HR Summer Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship, I learnt so much about Mars, FMCG and about myself.

My colleagues were very welcoming of me into the team and because of the amount of responsibility I was given, they really did value my input

The management style at Mars is described using the analogy 'thrown in at the deep end, but with a rubber ring'. This is because even as an intern you are given lots of responsibility and you are expected quickly develop as an associate, therefore there is plenty of support available if you ask, but there is an expectation that you develop quickly through learning from mistakes.

The project that interns are assigned are very varied. At the start I didn't always have something to do throughout the working day, however as my project outcomes became clearer the workload suddenly increased, meaning I was always busy which was great.

I was given a good level of responsibility, as I was trusted with a large projects which entailed exposure to the most senior associates across Mars UK.

Mars' culture is very much based around personal development, and therefore I developed so many transferable skills that have been useful since I returned to university. Every intern follows a Personal Development Plan, focusing on a particular skill that they want to develop, whilst there is opportunities for interns to develop an understanding of their personal skill sets and strenghts

There was a really great atmosphere in the office, everybody was very friendly and willing to have a chat. This meant that the days never dragged because there was enjoyable and always someone to chat to.

My internship was very organised. I had multiple reviews which were stated at the start of my internship which helped structure my project and development.

Mars are always willing to let their associates develop. However they do believe that only 10% of somebody's development is through training and courses. The rest is from actually doing the skill and learning from others.

Extremely appealing and successful interns are fast tracked to the graduate scheme assessment centre.

Yes, during the internship I participated in numerous social activities with the other interns and graduates including curry nights, wakeboarding and bowling.

I lived in student accommodation in Nottingham which cost £90 per week.

Nottingham is 40 minutes away from the Waltham office and the majority of interns and grads live here. As it is one of the largest UK cities, there is always something to do at night.

Yes, there is a football pitch on site where the associates play every week after work.