Digital Marketing 12 month intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year at L'Oréal. I was hesitant of receiving 'intern' responsibilities but I was truly valued as part of the team with a lot of responsibility. I like to be kept busy and work on various different projects so this was perfect for me.

Throughout my placement year I felt valued by all of my colleagues. Working within a very small team occasionally there were pressured moments, however everyone involved was extremely appreciative of the time I put in to all of my work. I had the opportunity to work with multiple teams throughout my year at L'Oréal and found the same in every team.

Unfortunately half way through my placement year my manager took on a new position so I was given a new manager. I was apprehensive at first but both my managers supported me greatly with not only my work but also any additional initiatives I wanted to get involved with throughout the year.

Although work load can fluctuate, on average I was very busy. I chose to come into the office before 9am as I liked getting a head start on my work but this was totally my own decision and L'Oréál is very open to understanding how you like to work. I very rarely had a day where I had nothing to do as I continuously had projects going on. I also had enough time to work on additional projects such as charity work.

I was so pleased with the level of responsibility I was given from day one. I had heard this before I joined L'Oréal and it was one of the factors that drew me to apply to L'Oréal in the first place. I had a great relationship with my manager who gave me a highlevel of responsibility on large projects throughout the year.

I do not study Marketing at university so assumed the skills I learned would not be directly transferable into my degree studies and career beyond university however I was wrong. Throughout my placement year my skills such as creativity, communication and analysis were all developed strongly due to the wide variety of projects I took on.

The general atmosphere in the office was very relaxed although it does differ slightly by brand. For me the atmosphere was relaxed with very friendly faces who were warm and welcoming.

The placement year at L'Oréal is organised very well. The managers who take on interns are very generous with their time and supportive of our ambitions. The HR team have been equally as supportive throughout my year at L'Oréal. The handover process at the start of the internship is one of the best bits of the internship set up. When you start you have a week with the intern who was in your role before you so you can learn your role and ask any questions before you start on your own.

There are plenty of training opportunities available at L'Oréal both optional and compulsory. When I began my placement year I attended various training sessions which covered all different topics from presentation skills to how to understand personality types. All of the training sessions I have attended have been well organised by the Learning team and the skills I have developed have helped me within my role.

Future employment prospects within L'Oréal are appealing. The graduate scheme offers a great opportunity to experience working within different divisions and functions so you can really get to know the company as a whole. I have spoken to a number of graduates during my year here and everyone loves their role and the ability to experience different areas of the company.

The social scene was great at L'Oréal with opportunities to socialise with both colleagues and other interns. I was part of the intern committee where organised social events for the whole intern community including summer and winter parties.

The cost of living was fairly low compared to the rest of London.

There were lots of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work including charity events and sports. I was a member of the netball team where we competed in the league against other companies weekly. There were things going on every month you could get involved in.