This was by far the most successful event to date, and I was so happy afterwards! Felt like I was actually getting somewhere, and my hard work is paying of.
Me and Sarah went, and at first we were really nervous and felt awkward as everyone was talking to each other and we didn't know anybody. However, we soon found Matt, who we met at Forefront and went to LCA. We got talking to him, and he introduced us to his workfriends. He also encouraged us to mingle.
We then spotted someone else who went to LCA called Luke, and started speaking to him. He was giving us some really good advice, and made us feel really positive about graduating and getting a job. He then introduced us to the creative director of his company - twentysix digital!! This is a company I had stalked prior to going to any of these events and really wanted to talk to someone from there as I liked the look of their company. So I got talking to him and a senior designer and that was really interesting. I gave Luke my card and he said he'd look at my work, and also said that they are looking for placement people and to ask the creative director for one. But I felt a bit too nervous for this just yet. He then introduced me to another guy, who recruits digital people for digital agencies. He told me he worked for Orchard - this clicked in my head, as I remember these are who sponsored Hey!Stacs free bar, so I started talking about that, and we got on really well actually. I asked for his card. We got talking to a few more people, and then one of the guys who offered Matt a job last week came in and said he recognised me. I said I was at Forefront and that I remembered him and where he worked and got talking about that. I had done a little stalk of his companies website after last week, so I had a lot to say to him about that and his company. He gave us some really good advice, and said that he is more likely to hire someone who comes to these events cause it shows enthusiasm over someone who doesn't, and that he doesn't care about what degree you have as long as your portfolio is strong. He also said that it is more valuable to be a brilliant designer than a coder as these are harder to come by, and get paid more. I didn't expect this, but that is encouraging too.
Overall, I loved this event and I can't wait to go to more now!! This is held once every two months.
Then, the next morning I got an email from Luke saying that he thought my work was strong and could give me some feedback if I wanted, and also sent my Behance to the creative director!! This isn't something I wasn't expecting and was so happy. I replied saying I would be grateful for any feedback, it was great to meet him and the creative director and thanks for the advice.
Monday 10 February 2014
OUGD502 - Networking: Forefront
This event was the week after Hey!Stac and I knew that some of the same people was going to be here that was there so I knew I would have a couple of people to talk to.
The talks themselves were really interesting, but aimed at front end developers so I didn't have much of a clue what they were talking about. Made me want to learn more about the topics though.
I think I was more comfortable at this one even though I didn't know anything about the talks and I think me and Sarah were the only students there.
Between talks I met a new person who actually went to LCA, so we had a lot to talk about, and he told me about where he works as a developer which sounded AMAZING. It was really encouraging to hear he got a job after three months of graduating, and only started learning how to code in 3rd year. Especially after he told me the perks of his job, which sounded really cool. He said he was going to be at the next DigitaLeeds so at least if I go there that is another person to talk to. He also got offered a job by two people from another company in Leeds based on his enthusiasm in the debate after one of the talks, which was so surreal. This made me really excited about going to these events and getting myself out there, because my hard work and dedication could get noticed, and is the kind of things employers value which I thought was amazing. I also introduced myself to the men who offered the job.
I also saw someone who was at Hey!Stac so got another chance to speak to him about the talks and I thought this was valuable because I know I am starting to build a base of contacts who have really interesting things to say.
I then got talking to another guy who is a developer just outside of Leeds, and he started following me on Twitter that night and tweeted me saying it was nice to meet me. I gave him my card too.
I also spoke to Russell again, who was the final speaker at Hey!Stac, and ran Forefront, so this is another contact I have started to make. I feel like if I get more comfortable with people and get to know them better, I will feel more at ease asking about placements.
Overall, this was a great event and I met more people this time and gave out 3 cards which is better than the last event! I can't wait for DigitaLeeds now.
The talks themselves were really interesting, but aimed at front end developers so I didn't have much of a clue what they were talking about. Made me want to learn more about the topics though.
I think I was more comfortable at this one even though I didn't know anything about the talks and I think me and Sarah were the only students there.
Between talks I met a new person who actually went to LCA, so we had a lot to talk about, and he told me about where he works as a developer which sounded AMAZING. It was really encouraging to hear he got a job after three months of graduating, and only started learning how to code in 3rd year. Especially after he told me the perks of his job, which sounded really cool. He said he was going to be at the next DigitaLeeds so at least if I go there that is another person to talk to. He also got offered a job by two people from another company in Leeds based on his enthusiasm in the debate after one of the talks, which was so surreal. This made me really excited about going to these events and getting myself out there, because my hard work and dedication could get noticed, and is the kind of things employers value which I thought was amazing. I also introduced myself to the men who offered the job.
I also saw someone who was at Hey!Stac so got another chance to speak to him about the talks and I thought this was valuable because I know I am starting to build a base of contacts who have really interesting things to say.
I then got talking to another guy who is a developer just outside of Leeds, and he started following me on Twitter that night and tweeted me saying it was nice to meet me. I gave him my card too.
I also spoke to Russell again, who was the final speaker at Hey!Stac, and ran Forefront, so this is another contact I have started to make. I feel like if I get more comfortable with people and get to know them better, I will feel more at ease asking about placements.
Overall, this was a great event and I met more people this time and gave out 3 cards which is better than the last event! I can't wait for DigitaLeeds now.
OUGD502 - Networking: Hey!Stac
This was the first event that I went to, and I was really excited/nervous about the prospect. I took cards that I prepared, and planned to speak to people after the talks.
The talks were really interesting, and there was a big turn out of people. After the talk, I went up to the last speaker and spoke to him about his talk (about kicking the Photoshop habit in web design) and actually found it really easy. He had some good advice, and I think that I managed to make some good points. He then followed me on Twitter on his agency account which is good because he knows who I am now. In future events I might ask him about a placement, but I know there is only two people who work at his agency so I don't know if this will be possible.
One of the guys who ran the event then came up and spoke to me, and we got talking which was good and I told him a bit about me and why I was there. I also gave him my business card.
I then spoke to the first speaker of the event, and that was really good speaking to him as he worked at Mixd and was part of the Work In The Web event. I told him I was gutted I couldn't go and he gave me some good advice. He said it was good to come to these events early and he got his job through these events. He also told me about DigitaLeeds which is where developers and designers meet up at a pub where there isn't actually a talk, it's just for networking.
After the event I followed a couple people on Twitter, and did a couple of tweets about the event.
The talks were really interesting, and there was a big turn out of people. After the talk, I went up to the last speaker and spoke to him about his talk (about kicking the Photoshop habit in web design) and actually found it really easy. He had some good advice, and I think that I managed to make some good points. He then followed me on Twitter on his agency account which is good because he knows who I am now. In future events I might ask him about a placement, but I know there is only two people who work at his agency so I don't know if this will be possible.
One of the guys who ran the event then came up and spoke to me, and we got talking which was good and I told him a bit about me and why I was there. I also gave him my business card.
I then spoke to the first speaker of the event, and that was really good speaking to him as he worked at Mixd and was part of the Work In The Web event. I told him I was gutted I couldn't go and he gave me some good advice. He said it was good to come to these events early and he got his job through these events. He also told me about DigitaLeeds which is where developers and designers meet up at a pub where there isn't actually a talk, it's just for networking.
After the event I followed a couple people on Twitter, and did a couple of tweets about the event.
Overall, I was very pleased about the event. Although I only gave out one card, it was a big step for me talking to people as I get really nervous about that, but it actually turned out to be really easy. I think what made it easier was that the speakers themselves were nervous, and they were all dressed really casually and made me feel more comfortable and remember that they are just human as well.
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