What Its Really Like To Be A Summer Intern At Colgate-Palmolive

What Its Really Like To Be A Summer Intern At Colgate-PalmoliveThese 4 Colgate-Palmolive Interns Told Us What Its Really Like To Work For A Global CompanyYou might have Colgate-Palmolive to thank for a few things in your life your pearly white smile your fresh-out-of-the-shower scent or even your happy, healthy pet. The companys huge slate of brands are responsible for a bevy of beloved personal, pet, and home care productsmany of which are on the tip of your tongueperhaps literallyat all times.But something you might not know about the company is that their internship program gives hundreds of college students the opportunity to explore working life in a culture-focused, mission-driven industry giant.With the help of four alumni of the companys elite internship program, we took a look inside Colgate-Palmolives program to see what its like to become a part of their kollektiv.Youll Be Doing Real Work, Right AwayOne common thread between all of the former interns we spoke to Interns at the company arent treated like second-class contributors.I learned very quickly that I would not be paper-filing and going on coffee runs for my supervisors, Dominic, who interned on the Customer Development team, tells us. Rather, I was working directly with my bosses on their ongoing projects and adding whatever value I could provide right away.Given the companys global presence and purposeful mission, this meant a lot of responsibility taken on very quickly (which Dominic described as a little bit like drinking from the fire hose in the beginning), but as a Colgate-Palmolive intern, youre never doing it alone.The program is very well polished, Josiah, a Summer 19 intern on the Corporate Communications team, explains. They have a lot of experience training interns for real-world responsibilities.Josiahs projects included looking into different apps and platforms for expanding the companys social media presence and strategy. This required research, synthesis, and data analysis, an d when he finally completed his work, it was taken seriously by his team.Another intern, Laura, worked on the Global Talent Acquisition team, helping to both recruit and engage diverse talent through a variety of events, initiatives, and projects. She worked on social media campaigns that helped show people what its really like to work at Colgate-Palmolive.It was really cool seeing the work I put in publicized on Colgates pages. We were able to reach people all around the world with the stories we shared, Laura says.The stories they published didnt just help others Lauras horizons were broadened, too.I realized that I was working on things that would make an impact on so many people, Laura explains. Because Colgate-Palmolive is a global company, we were able to work with people around the world to get their insights and create the best products.Its Not Just WorkingIts Working To Make The World BetterMatthew is a former intern at Hills, a national leader in pet nutrition and a Colgat e-Palmolive brand, and he was looking for mora than just a job during his internship search. Thats why he was pleasantly surprised when he started looking at the company.Everyone has heard of Colgate if you purchase toothpaste, but what you dont realize is how large the company is and its impact, Matthew says. After doing research about the organization, it looked like Colgate-Palmolive had strong core values and seemed to do the right thing, even if it cost the company money.Volunteering is just one way Colgate-Palmolive gives back.He is, of course, referring to the companys innovative products, exhaustively designed to improve the health of the people and pets who use themwhile still keeping an eye on the global community theyre a part of.The company is always trying to do good for either the environment, employee safety, or the customers. Because of this, you can be proud of the products that get produced with the Colgate name on it, Dominic says.And it wasnt just the innovative products that stood out to the interns, it was the companys commitment to philanthropy and volunteering, too. Whether Colgate-Palmolive team members are educating millions about the health benefits of personal care and oral health, donating time and resources to a variety of health- and eco-centric causes, or advocating for sustainable products, everyone at the company is both witness to and part of the companys efforts to better the world around them.Its An Opportunity To Start Your CareerHaving real responsibility means having a real opportunity to become an essential part of the teamand secure a full-time job for yourself.Dominic, for example, started as an intern on his team and became a full-time Customer Management Analyst after graduation. And even though Josiah and Laura are still early in their college experiences, they definitely got a great sense of where their careers could go from here.With the help of my manager and mentor I took on numerous projects that helped me gro w, Laura says. Ive taken the passion Ive gained for diversity and inclusion back with me to school. Im challenging my peers to consider inclusion in different organizations and how to create more productive environments.Whether its perspective, technical skills, or just knowing how a real job workswhat you gain from an internship at Colgate-Palmolive will help you chart your course in life. And thats something worth smiling about.Want to secure your own spot in the internship program? Check out open opportunities at Colgate-Palmolive on WayUp