/

As applications for The Engine Grad Scheme* have now opened, and the current grads are a big part of marketing it, I’ve recently been fielding a lot of questions about grad schemes and application tips. In part as an exercise for me to rehearse my answers, and in the hopes that this might help someone out there, these are my top bits of grad scheme advice.

*The Engine Grad Scheme is the grad scheme I’m currently on. Run by the Engine Group (advertising and comms), the scheme allows 4 grads to work in 4 of their 13 companies, which do everything from advertising to consulting to sponsorship to events, over the course of a year before deciding where they fit best.

blogphoto

APPLICATIONS

MAKE A PLAN

This one’s pretty basic, and if you’re applying for advertising grad schemes you should probably have already done this because their deadlines are coming up fast, but make sure you know when deadlines are and what you need to do for them.

BE PICKY

It can be very tempting to try and apply for absolutely every grad scheme under the sun, but you can afford to be picky and you’re actually more likely to do well if you are. Grad Scheme applications take a lot of time and effort and if you’re still at uni or working you probably don’t have the energy to apply to them all. Make sure you’re only apply to grad schemes and companies you actually want to work at. My criteria for this was: does the culture seem like somewhere I’ll fit in? Am I excited by the work they’re doing? Are there enough learning opportunities?

TAILOR YOUR APPLICATIONS

Your application should be a reflection of why you’d fit in well and be a valuable asset to a company, and a big part of getting that right is knowing who they are and what they want. Make sure you show that knowledge in every level of your application from the bits of information and the examples you choose to share to referencing that you know the work they’re doing. Don’t forget that all that a company knows about you is what’s on the page so you can present your very best self, by selecting the right information. It also means that you have to remember they don’t know you, so if there’s anything you want them to know about you, you have to tell them.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO COLD CALL

Although this probably isn’t the best way to get on a grad scheme because if you’re having to cold call the company you’re interested in probably doesn’t have a scheme, but it is a good way to get your foot in the door. If there are any agencies who really get you excited let them know, send them your CV and a bit about yourself and ask if you can come in for a chat or be a part of what they’re doing. If you’re going to do this though, it takes a bit of extra thought. Agencies get sent loads of CVs all the time so you need to make yours stand out and prove why you’d be a good fit for their agency. Do something a bit wacky or creative, make something memorable. I think I had the most success just sending out creative work that represented me along with my CV, and although I’m not working at those places now I’ve made some really great contacts and got my name out there so to speak.

INTERVIEWS

BE YOURSELF IN INTERVIEWS AND ASSESSMENT DAYS

I know this is the most clichéd advice in the book, but it’s used so much for a reason. It’s the best and most effective way to engage with people. A lot of people like to play games, or to have tactics on assessment days. I’ve never done that, and I don’t think it’s a great strategy. The main reason I don’t do it is I don’t enjoy it. The second is if I can’t get in somewhere by being myself how am I going to succeed or enjoy myself when I’m there for real? You shouldn’t have to be someone else to do well.

DRESS LIKE YOU WORK THERE

What to wear to an interview or assessment day is something you end up spending a lot more time thinking about than it probably seems like you should, or at least I did. There’s no blanket rule, but I generally go with “dress like you work there”. If you’re interviewing at a consultancy go in a shirt and tie, if you’re interviewing at a creative agency you can probably go more relaxed (I see those guys in trainers every day of the week), but if in doubt go a little bit smarter – it shows you care.

ASK QUESTIONS

When you get asked if you have any questions at the end of an interview, make sure you have some. It shows you’re engaged and interested. It’s also the main skill people say you need to have as a grad so make sure you show it. It can be hard to come up with questions as you go through the interview so I like to go in with a couple of pre-prepared questions, some more general and some business specific. If you’re struggling for places to start, these are some of the general questions on my list: “What skills would I need to have to be the best X I could?”, “What’s the most interesting/challenging piece you’ve worked on?”, “Where do you see this company going in the next five years?”, “How would you describe the culture?”, “What opportunities are there for me to learn and skill up?”

GENERAL

GRAD SCHEMES AREN’T THE BE ALL AND END ALL

This might seem an odd piece of advice to come at the end of a post all about grad schemes, by someone who’s currently doing a grad scheme, but I believe it whole heartedly. Grad schemes are great they offer you loads of training, and in my case they give you more time to work out what exactly it is you want to do, but they’re not the only way into a job. If you know what you want to do, or you’ve done an internship and just want to get started already, just go for it. Grad Schemes are a lot of learning, and not quite so much doing to begin with, so jumping into an entry level job if you know what you want to do would be a great way to learn by doing. Loads of people I know are taking a year out and figuring out what it is they want to do by trying out a whole load of internships and pursuing their creative passions. Doing a vocational (read semi-practical) masters if you’re still loving the uni environment (and have some cash to burn) seem like an amazing opportunity. I could go on, but basically, the world is your oyster so don’t get too het up about whether or not you get onto a grad scheme.

If you have any other questions or advice you’d like to share for the people let me know!

/

One piece of work that I’ve been super proud of recently is the series of #mondaymotivation posts I made for The Browser. These are illustrated quotes that were used on social media to help engage The Browser’s readers in a slightly different form. If you haven’t heard of them, The Browser are a great group of lovely people who curate the best and most interesting writing on the internet. So if you’re unsure of where to find things to read in a world that’s overflowing with content, check them out!

 

browsergrid

/

On my first few projects I found myself writing and rewriting and rewriting emails, even when I knew the client personally. Deciding what tone you want to use, and even what you want to say, when talking to a client at first can be one of the most daunting elements of starting to freelance. No one really teaches you how to be in charge of your own business emails in the same way they teach you to use photoshop. I most certainly don’t have all of the answers, or particularly outstanding email etiquette, but these are the most important factors I’ve found when communicating with clients.

stock3

BE FRIENDLY

If you’re a good person to work with, people will want to work with you again. It’s that simple. Whilst you should always be professional that doesn’t mean you can’t be pleasant. You probably don’t want to be throwing emojis out there but you do want to have some personality in your messages. That personality can come through in your phrasing, in asking the client about their day (or at least wishing them a good one), or even the occasional joke. Being friendly also comes down to making the client feel like they can approach you, make sure they know at the start that they can come to you with questions and if they do ask you something take the time to answer it properly. The hardest part of this tip is always being patient on the surface, sometimes a project can be frustrating, but you shouldn’t take that out on the client. Talk through any issues as calmly and clearly as you can not only will this help keep the client on side it also, usually, leads to a better solution.

The client is always right, but they’ve hired you for a reason

The age old idea that the client is always right definitely has some merit. They know what they want and you should work to it, it’s their product in the end and they’re the ones paying for it. However, if you think they’re going in the wrong direction or if you’ve got a great idea that lies slightly outside of their brief you should tell them. When you’re hired as a designer you’re not just hired (most of the time) you’re not just hired as a photoshop monkey, you’re hired because you’ve got a brain in your head – use it! 

Be honest

Being honest and transparent is absolutely key to building a good relationship with a client and creating something you can be proud of at the end of it. When I say be honest, be honest in all things. Be honest about what you can do. If there’s something beyond your capabilities or something you’ve never done before let them know. Clients have always seemed to respect me more if I’ve been honest and said X isn’t my strength, but I’m happy to give it a go or I can suggest another way to do it. When you do that you’re showing them that you value the product you’re creating for them and you’re putting their needs first. If you really can’t do it help them find someone else to help. Be honest with your opinion. This is kind of part of the last tip, but if they ask your opinion on a design or and idea, tell them the truth and make sure you’re making something you’re happy with too rather than pandering, even if it’s hard. Be honest with yourself. Make the best work you can, don’t cheat yourself out of making something amazing.

 

Ask Questions

When a client gives you a brief one instinct can be to just take it and run without thinking about it. But asking them about the brief at the start can really make sure you get off on the right foot, and save you a lot of time in the long run. If you can, call them, or meet face to face. I’ve found that’s the best way to get what someone actually wants out of them. Having a proper conversation is also a great way to get the creative juices flowing for you and the client, setting you up for a productive working relationship. Don’t just ask questions at the start of a project either, ask them throughout – especially why questions. If a client doesn’t like something, make sure you know why rather than guessing that way you don’t do it again. One caveat to this is don’t send them 50 emails a day asking a single question, work through what you can and at natural feedback points see what they’re really thinking.

Keep Talking

Don’t just stop talking to your client once you’ve finished working on the project you’re doing, keep in touch. This is a really great way to make sure you have a strong relationship with a client, and are more likely to get work from them in the future. If you see they’re doing something new or interesting send them an email. If they’re running an event show an interest. If you can, ask them for a coffee and catch up if it’s been a while

/

Putting a price on your work is one of the hardest, and most awkward, parts of freelancing. I’m still pretty uncomfortable doing it, but I am a lot better at it now than I used to be – I hope. Now I’m a couple of years into doing it, this the advice I wish I’d had when I was first starting out.

stock2

FREELANCE DOESN’T MEAN FREE

You deserve to get paid for what you make. That’s it. There are lots of people who will ask you to work for portfolio points, and sometimes the value of what you’ll get out of that is recompense enough. But most of the time it isn’t, and it shouldn’t have to be. If someone else is going to profit from your work, then you should share in that profit. 

THERE’S NO SECRET FORMULA

I spent a lot of time googling ‘how much should I charge as a freelance graphic designer’ to very little avail. There’s no crib sheet out there, because there is no secret formula. Sure it’s important to  see how much other people are charging (you want to at least be in the ball park) but how much you charge will change as you develop, it will change between clients, it will change between jobs, sometimes it will even change within a job. Don’t sweat it. Go with what feels right and appropriate rather than how much you think you should cost.

PRICING BY THE HOUR IS OKAY

When you’re just starting out working by the hour is probably the easiest way to price your work. It feels tangible, and you can give your client proof. There are even apps to help you with it.  

BUT REALLY PRICING BY VALUE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING

First, as you get better at what you do you’ll work faster. So if you’re using a time tracking tool, you’ll start getting paid less for doing better work. That doesn’t make sense at all. Second, how much time a piece of work takes you on a computer isn’t a judge of how much value it will add to your client’s business or the amount of time and training that has gone into you being able to produce that piece of work. If you don’t want to just take my word for it Jake Jorgovan, wrote a great article all about it for Career Foundry.

 

CHARGE MORE THAN YOU THINK

This is the main thing I wish I’d told my younger self. When you start out there is a tendency to undervalue your work, because, well, you undervalue your work. You should have no fear in asking for a bit more than you think, if it’s more than your client can pay I promise they’ll tell you about it. Not only does pricing your work a bit higher than you think mean you get paid more, it also projects a level of confidence and quality to your client.

 

IT GETS EASIER THE MORE YOU TALK ABOUT IT

This really ties into the last point. The more you discuss your pricing, and the more you realise that people will pay you for your work the easier it gets. Discussing pricing up front is key. Make sure whoever you’re speaking to knows what they’ll be paying, and for what up front. When I’m discussing pricing with someone new I like to suggest the number of iterations I’m willing to do for the price quoted, then if we have to do more redesigns I let them know that it will cost more. If a project changes in scale so should your pricing, but you’ve got to be open about it.

 

This is where I’m at right now, but I’m still learning – what else should I know? What else should I be doing?

/

I love food. Eating is genuinely one of my favourite activities in the day, and as such my day revolves around my meal times. But cooking on a weeknight can be time consuming, and isn’t always the top priority when you’ve got a to do list as long as your arm.

This vegetarian thai red curry noodle soup (or very saucy curry depending on your definition) has fast become one of my favourite quick dinners now the weather’s a bit colder. I thought I’d share the recipe here for anyone looking for a super tasty fast fix, between day and night jobs

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 3-4 SERVINGS)

3 tbsp thai red curry paste

2 cloves garlic

Half a thumb of fresh ginger

3-4 servings stick rice noodles

1 can (500ml) coconut milk (this can be low fat)

3 cups (700ml) stock (whatever kind you prefer, I usually use vegetable)

2 sweet potatoes – peeled and diced in to 1cm cubes

3 heads of pak choi (this is also good with spring greens, 2 ½ cups or so, if you can’t get pak choi)

Sliced spring onions and fresh coriander to garnish

THE MAKING BIT

  • Chop up all of your veg. Garlic and Ginger should be finely chopped, or put through a crusher if you have one. The sweet potato should be in rough 1cm cubes, and the pak choi should be divided into leaf and stem, with the stems sliced up.
  • Fry off the garlic and ginger in a little bit of oil, I like ground nut but use whatever you have as long as it doesn’t have a strong flavour.
  • Then add the curry paste into the pan and heat through
  • Add the liquids (coconut milk and stock) to the pan, with the sweet potato. Bring to the boil with the lid on.
  • After 5 minutes or so, once the sweet potato has just begun to soften, add in the pak choi stems*
  • Cook the noodles as per packet instructions in a separate pan, you could do it all in the same pan, but I usually struggle for space.
  • Add the pak choi leaves just before serving so they wilt a little
  • Serve in bowls with some (optional) sliced spring onion and fresh coriander

*If you’re going to batch cook this one to keep for later (as I so often do) I’d suggest taking your extra portions off just before you’d add in the pak choi, then adding it in chopped to the divided tubs. That way you avoid over cooking the pak choi when you reheat, and the noodles don’t go stodgy. When you reheat, just put the contents of the tub into a pan/the microwave, and cook the noodles.

What are your favourite quick warming winter recipes?