Lead of Diversity & Inclusion for the UK & Ireland Review

by Unilever

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.1/5
  • The Role
    4.6
  • The Company
    4.5
  • The Culture
    2.9

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • The experience I had on placement has been invaluable. It’s was challenging at times, there is a lot expected from you as a placement student, but without the challenges you don’t get the opportunity to develop and grow. I also found the work incredibly engaging. Unilever is a great company to work for and I would highly recommend applying. Everyone is super friendly and supportive, and I doubt there are many companies where you’ll be given the same level of responsibility and experience.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • My colleagues were extremely welcoming when I first joined the company. I felt like my inputs were always valued and any criticism I received was always constructive and for my own benefit.When my colleagues were happy with the work I was doing they did not hesitate to tell me. One tip: feedback isn't always just given to you. This isn't intentional, people forget! If this is the case make sure you ask for it on a regular basis, it's the only indication of where your performance stands.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • There is ample support given to you as a placement student. Whenever I had a question someone was always willing to answer it. However you are not spoon fed, you are expected to find information and answers yourself where the resources are available to you.

    4/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • This varied. My 'typical' working day was not hectic but the work I did varied from day to day depending on the calendar. Some periods were a lot busier than others which meant you'd be working longer days, however this was balanced out by periods which were a bit quieter. This is what is fantastic about the working culture at Unilever - your hours in the office are flexible as long you are meeting your work requirements.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a huge amount of repsonsibility, but it's not just loaded on you at once so don't be put off!

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • My placement has generally improved my confidence in my abilities and my ideas. This will help me during seminars in my 3rd year where I will have more confidence to speak out. I feel that also my skillset is generally more rounded and I am far more employable.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • Everyone is very friendly, the office is open plan and besides desks there are also more casual areas with sofas which are great for informal meetings. People also bring in cake! It can occasionally get a bit quiet on Fridays when people work from home however if you don't have any reason to be in the office on Friday you can work from home too.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The scheme is well structured, you have your own role so it doesn't feel like your picking up others peoples work. Everyone has a personal development plan so you know what you have to achieve by the end of the year. Only slight disorganisation was in finding out where I was based, I didn't find this out until quite late.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • I always felt like I was learning and being pushed by my manager and my colleagues.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised Canteen

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Company Parties/Events

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Above 25 days holiday

    Working from home

    4/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I would be happy to come back and work for the company after graduatio.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • I interacted with other students within my function on a regular basis but since I was not based in the office that the majority of students were I didn't interact with students from other functions. However there was plenty of social interaction with the people I worked on a daily basis with.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • N/A - lived at home

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • 2 minutes away from the tube station and Fleet Street and Farringdon were just up the road. There were plenty of places to go out for a drink or food after work and clubs weren't too far.

    4/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Not hugely no.

    2/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

South East

October 2014


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