From a student who sidelined the prospect of a placement year to an intern at one of the UK’s leading dairy companies – here’s how I secured the dream role I didn’t know I wanted.
The Search (or Lucky Find…)
To be completely honest, the search for my placement role was over almost as soon as it had started.
Before receiving details of roles available at Müller, I had never seriously considered doing a placement year. I didn’t believe it would be the right move for me, especially after spending two years enjoying the comfort of university friendships and routines. While I stayed informed of opportunities through the Bioscience Employability Hub and central Careers and Placements, I kept the idea at the back of my mind.
It was in October that I received an email about Müller’s industrial placement scheme. The location was perfect for me—allowing me to live at home during my placement year; the work seemed interesting, with a focus on the data skills I enjoyed during my studies; and I met all the basic criteria for the role. The prospect of some time away from university suddenly didn’t seem so scary, and when I weighed up the pros and cons it was actually a really exciting opportunity.
The Application
The thing about placement applications is that, in my experience, they seem really long and daunting until you actually get started. Once you’ve taken the first leap, whether that’s sending across your CV or another initiating step, you’ve done what I consider the hardest part.
At the time of my application, the recruitment process for Muller internships was run by Sanctuary Graduates, an external recruitment agency. This meant that my initial video interviews (one recorded and one live), after being shortlisted from my CV, were with members of the Sanctuary Graduates team rather than internal Müller team.
A piece of advice I would share with potential applicants is to be aware of your “personal brand” – both what yours is and what you want it to be. When I started in my role, I was told that my team knew exactly what kind of person I would be from my CV. Never underestimate the power of the Personal Statement and Hobbies/Interests sections! As important as my technical skillset was, it was also essential that I could fit into the working environment.
The Final Steps
Finally, in early February (around 3 months after initially submitting my CV), I was invited to an assessment centre. This was an opportunity for me to meet the team I would end up working with, and while it was my first impression to them, it was my last opportunity to display who I was and what I was capable of.
The assessment centre for my role was made up of 4 parts: introductions, a group task, a presentation and an interview. Although it seemed like a lot, I found that by taking the day section-by-section, it became a lot easier – each part was something I could cross off as complete.
However, my biggest learning point came during my final interview. At the end of a long day, midway through answering a question about adaptability, I blanked on what I had originally been asked. To me, this felt like the worst thing that could’ve happened. But instead of panicking and continuing down a path that would inevitably end in a weird loop of waffle, I stopped and admitted that I’d completely lost track of the question.
Although it may have seemed that I was showing a weakness, this was actually a prime opportunity to share what I had been speaking about in my prior interviews – that I was able to pause and ask for help when I need it. My takeaway from this is something I’ve carried with me ever since: no application, interview or process will ever be perfect, but it’s how you handle those blips that really matters.
My Key Takeaways
If you take nothing else from this blog, here are a few pieces of advice I’d give to anybody considering a Placement Year:
- Opportunities aren’t always linear – you might find them when you least expect it
- Being yourself is a big part of the process and can help you stand out
- It’s okay to find it difficult or scary! It’s about how you reframe those feelings into something positive and constructive
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