Hi! My name is Shreeya Athaley. I am a to-be fourthie in the Chemical Engineering Department. This blog will tell you about my internship in the RnD division at HUL, with some insights from my batchmate Krishi Mantri. HUL RnD is a core chemical engineering intern though an FMCG company. In the summers after my second year, I spent quite some time on the internship blog to see the kind of internships available for chemical-enthusiastic people like me.
Why HUL?
Previously, my two internships had been fairly research-oriented, so I looked forward to getting a more corporate internship in a company. The companies that fit my requirement were the FMCGs (HUL, PnG and ITC) and core chemE (Dr Reddy’s and Piramal). I spent quite some time on their websites to understand their values and nature of work. I started making my resume keeping this in mind.
Unlike most of my friends, I was clear I did not want a non-core internship based on IT/ ML/ Finance/ Consulting, etc. I'd eliminated these options, merely based on the lack of interest and to be very honest, lack of skills required to crack these internships (although with enough motivation, you can prep for almost any internship within 2-3 weeks, seniors and plentiful resources on the net are your best bet).
HUL had been one of my dream companies from the beginning of the internship season. The RnD internship the company offered was a perfect fit for what I was looking for: a good mix of corporate life and science. I'd started prep specifically for HUL during the vacations keeping in mind two things: it opened only for chemical engineers, increasing the chance of me getting selected; it also was the only FMCG that offered an RnD position, something I looked forward to.
Starting my Preparation
I knew I was carved out for a role that required some application of the concepts I had learnt as an engineer. I made three one-page "core" resumes switching around projects so that I could cater to the requirements of the different companies I wished to apply to. I also made a document listing down all projects I've done and the significance, motivation and outcome of the projects. This helped me identify places in my projects that might need brushing up. It later also helped me answer questions about my resume with ease in interviews.
Prepping for this internship also gave me a flavour of the work done in other FMCGs, cutting down prep required for other Day 1 internships I wished to apply for. A Day 1 internship was quite a long shot, but I kept reminding myself of the things I'll gain through the selection process and how the experience might help me while appearing for other selection processes.
HUL’s Selection Process
HUL had a three-step selection process: a form with HR questions, a Case Study round on Hirevue, followed by a final half-hour interview.
Before answering the HR questions, I made sure I was aware of HUL's ideology and working principles. While answering questions, I made sure I could display skills that aligned with HUL ideology through examples and experiences I had encountered during my journey at IIT Bombay.
The case study round was fairly simple. It was more about pressure handling and thinking on the spot than rigorous preparation. I ensured I was well acquainted with the Hirevue interface, so there were no sudden disruptions or surprises during my case study round. I also watched some videos on factories that manufacture consumer goods on YouTube.
The final round was an interview. I revised some key core topics and ensured I was thorough with my resume before the interview. Surprisingly, the interview was more like a discussion than a one-on-one grilling session. We talked about my hobbies, the motivations behind some of the activities I had taken up and my stand on some topics in the news at that time. The half an hour went by very quickly. I found out I'd got the internship a few hours after the interview. I was elated! The hard work had paid off.
The HUL Intern Experience
I was posted at the Mumbai HO, typically with a 9-5 working day. I spent my time reading research papers at my desk or doing experiments in the bench scale lab. My stint was in the Laundry division, and I was working on detergent powders. At first, handling detergent powders felt quite simple; we were just creating a mixture after all, how difficult could it be!
Over the course of the internship, I realised it was not as easy as it seemed to be. I used quite a few concepts: from my JEE times to some data handling concepts I had covered in college. While making any decision, I always had to keep the business aspect in mind, something I hadn't considered in my previous internships, which had been modelling and simulation-based. This was the first time I used my theoretical concepts to develop an actual product. It was fascinating seeing things pan out in real life. Making my own batches of powders and the realisation that they might actually reach the market in the future gave me immense satisfaction.
From my class, Krishi Mantri had also interned at HUL RnD. He had a keen interest in the blend of biology and chemical engineering, and was in the Lifebouy Formulation team. He says, “This internship was a real game changer for me, as it changed my perspective on conventional commodities like soap bars. They are also very complex and require detailed RnD to make the best product. I had various application-based projects, whose solutions would be revolutionary for the business. At HUL, the best thing is that you majorly get such live projects.
From this amazing experience, I learned non-conventional thinking (which even my boss appreciated XD), breaking difficult problems into smaller simpler ones, being perseverant, trying out all alternatives, and many more.
To close, I would like to share a line my head once said and I will always remember. ‘In chemical engineering, you should fall in love with the problem rather than the solution.’” He definitely recommends you opt for it.
My Takeaways
For me, another huge advantage of the offline internship was networking! I got the opportunity to interact with quite a few people working in different divisions and understand their work. It made me appreciate the tremendous workforce that goes into making something as simple and mundane as detergent powder. While interacting with other employees at HUL, I realised there's not just one way to achieve your final goal. People working there came from diverse backgrounds and all age groups, yet they could adapt to the method of working at HUL. HUL had assigned us three go-to people during our stint – a buddy, a tutor and a coach. They guided and supported me throughout the internship.
In the two months I spent at HUL, I could develop a proof-of-concept for the problem statement assigned to me. In all, it was a wonderful experience, and I grew immensely as a person. My communication skills improved multifold, and I got a good taste of corporate life. As a person looking forward to having a corporate job, it helped me understand the next steps I must take to achieve this goal.
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