Bright Network member Isabel recently secured herself an Internship at P&G whilst studying Geography and International Relations at Durham University. Isabel was kind enough to answer some our questions about how she found the application process as well as sharing her advice for fellow members.
Why did you choose this company?
P&G is a global leader in marketing, owning household brands such as Always, Persil, Pampers and Head & Shoulders. I knew that an internship with them would mean I would be learning from some of the most experienced and high achieving people in the field. Furthermore, P&G is an international company, meaning I would get to meet people from all walks of life and backgrounds, something that is very important to me. The company culture was also a key reason for choosing P&G, as they have a significant goal to reach a gender equal workforce by 2025.
Why were you interested in the role?
The role spans over 10 weeks, allowing me to gain a real insight into marketing. I study Geography and International Relations at university so this was really important to me so that I could learn something new, outside of my university degree, in relative depth. In addition, P&G offers the opportunity to work on a specific project in a brand department. This will mean that I will hopefully make real change within the company and feel like I’ve given something back to P&G while learning so much.
What did the application process involve? Did you have your favourite and least favourite part?
The application process was the best out of all the applications I applied for by far. Not only did they keep me updated regularly on how far along the process I was, they also made sure that I had a point of contact and replied to my application status normally within 7 days (and told me if it was to be longer than that).
The process involved an online application, needing a CV and Cover Letter, a reasoning test, an online video interview with a manager, going to P&G’s office to undergo a verbal reasoning and maths test, before three more rounds of video interviews with various managers.
My favourite part was the end interview, which I had the honour of having with the head of marketing for Europe. The interview was really interesting and I asked him a lot of questions about his career and how he got to be where he was today.
My least favourite part of the process was writing a good cover letter, it’s really important to spend a lot of time on this and it is time consuming, however, it is definitely worth it, as it shows that you care about the company!
What three top tips would you give to fellow members looking to follow in your footsteps?
Tip 1: Spend time on the initial application. It is very easy to just copy and paste your CV and Cover Letter, changing the words for each company. However, if you do that you won’t show any passion for the individual company and will probably not get through.
Tip 2: Prepare for the video interviews. You can do this by looking up how to look your best for the interview and how to set up the computer so that it is eye height and the lighting is as professional as possible. It is also important to ask engaging questions to the interviewer- have a list ready. If you look up specific reports about P&G, you can comment on them in the interview and it will make you stand out.
Tip 3: Try and be relaxed. I know it's hard, but the video interviews are the key rounds for P&G, if you can showcase yourself as friendly, confident and switched on then it will get you far in the process, I think!
Do you have a lucky charm or a pre-interview ritual?
Yes, I always wear red and as colourful clothes as possible (while still looking professional). I think it makes the interviewer remember you better when they are interviewing hundreds of people, and it also makes you look more confident.
