Paul Malone tells NIJobs.com about his role as director of Paperjam Design.
What’s your job?
I am the Director of Paperjam Design, a creative design studio that has been based at the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast for over ten years.
How did you get there?
I’ve been working in the graphic design industry for over 20 years, since my first job working for a local Newspaper, the North Down Advertiser in 1989. I’ve worked with a wide range of organisations both locally and internationally including roles as Senior Designer for Dutch Company Vister Van Pennings and Senior Designer for Time Out Magazine in Amsterdam and Prague in 1992. When I returned to Northern Ireland, I began working as Senior Designer for Optech in 1996. During this time, I also began to lecture in design in Armagh College. In total, I lectured at the college for over 6 years. While lecturing, I changed jobs and began working for BiteME Productions as a freelance designer and after 2 years of working for BiteMe I decided it was time to set up a company of my own; in 2003, I started Paperjam Design.
Do you have a typical working day?
Everyday is different. I like to keep a very hands-on approach in the Paperjam office so my day is usually quite varied. On any typical day I could be doing any number of things like art directing photo shoots or video shoots, meeting with clients, arranging print or packaging orders, brainstorming with my team to generate names or working with our head of creative, Andy Henry, to create not only cutting edge design, but design that will bring revenue to our clients.
What qualifications do you have?
I have always loved art and have been intrigued that something visual can evoke feelings and reactions in other people. I learnt as a designer you could not only bring your work to a very large audience but you could also measure the success of your work. This made me study art at school and after my A Levels I went on to art college to study design. I left in my 3rd year without finishing as I was offered a great job working for a newspaper, which taught me to work to tight deadlines as nothing can stop newspapers going to press. The rest of my learning has been either been picked up on the job or from reading, as I believe you should never stop developing in my industry.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Creating new and exciting design for our clients and seeing the emotions it can evoke when we present it. I like to ensure the design leaving the studio is to a very high quality standard, which is proven by the high calibre client list Paperjam have gained over the past ten years – with clients like The Merchant Hotel, The K-Club, The Bishop of London and Somerville & Oxford University. I think our latest count of business we have helped is nearing 100 companies, most of which we are still in contact with. I also really enjoy seeing our work out in the real world, whether it’s new packaging sitting on the shelves of a supermarket or a building wrap that has just been put up – It’s very satisfying to walk past something and think ‘Paperjam designed that’.
And the worst?
The worst thing about working in this industry would be creating great design work, based on a wealth of market research and industry knowledge that doesn’t get fully accepted by the client.
What other skills do you need in your role?
Motivation, good time management and the ability to meet tight deadlines; a strong knowledge of business management and most of all, you need creativity. Coming up with original ideas on a daily basis can be hard and unless you have a natural ability to think creativity, this might not the industry for you. My role as director also requires me to have good management skills. On a daily business I will have to manage staff, manage clients, manage finances, manage the day-to-day operations and the strategic plans for the company’s future.
What do you think are the greatest challenges/pressures of the job?
One of the biggest pressures is organising your time and creating totally original and highly creative ideas within that tight deadlines. I have to ensure every job coming into the office is completed on time and matches my exacting standards before it leaves. As my job is so varied I have to be very organized, keeping a very precise calendar, which gets filled very quickly with dates of meetings, presentations, events and project deadlines.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in your profession?
I would advise anyone entering the graphic design industry to get as much studio experience as they can. Working on real jobs, quickly coming up with original ideas and working to real deadlines will help give you a realistic perspective of the pressures a designer is faced with on a daily basis.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
Depends on how far you go back. My first vague memory was that I wanted to be a dog… they seemed to have a good life; going on walks, someone feeding them and then sleeping the rest of the time. Once I realised this wouldn’t happen, it was a spaceman for a long time (still have my fingers crossed for this) then an artist, but when I realised just how few fine artists actually make a living from art, I decided to become a designer.
What’s the most common thing people say when they find out what you do?
Most people think I just create pretty logos and they usually say my uncle, nephew, cousin has a Mac too and can do that. I still have difficulty describing everything I can offer as a designer – from the psychology of naming a company, to combining the personality of type and colours, to creating a memorable piece of advertising copy or recommending the tactile feel of a paper stock to use on marketing materials.
What do you look for on a CV?
I would rather see a portfolio of really good design work that is presented in an interesting and exciting way. You can tell a lot about a person from how they present their work. CV’s don’t really work in a visual industry; all we’re interested in seeing, is really high quality, creative design – regardless of education.
When you interview someone, what qualities are you looking for?
I’m looking for someone who has personality, is self motivated, passionate about design and most of all someone who can think creativity, is dynamic and can work as part of a team.
Do you have a killer interview question and if so what is it?
None. I think during an interview you can get the measure of the individual and see if they would fit in and gel with the rest of the team.
How do you like to relax outside work?
Outside work I really enjoy gardening. At the moment I’m creating some raised beds to plant some fruit and veg – I’m trying to become completely self sufficient in vegetables. My girlfriend, Orla, and I also keep bees. So I’m often out checking up on them, making sure they have enough food and that each hive is healthy and happy. I am yet to harvest any substantial amount of honey, but in the meantime, they can help my veg and orchard. And of course I’m often out walking my Great Dane, Gus … who regularly gets a visit to the office if he’s behaving himself – clients always love to see him!
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