Visual Merchandise Review

During my Visual Merchandise placement I was fully exposed to all areas of the job, as well as other areas of interest like Marketing and Digital. The work was challenging but the excitement of working on real life projects was amazing, especially as I was given so much responsibility.

Due to the fast pace nature of the organisation, sometimes you feel slightly undervalued as there isn't as much reflection on successes, as attention given to issues, which makes complete sense. However, you really are apart of a team at L'Oréal, and each individual's work pulls together in the end, which is always amazing to look back on. I really do feel that L'Oréal values its interns as we are such a large part of the company.

When being asked to do anything new, support and guidance is given, however it is not spoon fed and independence is an essential part of the job. It is up to you to get the work done to a good standard, alongside tight deadlines, but support is usually there if asked for, once you have tried on your own. Feedback is always given, which is great.

I was extremely busy during my placement, however I always loved the tasks I was doing, so it wasn't always a bad thing. However, the jobs I've done have been beyond a standard 'intern' role, but I wouldn't change being given the opportunities I was for less work. It really is up to the individual to control and manage your work, and you have to be productive during the 9-5, in order to finish on time, which is achievable.

I was given a very large amount of responsibility, including doing all the design work, and assisting other functions on top of the standard VM jobs.

The skills I've learnt at L'Oréal will last me a lifetime. I have gone to over 25 trainings which are so interesting and I couldn't recommend enough. I also think the responsibility, time management and independence/team work at L'Oréal has really exceeded my expectations. The training at L'Oréal, especially during Covid-19 was remarkable.

During my placement, your team really does become your second family! The balance between having over 100 interns and also a close knit team is so lovely and makes the transition from uni a lot easier and more welcoming. The overall structure at L'Oréal is really interesting and a sense of community is definitely present, even during work from home periods.

The placement experience is very seamless, with the establishment of the scheme being evident. Obviously due to the pandemic, the handover process is more complex, but I think it's great that no ones placement is delayed because of it.

I felt extremely invested in with trainings. It is up to the individual to guide their own personal development, but L'Oréal offer equal opportunities to interns as with GMs! I had access to Adobe software, and had Photoshop training which allowed me to do all the design work which was an incredible opportunity for me.

The grad scheme available is an incredible opportunity and well structured, however is extremely competitive, especially as a VM intern. I wish there were more spaces available for the amount applying, as I know how talented my peers are!

Yes! Regular work drinks were available and the intern community really bridges the gap from coming from university to a placement perfectly!

I lived at home during my placement, so had an hour commute. Hammersmith is a great area to be situated, with plenty of shops and near Westfield and Oxford Street for store visits too. The social scene is expensive, but I really recommend socialising with your team outside the office!

The mix between team and intern drinks was a great opportunity. Most nights were around Hammersmith and sometimes in the city too. We all became familiar with the office local!

There were a few opportunities outside of work such as Citizen Day, and team days out