The biggest difficulty I guess was believing in myself. University is a tough time as you constantly battle with your own insecurities. You leave and then you need to find work! It’s hard. But the hardest thing is the constant disappointment or being told “you are very good but not quite what we are looking for”.  You have to stick at it and keep believing in yourself. The next difficulty I guess is the software and technical side of things. When I graduated we only had about 1 hour a week on a computer. How are designers supposed to get jobs as juniors with so little experience on a mac?

Well if they don’t want a job I guess they better not ask! The thing they need to do is not show initiative or be proactive. They definitely need to make sure to email everyone with sir or madam in the title and they should probably not be on Twitter and Instagram...

I wish I knew that it wouldn’t matter if I lost my job or if my work wasn’t selected by the client. I used to worry about that all the time. But here I am still making a living out of design. I guess I’d have enjoyed the ride a bit more. I spent the first few years worrying that I would be working in a call centre or supermarket or something when it all crashed down around me.

I try to make sure I don’t work as many hours these days. I spent the last few years almost killing myself to get work out and what for? I think it’s important to treat work as work. Yes, it’s a good job and we all enjoy it. But being outdoors, meeting people, taking breaks, having fun. These are all as important as sitting behind a computer for 24 hours a day learning a new programme. I hate how people feel being that dedicated makes them a good designer. I like people to have other passions as well as design. I play Sunday league football in Manchester. If I told some of the people I play against that I spent last week searching for the perfect typeface with just the right line thickness they’d hit me! It’s that contrast of interests I like and helps me to be creative.

I love books and always have. I collect loads and I think there will always be a place for them. Problem Solved  by Michael Johnson opened my eyes as did A Smile in the Mind. I also loved Tellmewhy  by Karlsson Wilker for their honesty. My first ever design book was Ray Gun’s Out of Control. Classic.