Assistant Brand Manager Review

My placement has not been what I expected at all. It has been more challenging than I had anticipated, but in different ways to how I expected. I struggled with adapting to an environment that I was unfamiliar with, that was so different to university or any part-time jobs I'd had as a teenager. However, I feel like I've achieved more than I expected; every weekend I would feel a sense of achievement and pride because I knew I had done something important and learned something new that week.

At the start, I felt a bit like a stranger - my team had never had an intern before and I think they were a bit unsure of how to respond. However, my line manager instantly tried to make me feel welcome, and before long I felt very comfortable around my colleagues, and even those who were more senior than me.

My line manager and colleagues always enouraged me to ask questions if I did not understand anything, but very much allowed me to figure things out myself. This way, I felt like I had the freedom to be independent, but had the support if I decided that I needed it.

As I worked in the Innovation Team, and passed between different projects, my work load fluctuated a lot. At the start of my placement I felt I was thrown into the deep end - lots of meetings, training sessions, calls and so much to learn. But as you get used to the role, the work load becomes manageable. Some days will be busier than others, but Unilever very much values the wellbeing of its employees, so if you have to work late one day, you can leave early on another.

I was given a lot of responsibility - I was always asked my opinion and recommendation, and was encoraged to present this both to team members and external agencies. I always felt listened to, and I knew that the work I did and the ideas I had were actually important in helping us to achieve our goals.

The main thing I learned was to not be afraid to ask questions - no one expects you to know everything, and making the effort to ask a question shows that you are interested and prepared to learn. I also appreciate what I've learned about interacting with a wide range of people, from different ages, work levels, cultures and backgrounds. This is an invaluable skill for any career.

My office was fairly busy and you were always able to have a chat and a laugh, but there was definitely an air of concentration and productivity, which I like. A good balance, overall.

The onboarding team and HR were very organised with informing the placement students of what they needed to do, but I feel that my line manager was not entirely informed about what to expect from an intern. She had not had one before, so often under/overestimated my abilities in certain areas. There was also a period where I had no line manager, as the work plan hadn't been properly managed.

There were training sessions in different areas every few weeks, as well as entire workshop days dedicated to finding our indivual purposes as an employee. It definitely felt like they were giving us 100% and trying to make us the best we could be, both as individuals and as employees.

The prospects are appealing, as there are so many different jobs available within the company, and the UFLP scheme is designed to help you learn and grow as much as possible. While this graduate scheme is highly competitive, I have no doubt that it would be worth the hard work.

There was a very good social scene, which was organised by a few placement students. I was very lucky as I worked in the central London office with quite a few placement students in my office and also lived near them, but I know the experience was very different for those who worked in a remote office with no other students.

London is expensive compared to the North, which is where I go to university, but it is definitely manageable. I lived in South-West London (Wimbledon) and commuted into central London every day, but did not have to compromise on socialising or having fun at the weekend. If you are sensible, it is absolutely fine.

I worked in central London, so the nightlife was great! There were lots of bars just minutes from the office, which was perfect for after-work drinks and socialising with colleagues. We also travelled to that area at weekends sometimes just to make the most of it - the views are amazing!

There were some sports teams that we could join at the Leatherhead office, and sports days were an important team-building aspect that we were all encouraged to get involved in. We also socialised with colleagues often after work, so you never felt as though work was the only thing on your agenda.