How To Get a Job In a Design Agency – (23 Feb 2015)

Redweb, Bournemouth

Tim Stone – ’12, Ralph Saunders – ’13

  • 14 years
  • Team of 130 – grouped into teams
  • 50-60 contractors London
  • Specialist developers (.Net)
  • deliver a good argument and justification (soft skills – writing, talking etc.)

 

Folk Digital, Poole

Frank Clarke – ’12

  • started in a small barber shop
  • team of 22
  • e-commerce sites specialty (php)
  • office now a converted factory
  • two front end – one back end developer
  • server set up
  • company still expanding (Feb 2015)
  • Learn little bits of everything

 

Zeta

Chris Rogers – App Developer – ’12

  • in house team is more structured, with smaller tasks
  • difficult to work with new companies and new platforms due to research and learning

 

Martin & Co

Will Squire – Senior Developer – ’14

  • managing sections of a project, not the whole thing
  • work hours 9-5 in house and un-structured in an agency
  • ability to work on a range of platforms (Droople, WordPress) and projects
  • in house – more stressful, less luxury benefits (table tennis)
  • accept jobs, learn as you go along

 

Skill Set

  • pick a route/skill
  • identify and focus

 

Further Research

  • Symphony
  • Composer
  • VM (Virtual Machine) testing platforms
  • Programming – Static & Dynamic
  • Node

 

Code comments

Not what it’s doing, but why it’s doing it – why it’s needed.

 

Interviews

  • Start as Junior with a view to learning and evolving
  • Show you are a good learner
  • engaging in conversation, be approachable and friendly
  • research company, make contact and engage
  • don’t undervalue yourself, your skills are sought after
  • apply for several agencies and start a bidding war for your skills
  • salary – aim high
  • small agency – range of responsibilities if unsure on exact job role

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”