The 1st of July 2019 marked the first day of a new summer month, but it also signified the start of a new chapter in my professional career. After an early rise that Monday morning, I headed up the M56 to start my first day at Ultimate Creative, filled with excitement and nerves in equal measure. As the company’s newest design recruit, I was eager to impress, to meet and get to know the team I’d be working with, to test myself and be creative.
What initially appealed to me about Ultimate was their client variety as well as their attention to detail and creative flair. Three months on, I’ve loved working in a creative environment that has such an abundance of energy and excitement. One thing that has stood out in particular is the teamwork; everyone is always willing to go above and beyond to help each other out. I’ve also had the pleasure of being better acquainted with a host of their biggest clients including British Engineering, Chester Zoo, Ilford and Eggplant.
On that very first Monday, I attended a brand workshop; a totally new experience for me as a designer. It was fantastic to see the great level of detail and care that goes into helping a company understand their brand values, and to see the Ultimate team produce a creative design approach that suited the client's needs.
A few days in, I completed a detailed survey asking me an array of questions, all designed to establish what I’m like as a person. It evaluated my strengths and weaknesses, the type of people I’m compatible with and, most importantly, how I work best. The results of the survey were, in my mind, particularly accurate and reaffirmed the working style and personality traits that I see in myself.
Having worked in a rather corporate setting in my early design career, I particularly enjoyed one of my first tasks: create a set of brand guidelines. I was used to being provided with guidelines, but here I was creating them myself; an exciting and rewarding prospect. Along with advice and guidance I received from the team, I'm now confident I know the exact details that a set of guidelines need to help stand strong amongst competitors. The whole process has made me a more well-rounded designer.
More recently, I’ve had the pleasure of working on my first big branding project pitch, to a highly established and recognised recruitment company. I was heavily involved in the whole process, from mood boarding to idea generation, to turning the design into high-impact visuals. I then collated all the work into a pitch that I presented directly to the client. The nerves were definitely high that day, but it was a brilliant experience and I cannot wait to get a few more under my belt.
In the last three months, I’ve become much better acquainted with the other ‘Ultimates’. I’ve been along to a handful of pub sessions, a creative breakfast and a design talk in Manchester, all of which have made me feel closer to the team and more part the Ultimate family. They’ve been a friendly and welcoming bunch, and I’m really excited to see where my future at Ultimate will take me. I take great pride in the fact that I'm part of the company at this stage of my career. I look forward to the projects I’m yet to work on, the new skills I’m yet to learn. New clients are coming thick and fast and the Ultimate team is continually growing; I hope my skill set and enjoyment for the job continue to grow in the same way.
