I Got Hired: Georgia

Posted on: 30 August 2024 by Ruby O'Sullivan in Class of 2023

Georgia Neary is a Class of 2023 BSc Chemistry graduate who now works as a Sustainable Packaging Material Scientist Intern at Unilever.

How did you hear about your role and decide to apply for it?

After finishing my dissertation on bioplastics in my third year, seeing the opportunity for the internship at Unilever intrigued me and I decided to apply. I was unsure about industry at first, but I was passionate about sustainability and enjoyed the materials science modules I completed throughout my degree. I took the chance and decided to apply. It has been an amazing opportunity, gained me industry knowledge of materials science applications and has set up a pathway for a career in materials science. I finish my internship at Unilever and start my new job as a materials technologist at Ingevity, hoping to expand my technical capabilities and experience a broader range of materials to work with.

How did you get to where you are now?

One of the reasons I was nervous to apply for industry was my lack of experience. I hadn’t done an internship before, summer programme or year in industry work in my related field. Despite that, I had tried my best throughout my degree to do a wide range of different activities: SSLC, outreach and demonstrating experience within the chemistry department, alongside a part time job. These experiences stood out on my CV as I was asked about these in the interview and STEM outreach was something employers were interested in. Additionally, applying for a field I was passionate for made the interview process much easier. Employers do not always want the perfect candidate with loads of experience but someone who is willing to learn and excited for the potential job offer.

Your favourite experience as part of your role/course?

In my role I get to meet and work with external partners, improving networking ability and gaining lots of different insights into the sustainable packaging industry. Unilever's large product portfolio offers many challenges towards moving to sustainable packaging which means lots of materials to test and learn from!

The most challenging part of your graduate journey?

For me, overcoming the mental block and truly believing I am 'good enough' for a job has been a massive challenge. Building confidence in my ability and my education has been key in applying for jobs, as the biggest barrier was often my own mindset.

Top 3 Tips for current students and graduates:

  1. Get Involved! There are lots of fun clubs, societies and volunteering opportunities in the chemistry department that make a big difference when writing your CV.

  2. Look for jobs that interest you. Being interested and enthusiastic for a job, especially when it's genuine, is so important in job interviews.

  3. Ask for help and advice when you need it. I didn’t do this nearly enough at university, and often struggled on my own on modules rather than ask for help. Your university is there to help you, and it is so much worse to go about things on your own.

 
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