Jess joined GuyKat in 2021 as an eLearning Design Intern, before taking on a permanent role as one of our Junior eLearning Designers. Today she shares what her experience at GuyKat has been like so far.
What is your role at GuyKat and how long have you been working here?
I am a Junior eLearning Designer, and I’ve been working at GuyKat for 8 months.
What does your job as a Junior eLearning Designer entail?
My day-to-day work involves taking eLearning content provided by the client and turning it into bespoke eLearning content. The roles at GuyKat are quite flexible in that we can be involved in many different parts of that process, and personally, I enjoy getting stuck into as many different parts of that process as I can. This means on a day-to-day basis, I could be designing content on design software Articulate, storyboarding raw content, creating concept art, working on graphics and visuals for a client, or working on translated versions of modules.
How did you begin your journey as a Junior eLearning Designer?
I began as an eLearning Design Intern for 3 months before taking on a permanent role as one of GuyKat’s Junior eLearning Designers.
What were you doing before joining GuyKat?
I have been on a bit of a journey in terms of discovering what I wanted to do with my career. Before joining GuyKat I worked on an acute mental health hospital ward and as a freelance artist.
What made you decide to apply to GuyKat in the first place?
After a few years of working in mental health, I found I was missing being creative in my day-to-day work. I then enrolled for a Master’s in Illustration and Animation and worked as a freelance artist before realising that I wanted to both learn and design simultaneously. When I saw the job listing for an internship at GuyKat, I knew instantly that it was the job I had been searching for. It appeared to me to be a fantastic mesh of being creative and learning at the same time, and I was not wrong!
How did you find the interview process?
Prior to the interview with GuyKat, I had had many awful interviews with other companies one after the other, so believe me when I say that the interview process with GuyKat was smooth and, dare I say, enjoyable! They were very professional but personable, and they made me feel incredibly comfortable throughout the whole process. At the end of my interview, I remember asking “What do YOU enjoy about your jobs?” and their answers convinced me that this company was one that I wanted to be a part of.
What do you like the most about your job?
I like the variety of my role. I get to work on many different subject matters in many different industries with very different branding guidelines. I can play to my strengths but am also encouraged to develop my skills and choose the kind of job that I would like to have. I can experience the various parts of the business and if, say, I’d like to get better at storyboarding, I can. If I want to learn more about UX/UI design, I can. There are so many different paths you can carve for yourself, and that’s what I like the most.
What’s the most exciting project you’re working on right now?
I’m working on a couple of exciting projects at the moment, but the most exciting project recently has been for a skincare brand. I enjoy their branding and the content has been incredibly interesting to work on and the scope of the project has allowed us to push the boundaries of what we thought we could achieve.
Did you have any concerns about joining GuyKat?
I didn’t have any concerns about joining GuyKat specifically but I was anxious to be making a huge career change. It turns out that joining GuyKat has been the best decision I have ever made for myself, and if I could go back and change one thing about my past, I would have made that decision sooner!
How have you grown since being at GuyKat?
I have grown both personally and professionally since joining GuyKat. Besides the fact that I have learned software packages and become more confident with the software knowledge I already did have, I have grown so much personally. Everyone I work with is so incredibly supportive, encouraging, and knowledgeable. It is impossible to feel small and unworthy when they make you feel so comfortable and supported in your role.
What makes GuyKat unique?
The people are what makes GuyKat unique. I have worked in many unsupportive workplaces with colleagues that just wanted to climb the career ladder, without taking anyone’s feelings into consideration. It is not like that at GuyKat. My colleagues are not trying to climb the ladder by climbing on top of me, and I’m not trying to climb on top of them. If GuyKat were the Lion King, Mufasa and Scar would rule side by side and the Hyenas would not be outcasts.
What has your experience been with GuyKat company culture?
There’s a simple test about trust in the workplace where you ask yourself: “Would I have two beers with this person?” and “Would I allow this person to look after my puppy over a weekend?” I can neither confirm nor deny that many drinks have been had after work, but I can say that I would trust any of my colleagues with looking after my dog over a weekend (she’s a handful, so that’s saying a LOT).
What kind of support do you receive from the team?
My team is incredibly supportive and helpful. If I have any issues, there are many people I can ask for help, and everyone is always so full of knowledge and willing to help you with anything.
How did you find the onboarding process?
My first week at GuyKat was the best first week I have ever had. As soon as I was halfway through my first day, I knew I’d made the right decision to join GuyKat. Everything from how GuyKat came to be, how the business works, to how to use the various software we need to know was covered in that process.
Any advice on those interested in pursuing a career at GuyKat?
Apply. That’s my advice. Apply and be willing to take a lead role in your own career development. Everyone that you’ll work with wants you to succeed – you just have to work out where you want to be, and we’ll help you get there.
