True North

As part of my research for my issues and practices essay I had emailed Ady from True North a set of questions about life after graduation.

Email to Ady:

        

        Dear Ady

My name is Michele McKee, I am currently in my final year of Graphic design, studying at Stockport College. 

My main attraction towards your agency is your ability to be thoughtful towards the design process, I really liked the attention to detail especially in the work for Apg visual colour, I thought it worked extremely well producing black and white posters in a bid to attract the viewer rather than producing lavish style posters, it was a clever idea. How long do you normally get on briefs like this, and who do you look at for inspiration when designing?

My main reason for getting in touch with yourself is because I wondered if you could spare a few  minutes of your time to answer a few questions regarding the design industry which will help myself and others when we graduate. It will also help towards research on something I am working on at the moment as part of my degree.

1. Do you think it is harder to get a job in the industry now compared to 5 years ago?

2. Do you think students are well prepared for the jump from university to the workplace?

3. What would set a student aside from everyone else? What skills would you look for?

4. How many placements, if any do you offer and for how long?

5. How many students do you get asking for jobs and placements?

6. Have you ever worked in London or considered moving to London? Would you suggest students move from their hometown to look for work?

7. Did you find it difficult to get a job after studying?

8. What advice would you give to a student regards getting a job after university?

I understand you are very busy but I would be extremely grateful to hear back from you.

Many thanks

Michele McKee

Ba Hons Graphic Design

Stockport College

Ady got back to me very quick to invite me into the studio for a chat about my questions.:

Hi Michele,

that's a big old email to answer, especially as I'm a drawer not a typer.

Happy for you to come in for half an hour next week and have a natter. That any use?

Ady

After a few emails back and forth  it was decided that I would go into meet with Ady next friday at 10am, I will also be taking in some of the designs I have been working on for my major project to get some feedback from himself.

I am extremely grateful for Ady getting back to me so quickly and look forward to meeting with him.

David Lovelock

After meeting with David Lovelock from Studio Special, I got in contact with him again to Thank him for meeting with us but to also ask him some questions for research as part of my issues and practices. I appreciated how he got back to so quickly and how his answers really helped inform my practice.

Email from David, with my questions and his answers

Hello Michele

I'll have a go at answering these -

1. Do you think it is harder to get a job in the industry now compared to 5 years ago?

A designer would imagine its the same. if the time span was 10 years, then yes, maybe.

If you asked a statistician the answer would also be yes, its harder due to the competition / graduates.

But there are different ways graduates find jobs and placements compared to the past 5 / 10 years.

2. Do you think students are well prepared for the jump from university to the workplace?

Yes and no. Depends on the student and the University.

Students enthusiasm to learn and understand the industry they want to exceed in

University course structure. Is it teaching the students skills or are they just setting industry award briefs and letting them get on with it?

3. What would set a student aside from everyone else? What skills would you look for?

Approach, understanding, intelligence, enthusiasm, passion, literacy and then creativity.

4. How many placements, if any do you offer and for how long??

we've a single placement desk and tend to offer 2-3 months.

5. How many students do you get asking for jobs and placements?

1 - 4 a day

6. Have you ever worked anywhere else other than London? Would you suggest students move from their hometown to look for work?

No - but its not all about London or even cities.

7. Did you find it difficult to get a job after studying?

Right time, right place. I was lucky. 

8. What advice would you give to a student regards getting a job after university?

Question themselves. Do you really want to do this? 

Make a plan of action and research agencies you'd like to work for.

Its not all about design blogs.

Don't send a PDF containing all of your work and expect a reply. It doesn't work like that.

I could spend / go into a lot of detail answering these... but I hope the above help

David

Reply from Red brick road

I was lucky enough to hear back from the Red Brick Road within a couple of days and was very happy to hear that they would love to take a look at our work when we visit London.

Andy Vasey an art director from the agency emailed me back : 

Hi I'm an art director at the red brick road.

The creative dpt pa forwarded on your email about coming in.

We'd love to take a look at your work.

When are you around? Any dates best for you?

It was decided through numerous emails that we would meet on the 2nd of March. I was very grateful to Andy for getting in touch.

Red Brick Road

I came across London based studio Red Brick Road after searching for Sam Cartmell who produced the Tesco advertising campaign for Granny smith apples. It was upon looking through their site that I came across more poster designs for Tesco which, still in my opinion are really clever and well executed.... one of those designs which really make me wish I had thought of that.

Other clients include Florence and Fred for Tesco, Heineken and Sky One. In a few weeks time we will be travelling down to London to meet with the industry and I thought this would be the perfect time to get in touch with Red Brick Road and to try and meet with the designers of the Tesco campaign to get feedback on the Bacardi brief that myself and Grace have been working on for the last couple of weeks.

Email sent to Paul Hammersley at the Red Brick Road:

Hi Paul,

I'm currently in my final year of Graphic Design studying at Stockport College in Cheshire.

As part of our degree we are asked to get as much feedback and experience as we can with other designers in the industry. From Monday the 1st of March until Wednesday the 3rd myself and a few other students will be visiting London with our portfolios to meet with people from the industry.

Recently myself and another fellow student have been working in collaboration on a brief for the alcoholic drink Bacardi. Whilst working on this brief we were heavily influenced by the work you produced for Tesco and decided ourselves to work with copywriting to create a series of type led posters.

As we will be coming to London I was wondering if you had the time, 10 minutes or so, to look at our portfolios and maybe give us some feedback on our Bacardi brief?

I understand you must be very busy so would be very grateful for your time. I will be travelling with 2 other students, and we'd all be delighted to have our work seen by professionals.

Regards

Michele McKee

Have a look at Red Brick Road website here

Reply from Mind design

I was lucky enough to hear back from the creative director of Mind design within a few days. I found his answers to my questions very helpful.

Mind design

Mind design is an independent London based design studio founded in 1999 by graduate Holger Jacobs. They focus on intergrated design solutions that combine corporate identity, print, web and interior design.

I was initially attracted to the work they had produced for 'Tom Dixon catalogue 09' where they designed a brochure for a furniture catalogue. I like their attention to detail and love for typography. I have always been influenced by editorial design and these specific spreads reminded me of the work of Alexey Brodovitch who I had previously looked at.

    

I decided to put together a constructed questionnaire to send to Mind design to ask about themselves as an agency and their views on the industry.

Email to Mind Design.

Reply from Alex Lin

I was lucky enough to recieve and email back from Alex Lin quite quickly and he was very kind enough to answer my questions :

Hi Michele,

I'd be delighted to answer your questions.

What made you initially passionate about design?

I took an elective in graphic design during my first year in college at the university of the arts. It was to design a John Coltrane album cover, I enjoyed it so much that I decided to change my major from illustration to graphic design. Creating something through hard work and thought keeps me passionate about design.

What designers influence you in your own work?

-Stephen Burks (http://www.readymadeprojects.com/) for his keen eye for what is modern and fresh

-Made Thought (http://www.madethought.com/) for their incredible attention to detail and exquisite taste

-OMA (http://oma.nl/) for their concept and program based architecture

What design book do you often look at, or is your favourite?

"Ogilvy on Advertising"

How many designers work at your agency?

just me with 1-2 interns or design assistants at times

Also. Living in England it is extremely hard to get a job in the design industry as there are a lot of students graduating from University who all want the same job. Is this the same in America?

YES! Many many talented graduates lacking in experience...

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you,

Michele McKee

I then replied back to Alex to see if it would be possible to meet for a portfolio viewing once we get to New York he replied to say this would be fine and to let him know nearer the time!

'It's up to you, New York, New York'

After finding out that this year all pathways will be heading to New York for their annual design trip, I decided that their was no time like the present to get researching into some New York design agencies.

One agency that appealed to me was Studio Lin which is the graphic design practice of Alex Lin.

I decided to email Studio Lin to ask some questions about the industry and to give me some advice.

Dear Alex,

My name Is Michele McKee. I am currently going into my final year of University studying Graphic Design in my home town of Stockport in England.

I came across your website when I was browsing through Form Fifty Five's blog. My main attraction towards your agency was the ability to be thoughtful towards the design process, I really liked the attention to detail especially in the work for Artecnica (2007 - 2009) print campaign. I am very interested in the typography aspect of design and found that this piece of design was my favourite as the contrasting typefaces played with one colour worked really well.

I know as a design agency you must be extremely busy but I wondered if you could spare five minutes of your time to answer some questions. It would be very helpful and much appreciated.

What made you initially passionate about design?

What designers influence you in your own work?

What design book do you often look at, or is your favourite?

How many designers work at your agency?

Also. Living in England it is extremely hard to get a job in the design industry as there are a lot of students graduating from University who all want the same job. Is this the same in America?

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you,

Michele McKee

A to M Reply

Maybe I should check my emails more regularly as yesterday Mike Fallows from A to M emailed me back. He apologised for not not replying back sooner as he as been super busy and that he is away for the next few weeks so at the moment it is difficult for us to arrange a portfolio visit. However if  I am still interested he could see me at the beginning of June I should just get in touch with him nearer the time.

Email recieved from Mike :

Telegramme and A to M

After not hearing back from Telegramme or A to M I decided to re - email them... however knowing how busy they must be I know a reply may be doubtful.

Telegramme

Today I emailed Christopher from Telegramme to ask for some advice on portfolios and what the design industry is like. As Telegramme is a London based agency I will see if it's possible for me to take down my portfolio to show them whilst I am also visiting Fold 7.

Email to Christopher: 

A to M

Today I emailed Mike Fallows from A to M to see if it would be possible to arrange a portfolio viewing of my work. Fingers crossed he replies!

Email sent to mike :

Craig Oldham re:

After the lecture last week I decided to re email Craig to thank him for coming in and talking to us all. I also asked if it was possible for me to go and see him with my work or to send him some of my work. He replied to say it was lovely to hear from me and if I could send him some of my work he would be more than happy to give me some advice. 

Dinosaur and Fold 7

Today I emailed Emily Dewar from Dinosaur to ask some questions about the design industry. As I particularly liked their work I hope to hear back from them. Email is attached below:

Today I also spoke to David Balko from Fold 7 again and I am arranging a trip down to London in the summer holidays to show him my portfolio. He replied so quickly to me and I am really looking forward to going down to London and meeting with him.

Attached below is my email do David.

 

My reply:

Re: Fold 7

After sending another email to David Balko at Fold7 I finally heard back from him today. As I really liked the work that Fold7  produced I would really like to try and get down to London in the holidays and show them my portfolio, as David gave me his telephone number I will definately be getting in touch.

Attached below is the email I received.

Johnson banks and Fold 7

Today i emailed Johnson Banks and re emailed fold 7 after not hearing back from them.

The emails I sent are attached below.

Email to Johnson Banks

Follow up email to David Balko at Fold7

Re: Craig Oldham reply

So.... Craig Oldham replied to my email today. It was nice to know that he managed to find time as a busy designer to sit down and make time to answer my questions. I found his answers really useful and he answered them honestly and in detail. Craig also told me that he will be attending College in March to give a lecture so i look forward to seeing more of his work.

I have attached his emails into my blog.... couldn't find the best way to attach the whole email as it was quite long so its in different sections... if anyone has any idea on how I can do it please let me know!!

     

     

Re: Craig Oldham

Whilst working hard in Uni today on my day off with Laura, working on our logo live brief. I got very excited when i checked my emails and had a reply off Craig Oldham!

However, Craig was replying to me to let me know that he is quite bogged down with work at the moment and therefore i will have to bear with him a few days until he can answer my questions!