If you are also thinking in joining a cybersecurity bootcamp but have questions, do not hesitate to reach out to one of our admissions managers and ask any questions you may have! We will be delighted to hear from you.
