'Sexy' and 'Nonsexy' Industries

Have you ever heard of a 'sexy' industry? What about a 'nonsexy' industry? Those were the words I used to describe the type of internship I was looking for to my awesome advisor Sam. For me, a 'sexy' industry is more glamorous and focused on appearances and typically offers a product or service that people cognitively think about. As someone who has worked for a trampoline park, in the office of a plumbing company and a catering company, and as an operations intern for an international linen and laundry company, working in a 'sexy' industry wasn't something that I was specifically looking for. Fate has it that I ended up getting an awesome internship in what I would consider a 'sexy' industry, but I don't love this placement because of the way I perceive its sexiness, but because it has everything else I was looking for.

So what's my bottom line? What's the point of me weirdly talking about an industry using the adjectives 'sexy' and 'nonsexy'? My point is this: I love this internship because it's helping me reach the personal goals I set for myself, not because I love telling people the industry I work in, or the company I work for. This placement is broadening my knowledge and abilities as an employee, it's giving me tasks that are new and challenging, and it's making me confront my concerns over my creative abilities. When looking for internships, I encourage you to find one that suits your goals first and foremost, because achieving the goals and experiences you're searching for during this time will make all the difference in how you perceive the success of your placement.

As mentioned, my awesome advisor Sam set me up with a wonderful internship in a very 'sexy' industry. I'm currently interning for Hire Space and their partner company EventLAB. Hire Space is a venue hire company that operates primarily online while EventLAB keeps people in the events industry up to date on the latest trends and news. In my intern role I've taken on new projects I've never done in the past and I've really had to step into my fear of creative projects and tasks and face them head on. I've seen myself grow in confidence and knowledge over the past three months already and I genuinely enjoy going into work and taking on new challenges. My duties include creating social media content; writing blog posts, press releases, and articles for national and international newspapers; working on a team to put on an annual two-day conference for thousands of people in the industry; among other tasks. This internship has given me the opportunity to use skills I've learned in past positions and apply them to new tasks I've never done before. It's also given me the opportunity to meet new people and experience what living and working in London is really like.

In addition to learning new skills and acquiring new experiences, you'll be able to uncover what kind of working style and environment works best for you and your needs. At my internship things are a little different from the past offices I've worked in. Hire Space and EventLAB employ about 50 people in total. In the office we sit in an open floor plan that encourages collaboration and makes answering and asking questions a breeze. I've realized that 'hot-desking' and an open-floor-plan, while unnerving at first, are a good fit for the type of work we do at Hire Space and EventLAB. Personally, I prefer to have a set area of my own at work, but having the freedom to move around is nice as I've found it has helped me get past mental blocks and helped with my creativity. You might discover that open floor plans aren't for you, and that's okay; or maybe you'll find that a cubicle isn't for you, and that's totally okay as well. The whole point of this internship is to learn about industries you're interested in, and to learn about yourself. The more knowledge you acquire about yourself and what environments you work best in, the better off you are for your future endeavors. I hope this journey is fun and enlightening, and everything you thought it would be.