I thought having my own office meant I'd 'arrived,' but it was depressing. Here's why open-plan office layouts are best.

• Jennifer Moore has worked in financial services, tech, and SaaS for 20 years. 
• During that time, she's worked in cubicles, open plan offices, and has had her own office spaces.
• The open plan concept is her winner due to the natural light and varying spaces for work. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Jennifer Moore, 43, from Salt Lake City, about her experience working in different office spaces. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I was a summer intern with a small desk in a hallway when my career began in 2003.