This is the eighth in a series of guest blogs from members, this time from The Unit. I’ve been asking member employees how they got into & why they love their jobs, so they can share their wisdom & inspire you.
Louise - Project Manager:
How did you get into project management?
After graduating from Reading University with a degree in English, I travelled for a while and came back to the UK at the end of 2008 – right as the recession took hold. I worked four 12-hour days per week running a pub in Suffolk and used the other three to do an internship at a small book publisher in London. There I trained as a proofreader, which lead to a full-time job in QA and production at a press agency on Fleet Street. I gradually started to run more and more projects, mainly involving newspaper websites. After moving to Brighton, I became a Digital Producer at Cogapp and have been a Project Manager at The Unit since November 2015.
Tell us about the projects you have worked on that you’re most proud of and why?
My most recent project has been our own new website theunit.co.uk, which I’m really pleased with. It certainly had its own challenges when balancing it with multiple client projects! I’ve been fortunate to work with a wide range of sectors, from charities and museums in previous roles, to travel and financial services here at The Unit.
What are your three favourite things about your job?
The people, the problem solving and the continuous learning that comes from both.
What advice would you give to younger self, knowing what you know now, about your career path?
I would reassure them that doing a degree subject that you love (rather than a vocational one) is a risk worth taking, as it can lead you in so many directions. Stay in touch with people, say yes to every opportunity (and work out how to actually do it later) and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Jozef Maxted - Developer
How did you get into programming?
Myspace first introduced me to HTML, and it was a slippery slope from there. From then on, I have always been interested in websites, and before finishing secondary school I started freelance work creating Wordpress sites, and eventually studied computer science at university.
Tell us about the projects you have worked on that you’re most proud of and why?
One of my favourite projects was creating a system to automate the callout of workmen when something goes wrong at home. This involved used internet connected sensors to detect problems like leaks, fires and intrusions, automatically informing the home owner via text or phone call, and finally sending out a service such as a plumber to resolve the situation. All automatically.
This was an interesting project, as it required many separate services working simultaneously to reach full automation. It was exciting to watch the project come together, and once it eventually worked, it was like magic.
What are your favourite things about your Job?
As a developer there is always something new to learn. That's what makes development great. Whether it's a new framework, or an entirely new medium such as chat bots, every day is exciting. This also means it's a constant battle to keep up with the latest and greatest, but the challenge is fun!
What advice would you give to younger self, knowing what you know now, about your career path?
Practice and read. We're so lucky, I struggle to think of another occupation where so much info available online for free. You can learn almost everything you need reading articles and tutorials.
Reading is great, but put what you have learnt into practice. Build real projects using your skills, and before you know it, things will become second nature.
Vicky - Designer:
How did you get into design work?
I studied Graphic Communication at Loughborough University. In my last year I focused on digital design, designing websites and a relationship app for my final project. After university I was offered an internship and then a freelance job with an app start-up in Brighton. After six months with them I was then offered a job as a Designer at The Unit.
Tell us about the projects you have worked on that you’re most proud of and why?
At the end of last year, I worked on an exciting new travel website. The biggest project I have worked on to date, it was so fulfilling and refreshing to work for the leisure industry. It did come with its challenges, especially looking at the user experience. Working through these challenges closely with our UX designers and the client and seeing it evolve really made it satisfying. I can’t wait till it is launched.
What are your favourite things about your Job?
I love seeing the progression of a project, seeing my work being brought to life by the developers and then launching it and seeing the impact it has on users. The people I work with are great and I feel very lucky being able to do what I do for a living. It’s a very exciting industry to work in.
What advice would you give to younger self, knowing what you know now, about your career path?
It’s a continuous journey of learning. I’m constantly learning something new every week and I think this goes with the industry we are in. It’s just having the confidence to just go for it. I would tell my younger self to trust my gut instinct more.
Some great advice & insights, thanks guys!
The Unit is a digital agency designing delightful customer experiences.
They help their clients hit the ground running with customer experience transformation, helping to define who customers are, any interaction touch-points, mapping journeys and identifying moments of truth. They then use quantitative and qualitative research techniques to inform and then validate design hypothesis across multiple channels.
For more information, visit www.theunit.co.uk
I’ve been running a series of Love Your Job Guest Blogs in 2016 by members. Take a peek:
- Programing/Developers: Crunchboards
- Marketing: Rakuten Attribution
- App Developers: Ocasta Studios
- Animation: BigMan Cgi
- Computer Hardware & Software Development: 7thSense Design
- Machine Learning: 15gifts
- Communications Agency: Pegasus Ltd
I’ve got a full schedule of Love Your Job blogs for the next 12 months – so watch this space for more inspiration! If there is a specific area of work you’d like to hear about then let me know kelly@wiredsussex.com.
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