L'Oreal Professionnel Wholesale Intern Review

I really enjoyed my placement year at L'Oreal. Although challenging at times I learnt a lot and developed a lot as a person. The company was extremely welcoming and it was a pleasure to arrive everyday. There was never a dull moment for those willing to learn and progress. I was matched with tasks that fitted my capability and was given more and more responsibility as time passed and I found my feet. Although I was new to the industry, I never felt overwhelmed, as L'Oreal offered multiple opportunities to help me learn along the way.

My team was extremely welcoming and I found there was a place for me from the start. As an intern, there will always be moments when you have to do 'intern jobs' such as clear out cupboards, do massive sends outs, pick up odd jobs when everyone else is too busy. However, this never made me feel undervalued. My team balanced personal and work well though sometimes did not have enough time for the social element, as a result it took slightly longer to feel at home around them. They were all extremely caring however, and always there for you when you were in need.

My manager was extremely supportive especially in the beginning when I needed guidance most. She helped me develop as a person and continued top challenge me and give me more responsibility throughout my placement. Towards the end I felt very independent and comfortable in my role but we ensured that we did not lose contact and continued to have regular meetings to discuss the progress of projects.

As with any job there are always fluctuations. There were times were it did feel like there just wasn't enough time in the world, but we always managed to get things done. My team was always there to help share the load when someone else was struggling. There were also times when you felt it was quite, but there was never a time when you had nothing to do. A more chilled day was sometimes a relief to catch up on the admin pile.

My levels of responsibility progressed as I progressed through the internship. At the beginning I was a lot more dependent on my manager and needed her confirmation on everything. As I progressed and began to understand the brand and the industry better I was given more autonomy to make my own decisions and towards the end I was seeing projects with her sign off at the end.

It was interesting to see the theories I had studied executed in a business environment and have helped me understand in greater detail how the world of marketing works. L'Oreal was also great in developing me as a person and offered many opportunities to partake in learnings throughout the year from time management, feedback, the beauty industry etc.

The atmosphere at L'Oreal is relaxing yet productive. It encourages creativity, collaboration and flexi-working. They have recently had a refurbishment which has enabled hot desking and creating lots of room for more relaxed informal meetings. You always feel there is something exciting going on but it is not distracting.

The placement is extremely well integrated. It has been running for a long time so many of the people you will meet have passed through it and can give you tips on how to make the most of it. There is lots of support from HR and your line manager with contact catch-ups to ensure maximum development.

L'Oreal has a well-established learning team, who run a variety of learnings courses. I was encourgaed to participate in these by my manager and well really valuable. There is also a shadowing and mentor scheme that are available if you want. These needs a little work as due to the busy schedules at L'Oreal it is difficult to coordinate sometimes.

There is a well implemented graduate scheme as well as a talent network. L'Oreal stress that there is always the option to return to L'Oreal at any point of your career. The graduate scheme gives you the opportunity to experience other divisions, brands and roles at L'Oreal and would be invaluable. It is however, extremely competitive.

There is a huge social scene at L'Oreal and it is easy to create a network. Due to the huge amount of interns, this creates a great stepping off point to meet people in different roles, networks and brands. Although my teams wasn't as sociable as others, we still had a great time. I also had a huge social network beyond my team.

London is an expensive city to live and work in. Although the placement is fairly well payed in comparison to others, you will never be flushed with cash. You have to be responsible with your money even though you are earning.

London has an amazing nightlife. There is so much diversity and something for everyone. Though I would not recommend going out every night as you might find it impacts on your work. And its extremely expensive.

There are activities outside of work such as sport, charity, mindfulness etc. It is easy to get involved with, however you may feel at the end of the day you just want to head home. Activities outside of work are not a massive part of L'Oreal but there are opportunities if you are interested.