h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When you've been out of work for a while, you start to lose touch with the pace of industry. It's important to keep up to date with the latest trends so you can perform well in job applications and interviews.

For this reason, I've been scanning the list of trade shows going on at the large exhibition halls in West London: Earls Court and Olympia. These shows are lively and colourful, you can speak to people about new products and ideas, and you can attend seminars on industry topics. Oh, and they're usually free to attend.

So, I've just been scanning the list at http://www.eco.co.uk/events/listingallevents/ and I've spotted a few IT-related shows I might attend: project management, infrastructure, that sort of thing.

But it's always interested me to see what other industries get up to and how they let their hair down. I spotted the following shows in the list:

Manage Your Block, 04-05 February 2011
"The new National live event tailored to the specific needs of members of Residential Management Companies, Private Residents’ Associations, Right to Manage Companies and Residential Managing Agents."

RumFest 2010, 16-17 October 2010
"RumFest is the world’s biggest festival to celebrate the diversity of rum and its rapidly growing popularity"

The Back Pain Show, 22-23 October 2010
"If you have back pain The Back Pain Show is the event for you. The show is a 'one stop shop' for your back health needs incorporating thousands of products, therapies, treatments and free seminars designed to help you find a solution to your back pain."


Of course, there are many consumer and entertainment shows too - things like The Toy Fair, Ideal Home, Top Gear, etc.

So are you a trade-show junkie? Spot anything in that list that you fancy?

From work, we have the opportunity every year of going to the International Furniture Fair in Cologne. I never go. To me, these things mean headaches, bad air, continual noise and unpalatable tidbits of food and drink.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Maybe Olympia's bigger, then - I've never found it airless. But noisy, yes. And the catering's pretty basic, you're right.

I like the Baby Show for Trade.

I wonder how many babies they trade?

The language careers show is where I'd like to go.

I've been to the furniture fair in Cologne once (from my husband's work place) and I enjoyed it very much.

I've been to the Frankfurt book fair once, and I enjoyed that, too.

I was thinking maybe I should update my wardrobe by attending the Boden Catalogue Sale: http://www.eco.co.uk/event/boden-sale/176

(see the pictures)

Hi Icy North,

Thank you for telling me about the Fairs. Wish I could go.

I know you duslike me telling you but thank you again so much for guiding me to those memory exercises. !!! They have brought me back from wherever I have been these last few weeks. !!
and I am glad to be back. !!

Hope you have found something suitable.

Go well

Christiane
AlsoRan80

Wednesday 8th September 2010 17.45

Christiane.
It's good to see you.

Hello Christiane

I can tell the memory exercises are working, as you always remember who told you about them!

I like RumFest, is there any courses. It is a useful thing to engage in.

Well, according to the website, there are "Rum master classes conducted by industry experts and master blenders."

Sadly they charge you £20 to get in. I'm sure you could easily drink that much, though.

Details at: http://rumfest.co.uk/

I used to organise Trade Fairs for a living and would be quite happy never ever to have to see the inside of an exhibition hall again.

However...

And it seems that every job i've had here has wanted to send me to CeBit in Hannover - which I'm now managing to avoid thank goodness. I liked the Frankfurt Book Fair though, and have attended that voluntarily. Likewise the food thing in Cologne and I've been to the furniture one but I don't remember much about it.

Boot in Düsseldorf is good to see how the other half lives, and there's a trekking/camping one coming up that I might go to.

Apart from that it's IFA all the way for me (even though it is job related), although I didn't make it this year

You and your misleading thread titles...

Since I did't want to join the Navy or the Royal College of Obs and Gynae, the medical careers fairs that they hold in Angel each year don't make much sense to me - in fact, the only fair I've ever entered with a clear purpose in mind was the Earl's Court Beer Festival (I did indeed manage to buy that all-important amusing Doctor Who-related t-shirt).

For h2g2's acknowledged expert on isms, I'm surprised you didn't know this one. What were you expecting?

Oh nothing, just wondering whether it would be safe to come to the next Friday Fringe.