Amelia joined GuyKat’s Graduate Scheme in 2021 where she experienced different placements around all areas of the business. She has recently completed the scheme and is now working as a Learning Experience Designer (UI/UX). Today she reflects on her Graduate Trainee experience at GuyKat.
What is your role at GuyKat and how long have you been working here?
I joined GuyKat in 2021 and have just recently completed the Graduate Scheme. I now work as a Learning Experience Designer.
What did you do on the Graduate Scheme?
My time on the Graduate Scheme was spent rotating through all areas of the business, completing internal and external work. This ultimately provided me with a varied overview of the ins and outs of all areas of the business.
Whilst working in the content team, I helped design and produce custom eLearning content using software such as Articulate and the Adobe Suite. During my time on the platform side of the company, I supported clients in the configuration, design, coding, and troubleshooting of their LMS (Learning Management Systems). I also experienced other areas of the business such as business admin, PMO (Project Management Office), and marketing.
Every day on the Graduate Scheme was different, meaning one day I would be designing and coding a page for a client for my UX/UI rotation, and the next I would be creating a project visibility tracking system for my PMO rotation.
I’ve also had the opportunity to work on internal projects that benefit both our team and clients. For example, I worked with a selection of the team to champion user experience by finding new ways to enhance our accessibility practices within our work across the company.
Being able to work on so many high-value and varied projects has enabled me to extensively expand my technical skills in areas such as coding. Moreover, leading conversations on client calls and taking leading roles in projects has enabled my communication and confidence skills to flourish since joining GuyKat.
What made you want to apply to GuyKat’s Graduate Scheme?
I graduated from the University of Westminster in 2020 with a first-class honours degree in Digital Media and Communications. My course ignited my passion for technology and creativity and the ways in which these can be used simultaneously to make real-life impacts on society. Due to this passion, I took up freelance design during my time at university. Alongside this, I was headhunted to work as a Marketing and Design Assistant for a property company in central London.
With a natural inclination for creative roles, GuyKat’s Graduate Scheme ticked all of the boxes for the start of my new long-term career. I spent my evenings researching the company and working on my application to the best of my ability. Living 150 miles away from the GuyKat office, I was prepared to relocate for the role if my interview was a success. I knew this was a valuable opportunity not to be missed. I was told I got the job on the same week as my birthday and was thrilled to be joining the team!
What were you doing before joining GuyKat?
Following my graduation, I took a year break to move out of my flat in London and back in with my family in Ipswich. During this time, I worked as a dog daycare assistant to give myself a break following all of my academic work. Though it was lovely to work with dogs all day, I realised how intensely I missed working within a creative and technology-based role. I spent most evenings after work learning more about the UX/UI industry and improving my skillset with the anticipation of finding the perfect entry to my long-term career. Having the luxury of time on my hands, I was adamant to be very particular in finding the perfect role to apply for.
What made GuyKat stand out to you?
GuyKat aligned perfectly with my passions and I found it to be the ideal opportunity to make real-world impacts on a large scale. Having the opportunity to learn and grow in my role in a supportive environment whilst also bringing my own insights and knowledge seemed like a rewarding opportunity to accelerate my career in a field I love. The mention of UX/UI initially caught my eye alongside the prospects of working at an (at that time) fairly small company with no strict hierarchy that could prevent me from learning from other company departments.
How did you find the interview process?
The interview process was great! It was the perfect balance between being relaxed yet professional. The questions asked provided room to expand on my prior experience, personality, and personal future goals. Living out of the area, my interviews were held online. Seeing the company cater to this issue really helped to indicate the welcoming nature of everyone at GuyKat.
What do you like the most about your job?
I love that even from day one I have been given the opportunity to guide my own growth. Being trusted to work on high-level projects with well-known clients helped me to build my confidence a significant amount. The variety of work available to partake in at GuyKat means I have been given so many opportunities to build an abundance of new skills and approach creative design from new angles.
What’s the most exciting project you’re working on right now?
Working as a member of the UX/UI team, I am currently running monthly quality assurance testing on a client’s sign-up form in numerous languages to ensure the interface is consistent and the user experience is of significantly high quality. It’s highly rewarding to know that your work can improve many diverse users’ journeys.
Did you have any concerns about joining GuyKat?
Relocating to a new part of the UK was already a daunting prospect. I worried that once there, I would be inexperienced compared to others at the company.
How were these concerns diminished?
When I joined GuyKat, I realised how supportive each and every team member was. From day one I felt empowered to reach out for help and realised there was so much room for continuous growth and knowledge expansion.
How have you grown since being at GuyKat?
Before GuyKat, I was particularly anxious surrounding client calls. Over time, I slowly was able to ease myself into remedying this weakness. Team members encouraged me to shadow calls when I first started then over time I began to feel empowered and confident to speak independently.
What makes GuyKat unique?
GuyKat is unique in its approach to equal learning and professional growth. At most companies, you are required to be within a particular department in order to gain experience or exposure to that role. Within GuyKat however, everyone supports each other as a team in enabling unreserved knowledge sharing company-wide. Being able to guide your own growth and being trusted to work on such a diverse range of projects is highly valuable.
What has your experience been with GuyKat company culture?
The culture at GuyKat has been unlike any I have seen before. No matter what issue, question, request, or even just general chat I feel in need of, I can always reach out to any of the team no matter their job role. The buddy scheme has also enabled me to speak to colleagues I don’t often work with. When you first join the company, the rest of the team are encouraged to book in a short ‘Hello Chat’ to get to know each other, making you feel included from the moment you join the team.
What kind of support do you receive from the team?
No matter what support you are seeking (including inside and outside of work), the team is always there to help out or point you in the right direction. I find it really valuable that if I ever have any knowledge gaps or would like any reassurance in the way I am approaching a task, I can always reach out to colleagues.
How did you find the onboarding process?
One onboarding process that stood out to me was when I first joined the content team. A colleague had taken time to plan out my first few weeks in my new role. This involved setting me up with a project to create an eLearning module that we could review and discuss on scheduled calls. Other team members would also help answer any questions by setting up meetings to talk through their methodology, previous work, and set up mini-projects to practice what I had learned.
Any advice on those interested in pursuing a career at GuyKat?
Empower yourself to take a leap of faith outside of your comfort zone! The level of growth you can gain both professionally and as an individual if you make the most of the opportunities on offer is incredible. Whether you have a curiosity or a passionate interest in any particular area of the company, no doors to progression and knowledge are shut at GuyKat.
