Jo Gold
Graduated – 2005
Profile
After graduation Jo started her career at Ziggurat Brands as a Junior Designer. She has a passion for the world of packaging design and has worked on several major brands like Tropicana, Walkers and Britvic. After four years at Ziggurat she moved to global brand packaging specialist Blue Marlin before settling in her current position as Senior Designer at Coley Porter Bell, London.
The Disciples of Design Q&A
How and where did you secure your first job?
I went travelling to Australia for three months after graduating and I was worried that when I came back all the decent jobs would of been taken. I sent my CV to a dozen London agencies and was offered a placement at Ziggurat as a trial run before being offered a full time position.
Do you think being a Preston student has benefited you in any way?
Definitely. For me, the sandwich placement was so worthwhile. It gave me a valuable insight into the industry and it provided me with knowledge and motivation for my final year.
How has the industry changed over the years in your experience?
Deadlines are much tighter now so we have to work much faster and smarter.
Where do you get your ideas from? Do you prefer collaboration or thinking alone?
The best inspiration is to get out and see things, in museums, supermarkets, book shops. I think collaboration is really important to be able to bounce ideas off people.
What would you have done differently at University knowing what you know now?
I would have considered the relevance of my final project more, it really shapes your final year and helps determine what you want to do in your career.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Seeing my work on the supermarket shelves, it still makes me get excited to say “I did that!”
What would you say has been the key to your success so far?
Working hard and absorbing knowledge from the people around me.
What is the most unusual thing you have done in your career?
We went on some fantastic photo shoots for the Lumi paper brochures. The most unusual was being chased into a corner by an angry pig whilst trying to make her pose for a photograph!
What do you look for in graduates and their portfolios?
Great ideas and a passion for what they have done.
Any advice for students entering the industry during the recession?
Do your best to impress and stand out from the crowd. There is so much competition out there and it’s so important to make yourself memorable.
Portfolio
Packaging - Sainsbury's
