Scrooges and thieves - Freelance Graphic Designer Red Ninja Employee Review

Despite not having much experience when I was first interviewed for the position at Red Ninja, they decided to take a chance on me and help me gain the knowledge and experience I would need to advance in my career path. Before I started I had been unemployed and my career prospects were very low, however I have now gained a broad wealth of skills I would not otherwise have had, as well as having become a lot more professional and mature in the process. Red Ninja have paid for me to obtain professional qualifications, which was a large expense that I was previously paying. They have also been very understanding of my mental health issues, which I have been very grateful for. I also received regular 1-1s and feedback to help me understand what my strengths and weaknesses were, and how to improve myself as a result of this.

Working for Red Ninja is not for everyone, from my own experiences there are times when it can get very difficult. The work can be very draining at times and there is a lot of pressure from the leadership to produce high quality work. This is not helped by the fact that management can be critical regarding the standard of your work and both your general and professional behaviour, and concerns raised by staff can feel as though they are falling on deaf ears. For me personally this type of working environment has led me to become stronger as a person as well as become highly competent in my abilities, but for many of my former colleagues this has had a far more negative impact on their state of well-being.

When I started at Red Ninja I was taken on as Social Media Assistant, during my time I also gained experience in other areas of marketing (such as researching, event planning and CRM). I enjoyed working for a company that develops technology to help improve people’s lives. They were working on some really interesting projects, such as Safe Steps and LiFE. I also enjoyed the social aspect at Red Ninja, particularly our team away days and Christmas party! They helped us come together and get to know each other better.

There came a point were I found the fast pace of the office a bit stressful and at times I struggled to keep up with the varying workload. Red Ninja noticed this and they thought I would be better suited working with their partner charity SOLA ARTS. This move was certainly for the best (even though I was a little dubious at first). It was a complete change to what I was used to but once I had settled in I loved it. I’m very grateful to Red Ninja for recognising that I have potential and giving me the opportunity to work in a more suited environment where I can excel.