Unlimited potential at Unilever - Anusavi's story

By Georgina Jeronymides-Norie

Anusavi Murugesh, a recent BSc Accounting and Finance graduate based in Sri Lanka, shares how participating in the University of London’s Business Placement Scheme led to her being selected for the prestigious Unilever Leadership Internship Programme 2019.

Unilever Leadership Internship Programme

Anusavi said she was particularly drawn to the Unilever opportunity because of their excellent reputation with graduates; they are the most desired employer in 44 countries. She applied for the Business Placement Scheme straight away.

A few weeks later, Ansuavi was excited to find out that, as part of the Business Placement Scheme, she had been shortlisted for the prestigious Unilever Leadership Internship Programme, in the Finance department. She said: “Words can’t describe how joyful I was at that minute.” Anusavi stood out amongst the vast number of high-quality applications and felt that being shortlisted was already a fantastic achievement.

The journey didn’t end there. Anusavi went on to impress Unilever’s recruitment team in a two-phase selection process, which involved an initial interview, followed by a group and individual presentation at the company’s assessment centre. This level of scrutiny isn’t uncommon in today’s job market and she clearly demonstrated great potential and transferrable skills that could be applied in her role.

Business Placement experience

Her first week was action-packed, meeting the previous cohort of interns who shared their tips, going on field trips and even a cooking lesson with the Unilever Food Solutions chef – a highlight for Anusavi as a keen home cook.

As her placement progressed, Anusavi was given more responsibility working on a project that focused on the ease of financial reporting across Unilever in a global capacity. A typical day would involve working across different types of software and collaborative meetings with managers and colleagues. But it wasn’t all work and no play, she said: “Not to forget the fun parts of working at Unilever, we organised exciting events like potluck, cricket trophy and movie nights to make work life more interactive and social!”

When we asked Anusavi what her experience at Unilever had taught her, it became even more apparent that the Business Placement had a tremendous impact on her job-readiness: “Just like first love, a first job also has a special place in our hearts. I have been exposed to the corporate lifestyle in a really positive way. The encouraging environment in which to learn new skills and software, meeting fellow colleagues from different backgrounds, and the mentorship from my managers have been just some of the benefits. I can see the improvement in the way I observe things and I am learning every day.”

The encouraging environment in which to learn new skills and software, meeting fellow colleagues from different backgrounds, and the mentorship from my managers have been just some of the benefits. I can see the improvement in the way I observe things and I am learning every day.

Career outlook

Participating in the Business Placement Scheme encourages students to think about what they want from their careers. Anusavi’s response to this opportunity shows an aspiration towards both professional and personal fulfilment. She shared: “I would like to create a brand identity for myself and build up traits to be an inspiration to those who look up to me, as well as settling down with a beautiful family. My purpose in life is to be a better person than I was yesterday. I want to make at least one person smile every day.”

Anusavi’s goals are so admirable because she highlights career as just one aspect of who we are, what we do and how we make a lasting impact in the world. The University of London is determined to equip learners, like Anusavi, with skills that help them to both find the right career and thrive beyond their studies.

Future possibilities

Needless to say, being offered a place on the Unilever Leadership Internship Progamme has given Anusavi an exceptional start to her professional life. With her vision of seeking success while making a positive change in the world, there’s no doubt that this University of London graduate has a very bright future ahead.

Georgina Jeronymides-Norie is a Student Experience Manager at the University of London.