In my previous blog post on what it's like interning abroad in London, I shared about my daily routine and the nuts and bolts of working in the dynamic city of London. That was my own perspective so you may wonder what a Londoner thinks. Don't worry because in this blog I have one of my coworkers sharing his experiences studying, living, and working here.
My coworker is an investment analyst at E2E. He has been living in London for more than 5 years. Originally from the Netherlands, he moved to London to pursue his Master's Degree. After graduation, he interned at the company for a few months before being promoted to his current role.
First, let's learn about our company: E2E. What are the company's impacts on London's economy?
Business expansion has helped E2E increase its entrepreneurial community. Therefore, the business can voice the opinion of the entrepreneurial community. Also, the more entrepreneurs E2E can engage with, the more connections it can create, adding more value to its members. Having a variety of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and corporate partners means the community is more diverse. Therefore, members can connect with anyone they require during their own business expansion.
The more our company expands, the more our social impact is. Our community of 24,000 founders currently employs 1.15M people, meaning that supporting our community members is helping grow the UK economy.
By combining execution with quality, word-of-mouth is a very important aspect of our industry. Entrepreneurs look for opportunities to grow. If E2E is able to provide high-quality support, these entrepreneurs will recommend us to their peers.
Caption: A trip to Chinatown after work with a colleague.
What is it like working at a small and young company like E2E?
It is kind of easy but time-consuming because my job is to research information about our potential leads and members on the internet. The information is sometimes available and sometimes not. E2E derives revenues from matching investors and entrepreneurs via referral fees, membership subscriptions, corporate sponsorship of events, and referrals to corporate partners providing services to our community. That's why our job is crucial because we will provide the information of potential members for the other teams so that they can contact and encourage new subscriptions.
What do you think of the interns from CEA CAPA?
The interns from CEA CAPA are diverse and talented. They come from different countries and backgrounds. They have added significant value to our team, especially by helping with data research.
Caption: Having dinner with other interns.
Caption: A farewell meal.
What advice would you give to future interns?
Each intern comes to London with a different plan. Some may want to just experience the life of a Londoner. Some want to enjoy the new working environment. If you plan to become an intern abroad, you may want to start by researching the company a few weeks before you accept the job. It can be through their official websites, LinkedIn profiles, or review sites such as Glassdoor. If you do your homework, you will know what you should and should not expect from this experience. Working in London will be a rewarding experience if you mentally prepare for the challenges or any other obstacles you can think of. You may or may not like your job or your company but in the end, it will be the experiences that count.
Caption: On the final day of our internship.
Thank you so much for your insights!