Spring Insight Review

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the Insight at Unilever, I just wish it had lasted longer as it was only 3 and a half days so it is very much so just an insight! We were greeted at the train station by representatives from Unilever and taken to a nearby hotel where dinner and drinks where provided- a great chance to get to know everyone! We then spent 3 days networking, undertaking business challenges, discovering different areas of the business, concluding with an assessment centre.

I felt valued during my time here as employees and staff appeared to be genuinely interested in us and what to help us as much as they could. No seemed like they had to be there, all staff seemed like they really cared. Employees were encouraging and welcoming which enable us to ask questions and find out more about different areas of the business and job roles.

There was lots of guidance available and this is not a stressful insight in the slightest! They do everything in their power to make the experience as pleasant as possible. A clear timetable was provided as well as a list of phone numbers should we need them. Throughout the 3 days, we were always accompanied by a member of staff who was on hand for support and guidance.

I think one of the best thing about this insight at Unilever was the array of transferable skills that I have gained as a result of all the networking event and activities. The networking opportunities developed my communication skills in a professional setting and the presentations greatly improved my confidence and ability to deliver a clear and concise presentation.

The insight was extremely well structured. From the moment I got off the train, I was greeted by a friendly member of staff who took us straight to the hotel. From then on, all the activities were well structure and there was a good balance of having plenty to do but also some down time in the evening. This allowed us to bond as a group.

There was a really good atmosphere throughout the week. Everyone bonded very quickly as a group, which made the experience really enjoyable. The atmosphere at Unilever is relaxed and friendly so I never felt intimidated and I felt that I could ask any question, no matter how silly. Overall, great atmosphere.

I felt a lot was invest in us as individual, not only cost, but a lot of time and planning also. From the hotel stay in a very nice hotel to networking dinners with senior members of staff, at all stages I felt well look after and that Unilever was really trying to make the experience as positive as possible. It was clear there was a huge amount of investment that went into the week and this was very much reflected.

The company culture was very much demonstrated during the insight week. From the open plan 'agile' working space to the Ben & Jerry's café, it was clear that Unilever operates in a relaxed and open manners, Unilever strikes for a diverse culture and that was clear from policies such as agile working and working from home. Everyone was very positive about there working life at Unilever.

Although I found the experience very valuable for developing transferable skills such as networking and communication, I would not say the content helped me decide on a future career path. This is simply because the insight was so short and it would be difficult to decide a career path in that short space of time. The programme is mainly focused on getting an insight to the company and further opportunities such as summer programme and year placement.

My travel was reimbursed (up to £100 I think) and the accommodation and food was paid for whilst I was there.

Yes, there were many opportunities for networking and meeting employees. We meet a number of senior staff who gave us very insightful presentations on their careers at Unilever as well as having one on one sessions with line managers to discuss future career paths. On the final night, we had a wonderful dinner with member of staff which was another chance to network. We met with graduates and interns on different programmes also.

The networking and social event opportunities were very enjoyable. We had a number of social events with fellow interns which allowed us to bond and where really fun (usually with an open bar!). The networking events were fairly relaxed and didn't feel ''forced''. The dinner on the final event was particularly enjoyable and a highlight of the programme,

I would absolutely recommend this insight to a friend. It was a really enjoyable experience, particular because the group I was with bonded so well. There really is nothing to lose in applying for this programme as all expenses are covered once you are accepted onto the insight. Also on the final day, there is a mini assessment centre which you can be fast tracked onto one of the other programmes (Summer/Year). It is less intense than the normal assessment centre.