Summer Virtual Insight Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual experience. It was a very busy 2 days, filled with lots of information about the company and its culture and what to expect from the placement when it is able to be in person. I particularly benefited from the Q&A sessions with the UK&I General Manager and Vice-President of UK HR as we were given the opportunity to ask a range of questions, about the company and different functions. The breakout groups worked well to network with other placement students and Unilever employees who shared their experiences.

Due to the fact this was a virtual placement it was harder to get to know people however the 2 breakout groups used for the Sustainability Challenge and the Purpose Exercise were great opportunities to speak with people which felt much more personal. There was a social session on the evening of the first day which possibly would have been better prior to the 2 day placement so that we would have been able to engage with peers sooner. The staff that ran and assisted with the internship were so friendly and welcoming!

The guidance and support was faultless- the employees running the session couldn't do enough to help us and ensure that we gained the maximum amount possible from the virtual insight. In the purpose session we focused on individual experiences that have shaped how we work and interact with others. It was useful to have support from a range of employees from graduates to interns to managers in groups of ranging sizes to ensure good efficiency.

The employment skills session was particularly helpful for preparing CVs and interview preparation. There were slides with information that we could keep to prepare ourselves for job applications in the future which have professional advice which will definitely be helpful. We were also able to gain the opinions of company managers on HR matters, contemporary topics such as Covid-19, gender inequality in the workplace and sustainability which can be used within my degree and when considering companies after graduation.

The days were very well structured with a timetable sent to us well in advance of the insight so that we could prepare. There was a Q&A on both day 1 and day 2 which was good as it gave the opportunity to ask pre-prepared questions and questions which emerged throughout the virtual experience. There were a good number of breaks and a good amount of time dedicated to each activity. The only thing I would have changed was I would have put the social session before the insight to network beforehand.

There was a great general atmosphere during the virtual experience. You could tell that the staff running the experience loved the company and really wanted to sell it to us all which they did well. They were also conscious of giving breaks and providing a good amount of time for questions and reflection which kept a good atmosphere. There was a good number of people on the insight meaning that the atmosphere was kept personal but also very professional.

They have greatly invested in me as this was an additional experience as my summer placement was cancelled. They put us into groups of 4 to focus on our individual purpose and the moderator advised us about possible career choices and how we fitted into the Unilever corporate culture. This was all completely individual therefore they were invested in us. The employability skills section was really helpful for personal development and guidance on future careers.

It was useful to listen to the experiences of current employees on the industrial placement, UFLP and managers as we gained an insight into current projects and day-to-day working. The session on the different Unilever functions was so helpful to understand the different sections within each function (for example in HR) and also to gain an understanding of how these departments interact with one another. However, it was more understanding the experiences of others than what a full time placement would be like.

The entire experience showed and supported the Unilever company culture and its purpose. We had 2 sessions dedicated to Unilever's mission with regards to sustainability, their goals and how they set out to do this and also how the structure of the business and opportunities link to company culture. In the sustainability business challenge we had to create a new product bearing in mind company culture and it was clear that everyone had gained a really good understanding of the sustainability goals of Unilever.

This was more of an insight into the company and its values rather than specific career paths and departments of work. There was a section on the different Unilever functions where somebody from each department spoke about the way the function operates and what upcoming tasks may include and this was really helpful in gaining an understanding but I think I would need to do the longer internship for a more concrete understanding of my future career path.

This was a virtual insight as my paid summer placement was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19 therefore there were no expenses and this was not paid as it was an insight rather than work. I feel that I gained a lot through the experience and now have skills and knowledge that I can apply to my degree and future job applications therefore I have definitely gained for the time I have spent! I would not expect to be paid for this.

There was an extremely wide range of employees from the company involved with the running of the insight and this was amazing for the Future Careers Team to have organised insights from people so high up in the company. In the breakout groups you got to speak to other placement students and current employees from a range of departments so this was good for networking. It may have been useful to have split us into our different functions so we could meet people we would likely be working with.

There was a social, fun session on the evening of day 1 which was a good way to get to know other people a bit better, however it is quite hard on MS Teams as you can only see a few people at a time due to bandwidth therefore you mostly saw the staff running the event. It would have been good to have some Linkedin information and others' contact details but I'm sure this will be easy enough to find after the insight!

We heard about some different sports teams that you can get involved in however not much more about other extra-curricular activities. The 2 days were however packed with good information so this may be something better suited to an in-person placement anyway! The current graduate scheme employees and placement students gave us a good insight into places employees tend to socialise outside of the office which was good, and there was lots of advice on accommodation.

Yes I would recommend this experience to a friend. It was great to have such a personal insight into such a big firm and it was so good to be able to ask questions to UK&I managers as this is such a rare opportunity! I would say it is a very busy 2 days so do expect to be tired at the end of it, particularly if you haven't done any virtual work before but it is so worth it! Thanks so much to the team who put this all together.