R&D Summer Placement Review
at Unilever
Internship (1 Month+)
Consumer Products/FMCG
Liverpool
Review Submitted: September 2021
Overall Rating
4.4 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
4.8/5
-
Skills Development
4/5
-
Support and Guidance
4.3/5
-
Company Culture
4/5
-
Overall Experience
5/5
-
Future Career Prospects
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis.
I was given an independent chemistry project, designing an investigation, conducting analysis in the laboratory and analysing results. I took part in team meetings and team project discussions and also completed relevant learning courses through the online platform.
Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?
Yes, I was given my own project to design and implement and was responsible for planning all of my lab work, setting the goals, collecting the data and reporting this back to the wider team in the format of reports and presentations.
Please rate how meaningful the work you were doing was
5/5
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills, or developed your existing skills?
Yes, many! Networking, business acumen, spectroscopy, independent project design, time management. There are so many opportunities to develop skills via e-learning modules and you can design personalised learning pathways.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
5/5
How would you rate your development of industry-specific skills during the experience?
5/5
How would you rate your development of personal / soft skills during the experience?
4/5
Please rate how these skills have helped you in your career development
5/5
Support and Guidance
How much support and guidance did you receive during your placement / internship?
While there was a lot of emphasis on independent working, there was always someone there who was happy to answer your questions and help if needed. It is not an intimidating atmosphere and everyone is always keen to check that you are doing okay.
How would you rate the support and guidance from your line manager?
5/5
How would you rate the support and guidance from the wider team?
3/5
Company Culture
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
I found the environment very supportive and open. Everyone I met was friendly and very happy to help, but they also seemed to value my input which helps you to build confidence more quickly. The good work-life balance and emphasis on wellbeing gave the image of a company that really cared about its employees. I was surprised how it felt like everyone knew everyone, despite it being such a large company and I settled in quickly.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the social opportunities?
2/5
How would you rate the diversity initiatives?
5/5
How would you rate the charity, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives?
5/5
Overall Experience
To what extent did you enjoy your placement / internship?
Despite the challenges of covid-enforced hybrid working I really enjoyed my placement. I got a really good feel of the company and a very warm welcome and it was exciting to be given a project that will hopefully one day soon have real-life impact.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on your placement / internship
4/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
4/5
Future Career Prospects
Please rate the future employment prospects at Unilever
5/5
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Unilever to a friend?
Yes
What advice would you give to others applying to Unilever
Just be yourself, do not try to be too smooth or corporate, this is not what they are looking for. They want bright, interesting people who will fit into the culture and bring good ideas and a positive attitude to the table.
