On Monday 18th May, Hillian Charlie Megson returned to Kingham Hill to speak with Lower Sixth pupils about the value of placement years as he nears the end of his own successful year in industry with Unilever.
Charlie, who attended Kingham Hill from 3rd Form through to Sixth Form and served as Head Boy, is currently studying Business Management at Lancaster University. He will return to university in September to complete his degree after spending a year working as a Global Assistant Marketing Manager for Persil’s “Dirt is Good” global masterbrand team.
Speaking candidly, Charlie explained what a placement year is — a paid year of full-time work built into a university degree, and why he believes it can be an invaluable experience for students.
He tackled several common misconceptions, emphasising that placements are not just for business students, that employers do not expect applicants to have perfect grades, and that placement years are paid opportunities which enhance, rather than delay, future career prospects.
“Experience, employability, skills, networking and money,” Charlie explained, are just some of the benefits. “It’s not the only route to success but a strong booster you can add to your university journey.”
Charlie gave pupils a detailed insight into the application process, from CVs and cover letters to interviews and assessment centres. He described cover letters as “a bit like a personal statement” and shared practical advice about standing out to employers.
“The advice I got is that employers will typically read your cover letter for 25 seconds and if they’re not hooked they’ll move on,” he said. “Make those first lines as good as you can.”
He also shared advice about recorded video interviews, where candidates are given just a few minutes to prepare responses. Charlie encouraged pupils to focus not only on what they say, but how they say it, explaining that eye contact, clarity and confidence are especially important as many responses are now assessed using AI tools.
Charlie explained that placement applications are typically open for two to three months between September and December during a student’s second year at university, with the placement year taking place in the third year.
He reassured pupils that rejection is a normal part of the process. Charlie himself applied for more than 80 placements, hearing back from only around 30, and was initially rejected by Unilever before later being offered a place from the waiting list.
“You will get rejected a lot,” he admitted. “It’s part of applying and getting jobs. It is tough.”
Charlie also demystified assessment centres, explaining that successful applicants are invited to take part in interviews, presentations and group exercises. “If you’ve got to this stage it means you’re doing pretty well,” he said. “Think of it as a place to show yourself off, not that your peers are your enemies.”
At Unilever, Charlie has been given significant responsibility within a global brand team. His role includes leading campaigns, managing budgets, planning events, volunteering initiatives and presenting to senior stakeholders.
“It has been a really cool experience for me as I have got to lead a lot,” he told pupils.
Charlie described being “thrown in at the deep end” while helping forecast and manage budgets and spoke honestly about the challenges of presenting ideas to senior executives.
“Pitching to senior stakeholders can be scary but it is all great experience that I can take with me to my next job,” he said.
During his placement, Charlie has worked across a range of projects and campaigns, including Persil’s partnerships with Arsenal Football Club and athlete Usain Bolt, as well as initiatives connected to the F1 Academy. He shared insights into his work leading social media activity for the @wearedirtisgood Instagram channel and discussed the excitement of running global campaigns.
Charlie also showed pupils a video from Persil’s award-winning “The Autograph” campaign, released in 2024 and featuring Bukayo Saka, which embodies the brand's ethos: “Dirt and stains aren’t the enemy – they’re marks of a life well lived.”
Alongside discussing professional achievements, Charlie reflected on the transition from school to university. After leaving Kingham Hill in 2023, he secured his place at Lancaster University through Clearing, making what he described as an impulsive but ultimately rewarding decision after visiting the campus with a friend.
Originally intending to pursue a year abroad, Charlie later chose the placement year route instead, a decision he now strongly advocates for.
“Even if you do not like your placement year, that is still valuable because you learn what you don’t enjoy,” he explained. “It’s never time wasted.”
Charlie encouraged pupils to take advantage of support available through university careers teams and to embrace opportunities to network and speak with people from different backgrounds.
“University is often independent,” he reflected, “whereas when you work in a team or business, the deadlines are real and there are real-life consequences if you don’t meet them. There’s not much you can compare to actually doing the job.”
The talk clearly resonated with pupils. One Lower Sixth pupil commented afterwards that hearing Charlie’s experiences had opened his eyes to placement years as an alternative alongside degree apprenticeships.
Having recently attended a careers talk with a former apprentice come Classic Vehicle Technician from Jaguar Land Rover, Jak, who is interested in pursuing a career in finance, explained that Charlie’s presentation highlighted how placement years could provide “a really good combination” of academic study and real-world experience.
He also found it reassuring to hear how Charlie had adapted when plans changed after school. “It was good to see that not getting exactly the grades you hoped for or changing direction doesn’t stop you succeeding,” he said.
Charlie’s visit offered Lower Sixth pupils a valuable and honest insight into university life, placements and the many different pathways available after Kingham Hill.