Anne Karen Stokke - graduate success

After spending two great years England, I graduated with a degree in Graphic Communication from the University of Wolverhampton. I moved back home to Norway and got a job as an in-house designer for one of Oslo’s leading law firms, Wiersholm. I spent three years there reinventing their profile and producing all their marketing material. This gave me an opportunity to gain even more experience with regards to the diversities of paper quality, formats, what works and what doesn’t. Working the same design profile for so long has its advantages as you’re time is spent solely reinventing and reinvesting within set limits. You have to get really creative for it not to look boring, while (in this case) still maintaining the professional look of a serious law firm. 

After three years, though, I felt I had gotten as far as I could at Wiersholm and felt I needed more of the challenges that comes with designing for new clients. I quit my job with a heavy heart because of all my wonderful colleagues and also because this job now was safe and comfortable to me. But in our line of work that is often another reason to switch jobs

I now work at Annografen, a smaller company that works for one of the largest media companies in Norway, Amedia (previously A-pressen). Several of the largest (and some of the small) newspapers are our clients and we produce all their adds, magazines, add-ons and various other marketing material like stands for events etc. I also take on special assignments whenever they present themselves, which gives me a great extra creative challenge.

One of the things I like most with the change in employer is the incredible diversity I now have in clients. I work with several design manuals every day, now, and sometimes make new ones for them. My work is creative, fulfilling, incredibly frustrating and exciting all at the same time. I can see myself working here for several years to come.

In addition to this I also undertake freelance work. I think these other jobs are important as they sometimes provide even more creative freedom and often allow you to go a bit wild, so I’ll keep that up as long as I have the energy to spare.

www.annografen.no

www.smellslikedesign.no