Navigation trail

• Creative developer: Steve

Creative developer: Steve

This Case Study belongs to Multimedia programmer.

I work as a creative developer for a relatively new, small, digital advertising agency in London. The heads of the company talk to potential clients about what campaign will suit their product, and then the three graphic designers and I create it. The campaigns are all in new media, so, for example, we do banners and websites for new products. We have some big international clients, especially for such a small organisation.

I haven't worked in London that long; after university I worked for a medical company as a developer for a year, then moved to Sheffield to work for an events company, helping create an events management system. After that I freelanced for a few months, and during this time, a former colleague got in touch about joining him at Saatchi & Saatchi in London. I went to see them on his recommendation and they offered me the job the same day. It was a great opportunity and they were a wonderful company to work for in many ways, but working for a smaller company now gives me much more control over what I can do.

I occasionally freelance for friends, but don't have much spare time - I work long hours in order to establish myself in London, and the extra work isn't really worth it. You are known to do crazy hours just to get things built. In my job you are expected to do overtime, but you don't get paid extra for it. It's deadline driven, and the deadlines are not always reasonable because the market is so competitive. Often the job is changed half way through but you still have to get it built in the original timeframe.

Problem-solving is one of the best things about the job. I think that drives most people - if you have the skill to give people what they want, it's extremely satisfying. The designer gives it emotion, the programmer makes it work, and there's a great sense of closure when a job is completed.

I've never looked for a job. I've always been approached, one way or another. Someone I was working with at Saatchi recommended me to my current company, and they didn't even look at my CV. It was a massive risk to leave such an established place, but it was a good move and I felt that this company were more in line with what I wanted to be doing. I've got more control and can guide and help the company move forward, which I couldn't do in my old company. In a room full of ten people you can put forward ideas and they're encouraged and listened to.

I'd like to stay in London for the next couple of years and continue developing. If my company continues to grow I'd like to be able to start managing a team, and see people on the right path. There are a lot of startups around at the moment - it seems easy to get a friend who knows about design and one who's in marketing and start your own business, but so many don't succeed. It's something I'd consider down the line, but I don't really want the pressure of that now.

I've always been expected to just know new things and never been offered training. It's crucial that you don't stop learning in this job, even in your spare time. I've read over 30 books since I started out, to keep my knowledge up to date. University gives you structure and theory, but you have to learn the details yourself, especially when technology changes so quickly. I no longer use skills that I learnt three years ago, because everything changes so fast. It's important for enjoyment and employability - unless you keep up to date, you won't get work.

If you don't have the drive to do well and motivation to learn, you won't last. I like finding new ways of doing things. I'm not a designer but am technically proficient so if I see something new, I want to know how to create it. Together with a designer you can build whatever you want.

It's also important to keep your portfolio up to date. I think reputation is extremely important - if you get a good reputation you can get any job you want. You have to know what you're doing, and you have to be passionate about what you're doing in order to get noticed.

Case Study sourced by Lucy Burrows of London School of Economics and Political Science, 22 April 2008.