Assistant Brand Manager Review

I have enjoyed my marketing placement at Unilever. I've learnt so much this year and I feel it's been really valuable in helping me decide the kind of role/job I wish to have when I graduate. The team I worked in were really knowledgable and happy to help where needed but I was definitely given the independence to grow and find the answers myself.

I felt very valued by the team and wider team/cross categories I worked with. I was always treated like an actual employee and my inputs/ideas were respected and appreciated. I felt that my actions and inputs contributed and helped the team achieve success, with recognition and feedback being given regularly.

I had weekly catch ups with my manager and I was able to share my priorities/any help I needed to get the tasks done then. My manager was supportive and especially towards the end helped input and guide my future career choices. I had a lot of independence and wasn't micro-managed.

I was very busy on a day to day basis, some periods busier than others. If my time was managed effectively I managed to get all my tasks done but sometimes late working was required in order to get all the tasks finished.

I was given a lot fo responsibility whilst in my role. From the start of my placement I was given my own projects to manage, some which I managed by myself without the help of other members in the marketing team. This exposed me early on in my placement to the importance of project management and being accountable for tasks being finished to a high standard.

The skills I developed were beyond what I imagined I would have gained from this placement before i started. They have helped shape me into an employee who is ready to join the marketing workforce once graduated and will provide me with skills which will be useful in my final year. Training sessions were also provided regularly to advance your skills in many areas like marketing, digital and Excel

The atmoshphere of the office was busy but not hugely corporate. It was professional but more laid back than other companies, which i liked. Most people had a sit down lunch with colleagues/friends at least twice a week which was nice to have some down time to connect. Working from home was also possible every Friday.

It was set up well, at the start before we began all the industrial and summer placement students met for the weekend at a hotel which was a nice way to have an induction and meet people before getting to the office. There was also half year reviews and end of year reviews set up with line managers/teams.

There was regaular training sessions for relevant and interesting parts of marketing/digital marketing which i atteneded. Along with Excel courses and courses which upskilled you in data analytical tools. I also attended personal development workshops like the Purpose Workshop which was really valuable in learning more about myself and how that effects my work

They depend upon how you've performed within your placement but even if you are not referred for a job you can still apply after uni. i would work for Unilever again in the future, i've had a great placement year and learnt so much in an organisation that really invests time in their employees.

Yes there was a good social scene, as lots of the fellow placement students had relocated to London and weren't familiar with the area at the start we did lots of fun acitivities in London which helped us get to know each other and the area. I was the only placement year student on my team but had lunch with other placement students/my team

It was very expensive to live in London. I've never lived down South before so wasn't used to paying very high rent prices/the day to day costs like going out for work drinks. If budgetted and not living in central London, the salary can get you through the year. i'd also recommend applying for Student Finance too

I worked in Leatherhead where there isn't any nightlife but could take the train into London/Clapham easily and quickly which meant that it was accessible to socialise. Most people did that or would work at the London office on Thursday or Friday so they were already in central and could go out after work

Yes there were sports clubs like netball, football and rounders and were usually played team vs team. Also, the gym was available everyday and they host classes like spin and boot camp which are free to go to and run at different times to fit in with your varied schedule. There was also opportunities in my teams to attend agency events