Procter & Gamble Graduate Programs & Internships

What it does: Makes personal-care products
Staff stats: Around 105,000 globally
The good bits: Rapid career progression
The not so good bits: Big-organisation inertia
Hiring grads with degrees in:  Law & Legal Studies; Property & Built Environment; Sciences; Teaching, Education & Human Welfare; Engineering, Maths, IT & Computer Sciences; Finance, Accounting, Economics & Business Administration; Health & Medical Sciences; Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences

The Procter & Gamble story
Procter & Gamble (aka P&G) began modestly enough in Cincinnati in 1837. It came into being when an English immigrant candle-maker called William Procter joined forces with his brother-in-law, an Irish soap-maker called James Gamble. Their business took off during America’s Civil War when P&G got the contract to supply soap and candles to the Union Army. Early in the 20th century, the company began to both diversify and expand internationally, launching products such as Crisco and making a big push into the UK. It also began heavily advertising its soaps on lurid radio drama serials, which led to those serials becoming known as ‘soap operas’.    

During the post-WWII boom period, the company made life more comfortable and hygienic for millions of people throughout the world. It did this by developing products such as Tide laundry detergent, Prell shampoo, Crest (the first toothpaste to contain fluoride), Downy and Bounce fabric softeners and Pampers disposable nappies.

In the 1970s the company’s growth became more acquisitions-driven. It bought up companies that produced well-known health or personal care products such as Pepto-Bismol, Old Spice, Max Factor and Vicks. In 2005, the company swallowed Gillette, which meant it also gained control of Duracell, Braun and Oral B. In recent years, the company has streamlined itself, selling off its billion-dollar prescription drug business as well as big-name brands such as Crisco, Duracell and Pringles.

Even after divesting itself of some of its most iconic assets, P&G is still one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies. It remains headquartered in Cincinnati and in 2016 it had revenues of US$65 billion.    

The culture
One of P&G’s in-house slogans is, “Everyone valued, everyone included, everyone performing at their peak”. The company is committed to providing equal opportunities when it comes to recruiting, hiring, training, pay rises and promotions. P&G employs people of 145 different nationalities. It is currently focused on “achieving 50-50 representation of women and men in all parts of our Company”, in part by continuing to be an industry leader in providing parental leave and workplace flexibility. It has employee networking groups for female staff (the Australian Women’s Network) and LGBT employees (GABLE).

P&G does not discriminate based on “race, colour, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor”.

Social contribution
Proctor & Gamble embraced being a good corporate citizen long before it was fashionable, introducing a profit-share scheme for staff way back in 1887. Nowadays, the company provides funding for programs that provide billions of litres clean water to people in 75 of the world’s most disadvantaged countries and vaccinations that have eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 15 nations.

The company also supplies free kits of it personal hygiene products to those in disaster-impacted areas. In many parts of the world, P&G staff volunteer to build, repair and clean homes. In 2016, seven of P&G’s Australian staff travelled to Cambodia to build a home for a local family in need.

The company has ambitious sustainability goals. It eventually wants to consume only renewable energy, use 100 per cent renewable or recycled packaging and produce no manufacturing or consumer waste that has to go to landfill.

The company has already significantly reduced its environmental footprint. It’s done this through initiatives such as slashing its energy and water consumption, creating laundry detergents largely made from plant-based ingredients, removing phosphate from its dishwashing tablets and using only sustainably produced timber.  

The recruitment process
To be eligible for a graduate role at P&G Australian arm you’ll need to an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, have graduated in the last couple of years and have at least a credit average. You’ll also need a driver’s licence if you’re applying for a sales role. The company looks for candidates who have a history of contributing to the community and taking leadership roles in clubs, teams and societies. You’ll also be expected to demonstrate you possess an analytical mind, the ability to be a collaborative team player and a passion for winning.

P&G takes pride in not offering a “traditional graduate program with rotations or gradual ramp-up periods”. Instead, it hands grads “real responsibility for the moment you walk through the door” in the belief this is “the best way to learn”.

There appear to be four areas grads can apply to work in: brand marketing/management; finance and accounting; sales and supply networking operations. It seems those from any discipline can apply for a grad role in sales but you may need an appropriate qualification to work in the other three areas.

P&G’s recruitment process is relatively quick and straightforward. It begins by registering on the company’s site and making an online application. This involves uploading your resume, academic transcript and a cover letter explaining why you wish to work at P&G and what you can offer the business. You’ll also need to complete a questionnaire. The next stage is an online assessment. After this, there is an initial “behavioural-based and situational” interview. If that goes well, there is a final interview that will “go into greater detail around your skills, capabilities, experience level and fit for the role”.

Remuneration
P&G staff have access to a staff shop, where they can buy company products at a discount, as well as the opportunity to participate in an employee-share plan. Those who’ve done the grad program report that while there are no bonuses, salaries are benchmarked and “in line with market expectations” and superannuation payments are generous.  

Career prospects
As mentioned, P&G expects grads to hit the ground running. While this can be challenging, the upside is that you can start climbing the career ladder earlier than is the case than in many other companies. The company generally hires from within. The way to score regular promotions is to work hard, network enthusiastically and meet your KPIs.  

The vibe of the place
P&G looks after its staff well with offerings such as flexible work arrangements, lavish company events and respectable remuneration packages. However, it expects them to perform and fosters a competitive environment by ranking staff in relation to their colleagues. Many grads report that there is limited time available for socialising in the office and little to no extra-curricular bonding outside of work hours. That noted, you should find your colleagues friendly and your manager approachable.  

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

 

From the Employer:

 

 

For 180 years, P&G has put the consumer at the centre of everything we do. Every day, we work to improve people’s lives in small but meaningful ways with our brands and products. We lead thinking that shapes the future of our industry and are recognized as one of the world’s most innovative companies. We are home to some of the most trusted brands such as Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Olay, Oral-B and Pantene serving 5 billion consumers globally.

Joining P&G means that right from Day 1 you'll have real responsibility and can start adding value to our business straight away. Nothing beats hands-on experience when it comes to leadership development.

Most of our people started with us right out of university and they've grown their career across a variety of roles. This build-from-within philosophy means we're focused on fostering a coaching and learning culture to enable long-term development.

Our global workforce has 145 nationalities and in Australia, we have 30 nationalities working under one roof. We bring out the best in each other, when every talent brings their unique self to work and every voice is heard.

Being a force for good, we use our voice to spark conversations in society that can motivate change and we do this through our brands and our people. We make a positive impact in addressing gender bias and leverage innovation to drive sustainability efforts.

Do something that matters with P&G!

LEADERSHIP

BECOME A LEADER IN YOUR FIELD

Much like our brands, we’re committed to finding and developing world-class leaders. And we’re proud to say that we develop almost exclusively from within as part of our "build from within" strategy. Most our people start at an entry level and then progress throughout the company—each in their own unique way. From Day 1, you’ll build leading brands, and we’ll build you into an industry leader. Our training has the potential to take you from entry-level to expert leader—and take you all over the world.

We’re committed to individual development planning in a very personalized way that enables you to grow yourself, so you can help our brands win. We take a 70/20/10 approach to learning, which breaks down into experience-based (70%); via your colleagues, mentors, and peers (20%); and through structured courses and materials (10%). One training program we offer is P&G Leadership Academy—a suite of best-in-class learning opportunities that is available to all.

Whether you’re coming to us as an Intern or a Graduate, you won’t find any rotational programs or gradual ramp-up periods here. But you will have the chance to jump right in and start making a meaningful impact from Day 1.

Because of our relentless commitment to developing our employees we are well known for being a leadership engine, with many senior leaders and CEOs of top global companies being P&G alumni.

CITIZENSHIP

P&G wants to be a model, global corporate citizen. We are known as a company that is governed responsibly and behaves ethically, that is transparent in its business dealings, that supports good causes and protects the environment, and that provides an appealing place to work where our employees are treated well and are given the opportunity to be all they can be. 

And so, citizenship became a founding idea of P&G. It runs through everything we do, from the way we package our products to the support we offer our teams to the initiatives we lead around the world.

ETHICS & CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

P&G is committed to being a good corporate citizen and doing the right thing—with our employees, our consumers and our supply chain. This sense of responsibility influences everything we do. It means we do what we say, say what we do, and strive to never betray the reputation of trust and integrity that we have built over time.

Our Purpose, Values & Principles are the foundation of the company:

• Purpose: Our brands play a unique role in the world.
• Values: Doing the right thing is the only thing.
• Principles: Universal respect drives every core belief.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

We are focused on improving the communities we serve. This means our employee community, as well as those in the towns, cities, and countries we touch.

Through our brands, products, and people, we can play a unique role in improving the health and well-being of the global community that we are all a part of. We have a number of community impact programs in place all over the world, and our flagship water program is just one of them.

Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program

We use our innovative cleaning technology and apply it to the most basic of needs—clean drinking water. During the program’s 13 years, we have worked in more than 85 countries with more than 150 partners to distribute P&G Purifier of Water packets during emergencies, and to the people who lack clean water every day. Over the years, CSDW has saved thousands of lives.

 

Foodbank

In 2017, P&G donated 31,330 kilograms of products to Foodbank which helps to change the lives of Australians who are doing it tough. Our employees also support our partnership with Foodbank by volunteering their time to pick and pack the orders to help distribute food for 100,000 meals every day.

Habitat for Humanity

Over the past 3 years P&G Australia has sent a team of employees to different locations in South-East Asia where they spend a week building a house for a family in need.

Over the past 3 years P&G Australia has sent a team of employees to build a home for families in need in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2016), Hanoi, Vietnam (2017) & Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (2018). Teams spend a week out of the office getting their hands dirty as they help to physically build a new home for a family in need. This challenging and impacting week enables them to be part of P&G’s long-standing history of giving back to the communities where we live and work.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Protecting the earth is both a responsibility and a business opportunity, and we want to ensure that no one has to choose between the products they use and enjoy today, and what they hope to preserve for tomorrow. We have integrated sustainability into our business practices, operations, innovation, brand building, and culture.

Our long-term vision is to:

• Run all plants on 100% renewable energy
• Send zero consumer and manufacturing waste to landfill
• Make all products with 100% renewable or recycled materials
• Design products that delight while maximizing resource conservation

Clean Heads & Cleaner Beaches

We’ve also partnered with multiple companies to create the world’s first-ever recyclable shampoo bottle made with beach plastic. It’s made from up to 25% recycled beach plastic. From 2018, that will be more than a half-billion bottles every year. This means 2,600 tons of recycled plastic taken off the world’s beaches.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

We aspire to be as diverse as the people who use our products, because the more we reflect our consumers, the better equipped we are to understand and serve them. We strive each day for every P&Ger to be valued, included, and able to perform at their peak. We win when everyone brings their unique self to work, when we bring out the best in each other, and when every talent is used and every voice is heard.

Celebrating Diversity

Our annual Diversity & Inclusion Week celebrates the unique individuals that we all are and encourages us to come together. The events and activities that take place during this week are a source of inspiration and learning.

Affinity Groups

Employee affinity groups can often be employees’ source of connection and emotional fuel, help employees feel valued, respected, and included, and expose us all to different perspectives and a richer experience. We enthusiastically support numerous regional, as well as three local groups: Australian Women’s Network, GABLE & LeanIn

#LoveOverBias

We’re using our voice at P&G as an Olympic Games sponsor to celebrate a mom’s role in helping her kids overcome bias and seeing their potential, no matter what others see.

GENDER EQUALITY

We aspire to build a better world for all of us, free from gender bias, and with an equal voice and equal representation for women and men.

“When women have the opportunity for full representation, businesses perform better, economies prosper, communities are healthier, and the world is a better place—for everyone.” Carolyn Tastad, Group President, North America

#WeSeeEqual

We believe that when we make gender bias visible and bring awareness to it, we have the power to motivate change. We launched #WeSeeEqual in March 2017 to inspire a new expectation and reset the outdated narrative that has been in place for far too long.

• 50-50 gender parity in all regions and businesses by 2020
• 45% manager positions are women
• 35% executive-level positions are women

 

 

Adding our Brand voices

We’re leveraging our iconic brand voices to help to overcome gender bias and stereotypes too. Check out some of our campaigns in the video section.

Do something that matters with P&G!