How my internship at HUL was the best learning experience - By Raahul Saxena from IIM Calcutta

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is the Indian branch of a British-Dutch MNC. Headquartered in Mumbai, it deals in the fast-moving consumer goods. In 2014, The Institute of Competitiveness recognized HUL’s Project Shakti and awarded the company with the Porter Prize for that year.

I did my internship at Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) from April to May in 2020. The selection process began with a shortlist for group discussion and personal interviews on the basis of applications. I was really disheartened at first when I missed a workshop that could have given me a chance to qualify directly for the group interview, but eventually, the GD went well. I even cracked up the interviewer and HR! Humor always works. I also had an interview with Mr. Vipul Mathur (IIM C alumnus and Global Brand Leader at Brooke Bond).

Soon after the selection process concluded, my anxious wait came to an end when I was told I was selected as a marketing intern. I was thrilled for this opportunity where I would rub shoulders with the sharpest marketing brains of the country.

The internship began with a project where I was required to give launch recommendations for a global herbal wellness tea brand. I had a chance to work alongside Payal Bhuptani, Sr. Brand Manager (Tea). There was a lot of learning involved.

The internship involved a lot of interaction with senior leaders at HUL. I learnt how brands functioned, about media, R&D, packaging and finance - it was thrilling and insightful to see how so many of our daily use products came into being. I even had a chance to interact with fellow interns and that really broadened my horizon.

The experience, was of course, virtual. However, HUL delivered and boy, did it deliver well! The employee brand management team took care that the interns’ experience was not dampened by the virtual workspace. There were activities that would help us learn beyond the daily projects.

Mr. Gaurav Bhatnagar was my mentor and coach. He was extremely supportive throughout the course of the internship. He helped me develop values and ethics which I will cherish and be grateful for the rest of my career. The learning was immense, as I got a chance to work on my consumer interaction skills, presentation skills, and also brushed up the 6 Ps of marketing. I learnt something new every step of the way.

Back in 2017, when I was working as a data analytics consultant with Fractal, I had an FMCG company as my client. The brand and analytics team of the client blew me away. I started wondering what it would feel like to be on the other side of the table - to develop marketing strategies for the future, heavily driven by data, numbers and insight.

My mentor always said that I took ownership of my work, and hence, the internship at HUL gave me a chance to recognize my strengths. I put in extra effort when it came to presenting my ideas as that was not my strong suit when I started working with HUL. I can now communicate my idea over a cup of tea without any slides too (the Unilever Art of presenting ideas)! However, I could not convert the opportunity due to the lack of this very skill. Nevertheless, the opportunity taught me rigour and drive, and a need to be consumer-centric in this business.