Getting to know XM: Interns Edition

We sat down with our two lovely interns from Nanyang Polytechnic who were with us for 3 months as they shared with us their experiences during their time here at XM.

1. How was your internship with XM

Z: In a nutshell, it was a great experience with a lot of learning involved. I feel grateful to have a friendly and helpful working environment at XM. Being able to help out in the retail environment as well as helping the marketing team gave me a wide range of exposure to the working world and industry standards.?

C: I enjoyed my time here at XM as I felt very welcomed. I like that XM has created an environment where everyone feels like family. Because of this warm environment, I was able to assimilate quickly into the company and work comfortably with my colleagues.

2.???What do you enjoy the most in this internship?

Z: I enjoyed that there is a very friendly working environment at XM. The staff would look out for each other at all times. Be it getting lunch for a busy colleague, to reaching out and checking if everyone is well. The well-bonded culture creates a warm atmosphere in which everyone feels welcome and peaceful. This, in turn, contributes to a productive workspace where it is easy to learn and accomplish.

C: I enjoyed helping out during events as I had the opportunity to experience what a real event was like and I also got to interact with people who are interested in statues and comics. Listening to their stories and experiences with XM made me realise how much XM means to them, and their love and passion for statues and the characters.

3.???Tell us about one of your favourite moment or most challenging assignment.

Z: Personally, my favourite moment would be when XM Studios opened its first flagship store in Singapore. I got the opportunity to help out with the opening events. Before the event, I was helping out with the preparations and got to know my colleagues in the process. Despite being tiring, we pushed through and stayed resilient together. Going through this together made the experience memorable.

Fast forward to during the event; It felt amazing to see many people from different walks of life come to the store and be astonished by the statues. I knew all our efforts were definitely worth it when I saw the beaming smiles portrayed on everyone’s faces. From my perspective, it was a thrilling experience with many uncertainties. It ended with a blast and I was able to form great memories.

C: One of my favourite moments was when customers share with me about their amazing statue collection and how they have collections dedicated to certain licenses such as DC and Marvel.

Another one of my favourite moments was when I had to call the members, the day before an event, to give a gentle reminder of the event. It was very nice to hear that all of them were very excited to come and it really shows what XM means to them.

4. What have you learned during your internship here

?Z: During my internship journey here, I managed to improve myself in various ways and learn new things with the help of my supervisors and colleagues. I learned new technical skills from different disciplines such as creating an editorial calendar, and stock-taking. I honed various soft skills such as intercultural fluency, critical thinking, problem-solving, and public speaking. Overall, the increased exposure to the workspace and industry helped me in being meticulous, disciplined, and flexible to produce great performance at work.

C: This internship has helped me grow as a person as I learned soft skills and technical skills. I learned to be patient, tenacious, meticulous, and acquired problem-solving skills.

5. How do you think this internship will benefit you

Z: I hope this internship would benefit me by helping me to be an individual who is ready to handle the challenges of the workforce. Other than the increased exposure, and gaining relevant skills that are beneficial to the industry, I also benefited through the lessons and experience at XM Studios.

C: This internship has helped me better understand what the different departments (business affairs, store operations, etc) do and helped me to identify the areas in which I should hone my skills. The internship also guided me in deciding which area of work I would be interested in.

6.???Favourite statue at XM and why

Z: With such incredible details and a shiny metallic finish, it would be a lie if I had said that the Iron Spider is not my favourite. I feel like this masterpiece stands out to me the most, as we are able to move the mechanical arms to create dynamic poses according to our liking. This statue would never fail to surprise visitors as well. Looking at this statue brings back nostalgic memories as I spent my younger days watching Marvel movies.

C: My favourite statue at XM would be Maestro as I love how he is surrounded by all of his collection from the spoils of war, sitting alone with an expression on his face. Every time I look at his expression, I have different interpretations. Sometimes, I feel that he is thinking about what to do next now that he has gotten what he wanted. Other times, I feel that he is lonely and feels empty since he has achieved his goal.

?To me, his expression gives me a lot of room for interpretation and I do not derive at just one interpretation which makes me love the statue even more.