PPP3: Chat with Nathan Clark

I recently got in contact with Nathan who works at the Delete Agency, I wanted to know more about what it is like working within a larger team for clients. I am certainly interested in this sort of career path, whilst sustaining freelance briefs on the side.

I will be unable to join a studio or development team next year, due to my full time job as a the Student's Union President, however it is important to prepare myself now as I embark on the world of post-grad.

My questions were as follows:

Firstly, could you describe what led you to your current profession? 

What are your main duties at the agency?

When a brief comes in, how is work allocated between the team?

When hiring new team members, what do you like to see in a portfolio?

I'm more than happy to answer a few questions for you. I've also passed on the email to my team lead Kev; he's the creative director here at Delete Leeds. Hopefully he'll get you some info too. 

So here goes:

1) My background was a bit all over the shop when I first started out. I worked in a Pharmacy and was a support teacher in the design classes. 

Design has always been a passion but I wanted the challenge more than anything else. I found that there was a greater range of projects in the design sector covering all sorts of different subjects. The other office jobs I had at the time just seemed more mundane and repetitive which pushed me even more. Being a creative allows you to do something and learn as you go with each project. Briefs change and you evolve your practice, particularly in digital design, to fit around them.  

2) I'm currently a Junior Designer but will be pushed up to a Digital Designer position in the next month. 

I'm involved with projects in a variety of different ways. I generally start my work once the brief has been signed off and digested my the Creative Director; he dictates who will get the job in our team. 

From here I liaise with our client partner team and the client, getting involved with kickoff meetings to get focus on the clients expectations. Then it's a case of digesting their comments and beginning design work which is presented in waves of moodboards, presentations, design wireframes/scamps and then actual design work.  

I also get involved with a lot of our new business credential presentations and internal design projects. 

I can often be found jumping between the Leeds and London studio for client meetings too. 

3) This depends on a range of factors, primarily its down to deadlines and skillsets. If the deadline is tight then it goes to someone with a decent amount of experience such as a senior to get it out in time to the best standard. 

 

Although as a general approach a senior designer/creative director oversees the project but the bulk of the design work goes to a Junior/Middleweight designer. Communication is key throughout as it always helps to have a second pair of eyes to pull out any issues that may have gone unnoticed.

4) Portfolios should only show the best work. Don't feel like you have to put everything in there. A crafted project with background research and development details is a lot more enticing as it shows us your thinking. 

- Excerpts from long considered projects are generally impressive... balanced with quicker responses that turned out well

This also makes it easier to talk about during interviews - so prepare yourself for questions! 

It's a sad truth that most agencies have very little time to look through portfolios due to the vast amounts of deadlines, so wow us with the best stuff. On a similar note if you're confident do something unique with your portfolio. It doesn't matter if it's digital or physical, something different from the norm will always get attention. 

- Agencies and development teams are busy, and have their own long list of worries and deadlines, so brevity is indeed the soul of wit. Come prepared, don't waste their time (or your own).

As we're a digital agency, Delete will look for digital projects first. So if possible cater to your audience with your portfolio. 

- This supports the advice I have received from others that I have asked

But if anything be proud of your portfolio! Make it your own little project and spend some time crafting it. I still go back and update mine because it's my own little showcase of achievements.