| December 2006 |
| By Audrey Walker |
Six states, fourteen jobs, and two degree changes later, I finally found the perfect position. My day begins with a brief 10 minute drive to work through the suburban streets of Northville, Michigan, about a half hour outside of Detroit. I park right outside the front entrance, clock in, and take the short walk to the back of the building in which I have my own large office. These are just some of the many perks of working for a small company. I generally work an 8 to 5 day without overtime and weekends. I work in a laid back environment where I can listen to music while I toil on my new, decked out computer, and casual day is any day in which I won’t be meeting with clients.
I work for a 15 person, 14 year-old, full-service creative firm that focuses on exterior/interior sign installation, graphic design, logo development, tradeshow displays, and last but not least, web design and interactive media. I came to the firm exactly a year ago as a recent graduate from Michigan State University where I studied Digital Media and Studio Arts. I found the position by simply sending out a short e-mail detailing my experience and asking if they were in need of someone with my skill set. I was fortunate to find employment in the area, and excited that I could now apply the knowledge in which I received from my degree.
At the time, the web portion of my company was non-existent. The creative director had built a hand full of sites at the clients’ requests, but didn’t have time to concentrate on web development full-time; therefore it was perfect timing for me to join the team. It was a slow start and I didn’t know exactly when I would get my next project, but I used my free time to build up my skills and research new ones. I took an on-line course on search engine optimization and created new projects for myself. I rebuilt the company site; came up with an e-mail marketing campaign; re-grouped the client domain names and web hosting into a single outsourced account; and created an interactive holiday card, which won a national award, to be sent to our clients and friends. My hard work paid off, and I now am juggling around 10 to 15 projects at a time, and have developed the web/interactive portion of my company into a steady source of revenue. We have a great ranking on Google and other search engines, and have started to bring in business for all our departments from the website.
There are a lot of responsibilities that come with being the only member of the web and interactive team. Although my background is in game and user interface design, I have assumed many roles outside of that area. I am the designer, developer, programmer, project manager, IT person, content developer, and SEO consultant. At times it can be a little overwhelming, especially when I have a question or problem in which I do not know the answer to. I have to rely solely on forums, websites, books, and friends in the business to help me figure out the solutions. I have also created a Yahoo Group with over 110 area internet professionals as members to help as an extra resource when such situations arise, and I have built an extensive list of links to turn to when in need.
The rise of the internet/technology wave is definitely prevalent in the metro Detroit area, as many like companies pop-up every day, and existing ones continue to grow. As competition increases and projects are outsourced over seas, it remains extremely important to stay on top of the game, and continue to learn new skills. It is essential to do everything and anything the client desires, finishing projects before the deadline and going above and beyond their expectations. It is equally important to network with family, friends, and everyone you meet. Overall, I love my job and working for a small company. I have developed the vital skills of working independently, I work with amazing people, and I have established a place for myself at an agency that has proven itself in the community and business world.
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