I Got Hired: Scientist at Elida Beauty (Unilever)

Posted on: 11 July 2023 by Richard Finch in Graduate stories

Charlotte Furnivall is a MChem in Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology graduate who now works as a Formulation and Fragrance Development Scientist at Elida Beauty (Unilever).

How did you get to where you are now?

After graduation, I applied to many different roles and companies but knew I wanted to stay within the industry of Chemistry. I have always found chemistry interesting but after university wanted to see how business mixed with academia and see how chemistry functioned within industry. The highlight of my degree was always research and practical based work, so I knew a job within the research and development sector would be an ideal starting point for me. I found my first job within Unilever on LinkedIn and then made an internal transition to Elida Beauty.       

I initially joined Unilever in a hair research and development role and after the first few months started to look internally for future options. Elida Beauty was an internal move within Unilever. It was an interesting, up-and-coming new opportunity for me to develop further. I used connections from my initial role to help make the transition into Elida Beauty, the experience I gained within my first role was vital in helping me progress.

What has been your best experience as part of your role?

My favourite part of my role is the hands on experience with a wide range of different products. Elida Beauty is a company who make beauty and personal care products so I get a lot of interaction with new developments as well as classic products. Product assessments give an insight into consumers thoughts whilst using products you have helped to design or improve, I find this really interesting and exciting!

What has been the most challenging part of your graduate journey?   

The most challenging part of my graduate journey was maintaining momentum whilst applying for jobs. I ended up having to move back home for 3 months as I did not receive a job offer straight after finishing university, at the time this felt like a step back in my life but when trying to find your first post university job, perseverance is key. New jobs will pop up each day so as long as you are always looking, you will find the right role for you. Receiving rejections can be hard and when this happens it is very easy to take it personally and feel disheartened but keep confidence within yourself.

What are your top tips for other students and graduates?

1. Take time to recognise your achievement, getting a degree is not easy and takes a lot of hard work! As soon as you finish your course there is a lot of pressure to get a job quickly but do not let this overshadow what you have accomplished. Enjoy the success once you have finished!

2. It is fine if you do not know your full career path straight away. Often getting a job will open your ideas to career paths you hadn’t ever thought of. Also, if you think you are set on what you want to do in the future do not be disheartened if you start in a role and change your mind. Even when you leave university you are still learning and yours ideas can change, this is not a bad thing!

3. Start using networking platforms as early as possible. LinkedIn is a great tool for all students and graduates. The sooner you start using it the bigger/wider network you will form. A great way to standout is by having an active LinkedIn account, it will show future employees that you care and are interested in the company prior to interviews.