What it does: Philips USA is known primarily for manufacturing a wide variety of products, intended both for individuals and businesses.
Mission statement: To improve people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation.
Best known for: The Philips lightbulb.
Size & presence: 80,000 employees, working in more than 100 countries
The good bits: Philips has been around for quite some time—making it a great resource for students and recent college graduates to learn how the business stays resilient even after more than two centuries of existence.
The not-so-good bits: The company does not fund as many R&D activities as it does in the past.
Philips is a Dutch multinational conglomerate that traces its origins to the late 19th century. Also known as Koninklijke Philips, the company was founded by Gerard Philips and his father Frederik, and the first products they developed were lightbulbs—a product that Philips still manufactures to this day.
The story of how Philips started operating in the U.S. is an interesting tale. During World War II, the Phillips family, who manages the company at the time, left their company’s main base of operations, Eindhoven for the U.S., after finding out roughly 24 hours ahead of time that the Germans were about to invade the Netherlands. Since then, Philips’ presence in the U.S. continues to grow, and the company is currently operating in thirteen U.S states.
Philips prides itself in being a company that can create value for its customers, and so many of the tasks that you’ll be assigned as a new hire, even from day one, are intended to push you in that direction.
Most recently, due to changes following the COVID-19 pandemic, Philips has implemented a hybrid working system, where their employees work three days from the office and two days from home.
Philips has multiple employment opportunities available for both students and recent college graduates. For students, Philips offers the chance to work in their company as an intern for a period of six months. You can also choose what division you want to work in—from IT to supply chain.
If you are a recent college graduate, you might be interested in joining Philips’ Graduate Development Program. Unlike most programs that require you to choose a division that you’re interested in joining, Philips’ program gives you the chance to experience three jobs at three different divisions, during the span of your two-year program.
For internships, Philips usually has several positions open at different times during the year, although like many other companies, it also has a summer internship position every year. However, Philips’ Graduate Development Programs are usually open at specific times, and Philips’ team often visits campuses to recruit some of the best talents. Additionally, you can also apply for the position through their career website.
The hiring process starts from sending your application in and continues to several interview rounds, which may include a case study interview if you are applying for its Graduate Development Program.
An intern who works at Philips USA can expect to earn a base pay between $50,000 to $80,000, depending on their role and educational background. As a note, Master’s and PhD degree holders tend to receive higher compensation as interns. In addition, a full-time employee at Philips USA can expect to earn more than $100,000 per year, depending on their position and experience.
Aside from that, Phillips also offers many benefits for its full-time employees, including the following: three weeks of PTO, education reimbursement (up to $10,000 per year), and subsidized gym memberships.
All Philips’ philanthropic contributions, including its U.S. branch, are conducted through its charity foundation, Philips Foundation. In the U.S., Philip Foundations engages in several initiatives over the past years, including funding a program for point-of-care ultrasound in the Navajo Nation across the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah and funding safety net clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, it was discovered that a deal between the United States Department of Health & Human Services and Philips, where the latter was contracted to supply hospitals and health centres with additional ventilators, ended with the United States House of Representatives finding "evidence of fraud, waste, and abuse."