People Experience Specialist - HR IP Review

My daily tasks involve supporting line managers and employees with core HR policies and processes. Within this, I interact with multiple levels of stakeholders within the business on a daily basis. Query management is also a key part of my role, in which I use my HR knowledge and Unilever resources to resolve questions from employees. I also manage queries externally, in which I resolve questions from previous employees who contact us.

I have gained invaluable HR knowledge, as well as Unilever specific expertise. In regards to professional skills, my ability to prioritise and manage my time has improved drastically. Stakeholder and conflict management has also been a key skill I have developed too. On a personal level, my confidence has improved significantly as I interact with employees and line managers regularly and have high levels of responsibility to ensure their requests are processed efficiently.

I had high levels of responsibility throughout my entire placement. From the very start, I had to connect with key stakeholders (Employees, Line managers, directors etc) directly and ensure a high level of customer service. My daily tasks also had significant business impact (e.g. employment changes, contracts) and so this was a great development opportunity.

I was given lots of introductions to the employee experience team, and was able to connect with my counterparts in different locations who could support me remotely. I did not have a "mentor" or "buddy" as such, but I found my own connections of who could support me. The wider team were generally helpful when I had questions, but there was a focus on finding your own answer before reaching out to the team to encourage self-sufficient learning.

The company culture was incredible and unlike anything I had experience before. There were amazing diversity & inclusion learning sessions, as well as wellbeing events throughout my 13 months of working from home. In regards to the HR function, I think there was a lack of connection and interaction from a placement student perspective. There were not a lot opportunities to connect as a community, which was even more important working completely remotely.

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement, which was an incredible learning experience I will not forget. I enjoyed getting real-life experience in the HR world, and understanding the multiple facets of roles within the function. My team were really supportive and kind. The company culture was the highlight of my placement, as I was incredibly proud to be part of the organisation. It exceeded my expectations in regards to the level of responsibility and impact I would have. I hope to return.

Yes

If you are passionate about Unilever's purpose, it will shine through in the application process. It is crucial to prepare for the assessment centre, and show your true passion and goals to the assessors. In preparation for your first day, I would suggest writing down your goals for the placement and what you want to try/achieve. You can therefore keep on track with your expectations and ensure you get the most out of it.