Marketing Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Nestlé as throughout the ten weeks I got a real feel for marketing and the FMCG industry. As a linguist, I chose a marketing internship with Nestlé as I wanted something fast-paced and project based within a global company that would present new and interesting challenges – this internship delivered all this and more. I participated in creative workshops and ideation sessions on top of data analysis and really worked both sides of my brain! My team were really great and made me feel right at home, and the other interns were really supportive and encouraging which meant that the entire experience was enjoyable.

I felt like my input was genuinely valued by my colleagues as the results of my project fed directly into their marketing strategy. From day one, I was treated like a longstanding member of the team which encouraged me to work even harder to ensure my work warranted their trust.

For me, the support system was just right in that if I had a problem or a question there was always someone there to answer it for me or to help me through it – but there was no set support structure. This suited me as I felt supported without being mothered, however some people may have appreciated a weekly meeting or something more structured. This being said, I’m sure you could arrange this with your line manager at the beginning of the internship without any problems.

Due to the nature of this internship which is that each intern is given their own project to complete, it is really up to the individual to manage their own time effectively. This has its pros and cons in that if you finish your project early (like I did) the last few weeks you have to use your initiative and find more things to do! Often this was not a problem as I was able to help my team with other tasks or do some independent research into other areas, but there were days towards the end of the internship where I would have liked more to do.

During my placement I was given lots of responsibility. My recommendations fed directly into my team’s marketing strategy and they trusted the research behind them. My opinion was also taken on board during ideation sessions. Furthermore, when the team was busy, the responsibility fell on me to help to complete tasks to strict deadlines.

The training I received during my placement really was invaluable, and I felt like Nestlé was investing in my future. During my ten week placement, I received formal training, including bitesize finance/P&L sessions, presentation training and sessions on maintaining a strong relationship with agencies, and also more informal training on an ad-hoc basis within my team, which focused on more marketing specific skills. I feel that the skills I’ve acquired during this internship will definitely aid me in the future, especially within marketing but also in any commercial position where I’ll most likely be required to deliver strong presentations, deal with finances and communicate effectively.

The general atmosphere in the office was really friendly and upbeat. Often members of other categories would bring round samples of new products to try and there were events organised in the foyer around the time of new launches to make sure the entire company was on board and excited about our products. Within Nestlé Professional there were monthly huddles where we celebrated successes and discussed areas of development as a team. This meant you felt like your opinion as a team member was valued and you were always kept up to date with the most recent business information.

From the beginning of the recruitment process, I felt like the internship programme was extremely well structured in a way that ensured you'd receive feedback at every stage, and that you were kept informed about the structure of the process. At the beginning of the ten weeks, I was provided with a brief and a list of useful contacts to help me if I needed further information which meant that I always had something to refer back to if in doubt.

It was obvious from the outset that Nestlé cared about my personal development. At every stage of the recruitment process I was offered feedback, and throughout the internship I was given training in various areas (as detailed earlier) that would help me in my future career.

At the end of the internship process, you deliver a presentation on the results of your project to a group of marketers, including heads of marketing from across the company. This presentation and the feedback from your line manager is then used to make a decision about whether you will be offered a position on the graduate scheme. The prospect is very appealing to me - my presentation is on Thursday so hopefully everything will go well!

There was a great social scene amongst my fellow interns - at lunch and outside of the office. With regards to my colleagues, during my time at the company I attended team drinks and team days out - as well as a leaving lunch!

The office is based in Gatwick and as far as I'm aware the cost of living in areas around the office is slightly cheaper than regular London prices. I lived in Wimbledon with family however, and therefore paid the price in expensive rail travel. In terms of socialising, there is not much around the Gatwick area, and therefore it is neccessary to go further in towards London (e.g. Clapham) which can get quite costly.

As mentioned previously, there is not much around the Gatwick area. However, if you are willing to travel a little further out to Clapham (15 minutes on the train), the nightlife is great, with a variety of clubs, bars and restaurants.

There were a few opportunites to get involved with sporting/charity events outside of work, but the main entertainment came from organising trips out independently.