by Madeleine
Finance Graduate Scheme
At Unilever
Graduate Job
Finance
What is your role and how long have you been with Unilever?
I am a financial performance analyst working within the Nutrition business unit of Unilever. I started my placement in June, so I have currently been in the role for nearly 3 months.
What inspired you to apply?
I was inspired to apply to Unilever for a finance role because of the opportunity to work with diverse globally recognised brands within ever changing markets. I wanted the chance to work with tangible products to be able to not only apply and gain financial knowledge but to also look at and further understand the macro and micro economic effects of these markets on the brands themselves. With Unilever not being a solely financial company, it also offered me the opportunity to work cross functionally and combine my interests for example marketing with finance.
What does a normal day look like for you?
Most days will be a combination of meetings with the finance team, speaking with brand leads from other departments, independent work which could be solo projects or tasks to help other members of the team. Everyday is completely different though, one day you can be analysing market shared and the next discussing the performance of pot noodle or analysing new product innovations.
What do you find most interesting?
Seeing each aspect of what drives such a large business. The collaboration across departments that goes into developing and sustaining brand and product growth. The constant innovation required that goes with this, to keep up with consumer and market demands.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt so far?
The most important thing I’ve learnt so far is establish good relationships with your colleagues, making the effort to help others around you and taking an interest in their work and personal life. It creates a far nicer work environment for yourself and benefits you when you need help yourself.
Any tips for anyone applying?
Align your application with the company’s mission. Research and really understand Unilever’s values and business model. Understand where the company’s focus is and get that across within the stages leading up to and during the assessment centre. Familiarise yourself with the diverse brands Unilever offers and the culture of the business. Lastly, come with lots of energy to the assessment centre and really show off your personality.
