Assistant Brand Manager Review

The placement itself was hard work, going from university to working a 9-5 is always going to be tough, but I felt really supported and there was penty of training to ease you into the role. I felt challenged but was also put onto some super fun and rewarding projects which meant the role was always engaging and evrry day was different.

There were a lot of team changes in the period I was on placement which made it harder to form good relationships. However, everyone was really friendly and we went out often as interns. There were also a good amount of work events and socials and those who I worked with reguarly became good friends.

I had 4 managers in the time I was at Unilever and all of them were super supportive and interested in my progress. I felt that they all got to know me personally and genuinely tried to give me interesting projects vs. over loading me with admin taks which I think can be common in other internships.

I found my workload to be quite up and down at times but I think this was in line with the nature of marketing for ice cream (very seasonal). Working from home during the covid lockdown meant I was busier than ever but it was a good challenge and I rarely felt busy to the point I struggled to balance life and work.

The responsibility amped up over time but this wa something I became gradually more comfortable and confident with. I really enjoyed the level of responsibility given to me as I felt like I was having an actual impact and I got to see my projects come to life in the market.

The skills I have learnt and developed on my placement year will undoubtedly help me in my future career. I now have understanding of many new systems and processes as well as a better understanding of working under different management styles. I am more confident presenting, pulling together business cases, researching, analysising data and much more.

The general atmosphere is super friendly and relaxed with no strict dress code and lots of activities and events coming up in the office reguarly. Everyone is very dedicated and hardworking and in more stressful periods the atmosphere definitely changes but only to the extent where it motivates, not makes things uncomfortbale.

We were given regulalr placement updates and had a good number of reviews and discussions with managers and team members about how to make the most of our time in the role. I was also well supported by my university but I know of some people who didn't hear from their uni at all over the 12 months .

I was given a lot of opportunity and trusted with important projects. I also found that a lot of time was taken to support me and check in on my progress ad how I was feeling in terms of my workload but also personally. People were always willing to recap and help you when working on unfamiliar tasks and systems too.

Very - working closely with grads and other ABMs has made me very aware of the opportunities wthin Unilever. The majority of interns I know are keen to stay with Unilever beyond their placement.

All the interns were super friendly and we all got really close. I lived with 3 other interns which made it a lot easier to start the role. The other interns were always organising drinks and nights out and we always ate lunch together. Definitely a very social environment.

I lived in Clapham which was very expensive but we were probably paying the most rent out of any interns I knewad living in a really nice house. Some living nearer Leatherhead found rent a lot cheaper as did those living in Wimbledon. London is expensive in general but with the pay it is definitely do-able. Worth the price for the experience.

I go to University up North so was used to much cheaper nights out. London clubs are really fun and there's loads to choose from but they are a lot more expensive than I was used to. Pubs however weren't too pricey and we lived round the corner from a Spoons which is always a good thing.

Yes, the office had loads of sports teams and charity events to get involved in. I was part of the LGBT+ network and was involved with pride planning and organising fundraising events which was a good way to meet people in different roles and functions. My +1 also gave me lots of opportunity to travel around the country and meet new people I wouldn't normally of had the chance to meet.