Hybrid Working Isn't Broken. Your Model Is.

Flexible working isn't new. We've all lived through it for years now. But the conversation has matured. Studios that haven't kept up are losing people unnecessarily.

In 2020 and beyond, candidates held all the cards. Flexibility wasn't just expected. It was demanded. Studios scrambled to offer it or risk losing talent.

Now? The market has settled. Employers have more choice. Return-to-office mandates are everywhere. Amazon, Disney, major studios calling people back four or five days a week.

So is hybrid dead?

Not quite.

But the question isn't whether you offer it anymore. It's whether you know how to make it work.

Because the studios getting this right are building stronger teams, keeping talent longer, and developing juniors faster. The ones getting it wrong are hiring people who leave within a year, wondering why their culture feels flat.

What people actually want.

We ran a poll recently. Asked creative professionals if they'd do a four-day week. 73% said absolutely.

Another poll asked which work environment brings out their best creative work. 67% said hybrid.

The appetite for flexibility is real. But wanting something and knowing how to use it well are different things.

The studios still winning on talent aren't offering unlimited work-from-home. They're not forcing everyone back full-time either.

They've figured out a model that delivers results for everyone.

Team days aren't optional.

Pick your days. Tuesday to Thursday usually work best. Get everyone in. Make them count.

The 67% who voted for hybrid aren't asking to never see their colleagues. They're asking for focused time at home and collaborative time together. Give them both, with intention.

Here's what success looks like: A team that knows Wednesday is the day everyone's in. That's when you book the big crit. The brainstorm. The conversation that needs energy. People come in because it's worth it, not because they have to. Chemistry builds. Ideas move faster. Problems get solved in real time instead of over three days of Slack threads.

Here's what failure looks like: A team that drifts in randomly. Sits on video calls in separate rooms. Wonders why the work feels disconnected. You hired talented people and accidentally isolated them.

Studio time is career fuel, especially for juniors.

Here's the uncomfortable truth.

Hybrid used to be a perk earned with experience. Seniors had already clocked years learning from people around them. They'd built their networks. Absorbed how studios work. Developed their instincts.

Juniors asking for three days at home from day one are unknowingly stunting their own growth.

You learn faster sitting next to someone solving a problem than unpicking a Slack thread. You build your reputation in the studio, not on a screen. You pick up the unspoken stuff by being there when it happens. How to handle a tricky client. When to push back. How to sell an idea.

This isn't about control. It's about opportunity.

Juniors who spend most of their week at home often find themselves stuck at junior longer. They're not in the room when decisions are made. They're not grabbing coffee with the senior designer who could mentor them. They miss the moment when someone says, "Actually, can you help with this pitch?"

Studios that figured this out have juniors who progress faster, stay longer, and become the mid-level talent they're desperate to hire externally.

Studios that didn't are hiring juniors who leave after 18 months because they never felt part of the team.

If you're hiring juniors, be honest about this. Four days in the studio for the first year or two isn't punishment. It's investment. In them. In your studio.

Be clear about what works for you.

Vague promises of "flexibility" help no one.

If you need people in four days a week to make the work sing, say it. If two days works, own it. Candidates respect clarity far more than being sold one thing in the interview and experiencing another three months in.

Figure out your model. Discuss it with your leadership team.

What are your non-negotiables? Does everyone need to be in on set days, or can people choose? Are there specific hours you need coverage? What would you flex on for the right person?

Then talk about it positively.

Don't say, "We do three days in the studio, but honestly we do our best work when everyone's here." You've just told a candidate you don't believe in your own model.

Sell what works for your studio. If three days is your sweet spot, explain why. If it's four, same.

Studios that get clear on this hire people who want to work that way. Studios that stay vague hire people who feel misled and start looking three months in.

Flexibility done right is still a competitive advantage.

The market has stabilised. Employers have more leverage than they did a few years ago.

But the studios still attracting the best people in 2025 aren't the ones forcing everyone back out of principle. Or offering endless WFH because they're scared to ask for commitment.

They're the ones who've built sustainable hybrid models.

Geography still matters less than it used to. A talented designer in Manchester or Berlin is more accessible now than they were five years ago. Freelancers can plug in from anywhere, as long as they're set up for UK projects and available when you need them. That broader talent pool hasn't gone away.

But for permanent hires, especially juniors and mid-levels, studio time isn't negotiable.

Creativity is collaborative. Careers are built through proximity. The best work happens when people are in the same room, bouncing off each other, building something together.

Hybrid working is here to stay. But only the version that actually works.

Clear team days. Honest expectations. Studio time weighted towards juniors who need it most. And a recognition that flexibility is a tool, not a right. It only delivers results when everyone understands how to use it.

Figure out your model. Commit to it. Then hire people who want to work that way.

You'll build a stronger team. Keep them longer. And stop losing talent to studios who worked this out two years ago.

What No One's Saying About Junior Salaries in London's Creative Scene.

With another 4% minimum wage increase on the horizon, I've been having a lot of conversations lately. The kind where everyone's frustrated, no one feels heard, and honestly, I think we're all missing the bigger picture.

Junior candidates in London's creative and design sector are walking into interviews with salary expectations that would've been mid-level just two years ago. At the same time, agencies and studios are pulling back on hiring anyone without a few years under their belt. The gap is widening, and it's not helping anyone build the career they actually want.

So let's talk about what's really happening here.

What I'm Seeing From Both Sides

If you're a graduate or junior candidate looking for that first proper role in project management or operations, you're probably thinking: London is expensive, my degree cost a fortune, and I need to live. All true. All fair.

If you're running a creative agency or design studio, you're thinking: our clients haven't increased their budgets, our costs keep climbing, and hiring someone junior means investing serious time and money before we see any return. Also true. Also fair.

The thing is, you're both right. And you're both stuck.

The Part Junior Candidates Don't Always See

When a company hires you fresh out of uni or with less than a year's experience, they're not hiring someone who can hit the ground running. They're hiring someone they believe in enough to invest in, knowing it's going to cost them before it pays off.

That investment looks like this:

• Your senior colleagues spend billable hours training you instead of working on client projects. That's real money they're choosing not to earn so you can learn.

• Projects take longer because you're still figuring out the systems, the tools, the way the company works. That's expected, but it impacts the bottom line.

• You're not bringing in revenue yet. In project management and operations, you're supporting the people who do. That doesn't make you less valuable, but it does mean the business is banking on your future, not your present.

• There's more oversight needed to make sure client work stays at the standard they expect. Again, totally normal, but it requires resources.

When I explain this to candidates, I'm not trying to justify low pay. I'm trying to show you why companies see junior hires as a bet on potential, not an immediate contributor. It usually takes 12 to 18 months before that bet starts paying off.

Why This Matters More Now

Here's the part that's making everything harder: costs are going up across the board, but creative work isn't getting more expensive for clients. Agencies are working with the same fee structures they had two years ago, sometimes less. The margin they're operating on? It's shrinking.

So when salary expectations rise but client budgets don't, companies have fewer options. What I'm seeing is:

• They're hiring fewer junior people altogether.

• They're redefining what 'junior' means, expecting more experience for the same title.

• They're cutting back on training programmes and development opportunities to protect their margins.

And honestly? That's terrible news for anyone trying to break into the industry.

What Actually Works

I'm not here to tell junior candidates to accept less than they're worth or to tell companies to just pay more. Neither of those things solve the actual problem.

If you're starting out:

Think about what you're really looking for in your first role. Yes, salary matters. But so does who's going to teach you, what kind of work you'll be exposed to, and where this role could take you in two years' time. The highest offer isn't always the smartest one to accept.

Do your research on what people with your exact level of experience are actually earning in the creative sector right now, not what your mate in tech is making or what you think you should earn. London's expensive, but the market is what it is.

Be realistic about what you bring on day one versus what you could bring in a year. Companies want to know you understand that difference.

If you're hiring:

If you're asking someone to accept that they're an investment, show them what they're investing in too. What will they learn? Who will mentor them? Where could this role go? Make the full picture worth it.

Be transparent. If your margins are tight and you can't compete on salary, say so. Then explain what you can offer instead. People respect honesty, especially when it comes with a genuine development plan.

Junior talent isn't getting cheaper, so make sure the experience you're offering is genuinely valuable. If you're not committed to proper training and mentorship, you probably shouldn't be hiring junior at all.

The Bit No One Wants to Hear

The tension between rising costs and flat client fees isn't going away anytime soon. The creative industry needs to have some serious conversations about pricing, value, and what sustainable actually looks like. But while we're figuring that out, we need both sides to meet somewhere in the middle.

For candidates: your first role isn't about maximising salary. It's about maximising what you learn and who you become. Pick the opportunity that sets you up properly, even if it's not the biggest number.

For employers: if you want good people to stick around and grow with you, you have to make that growth real. Junior hires are still worth it, but only if you're doing it right.

London's creative scene is built on fresh ideas and new talent. Let's not price out the next generation before they've even had a chance to prove themselves.

CV Advice for Designers That Actually Gets You Noticed.

Here's something that might sting a bit: hiring managers and Creative Directors spend about 8 to 10 seconds looking at your CV. That's it. Less time than it takes to make a cup of tea.

So your CV needs to work fast. It needs to be easy to read, immediately clear, and visually confident enough that they actually keep reading instead of moving on to the next one.

We've reviewed hundreds of CVs from interior designers, graphic designers, architects, and branding specialists over the years, and we've heard feedback from some of London's top Creative Directors and studio leaders. Here's what actually matters.

Start With the Basics

Your name and contact details need to be at the top. We know this sounds ridiculously obvious, but you'd be amazed how many CVs we've received with no name or no phone number. If a hiring manager is in a rush and can't immediately see how to reach you, your CV goes in the bin.

Don't let that be you.

And please, no headshots. Your work speaks for itself.

Your CV Should Look Like a Designer Made It

Let's be honest here: you're a designer. Your CV is a design piece. It should absolutely reflect your aesthetic sensibility, your understanding of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy.

Use colour intentionally. Choose typefaces that feel like you. Create a layout that's distinctive but still professional. This is your chance to show you understand how to balance personality with clarity.

But here's the line: don't make it so clever that it's hard to read. If someone has to work to figure out where your experience is or what software you use, you've lost them. The content still needs to be immediately scannable.

Your CV should feel confident and polished, not gimmicky. Think of it as a one-page brand identity exercise where the brand is you.

List Your Design Skills Clearly

Make sure your technical skills are easy to find. For interior designers, that means AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, 3ds Max, V-Ray, Enscape, whatever you're proficient in. For graphic designers and branding specialists, list your Adobe Creative Suite capabilities, Figma, Sketch, InVision, or any other tools you work with regularly.

Don't rank them with bar charts or percentage scores. Just list them clearly. Your portfolio and experience will show how strong you are in each area.

If you've got hand sketching or technical drawing skills, mention those too. They're still highly valued, especially in interior design and architecture.

Nobody Cares About Your Grades (Unless You've Just Graduated)

If you've recently graduated and got a first or a 2:1, include it. Otherwise, leave your final grade off. Don't list individual module results, and if you're past junior level, skip GCSEs and A-Levels entirely. Your portfolio and work experience are what matter now.

Keep It Tight

Junior to midweight? One page. Senior to associate or team lead? Two pages maximum.

Your most recent role should have the most detail because that's what hiring managers care about. As you go back in time, descriptions should get shorter. Only include responsibilities or projects that actually matter for the type of role you're applying for.

If you're listing every single task you've ever done just to fill space, you're doing it wrong.

Show Your Sector Experience

This is crucial. If you're applying for a hospitality design role, your CV should immediately show your hospitality experience. Residential interior design? Lead with residential projects. Retail branding? Make sure your retail work is front and centre.

Don't make hiring managers hunt for the relevant experience. Put it where they'll see it in those first 8 to 10 seconds.

For architects and interior designers, mention project types and scales: residential refurbs, commercial fit-outs, RIBA stages you've worked on, planning applications, technical packages. Be specific.

For graphic designers and branding specialists, highlight the type of work you've done: brand identity, packaging, digital, print, campaigns, art direction. Sector experience matters here too. FMCG, lifestyle, tech, hospitality.

Your Words Matter

Avoid generic phrases like "team player" and "hard-working." Everyone says that. Instead, show those traits through your actual work. What projects did you deliver? What challenges did you solve? What results did you achieve?

Use language that's specific to design. Don't say you "helped with projects." Say you "led concept development for a 200-cover restaurant fit-out" or "delivered brand guidelines for a luxury residential developer."

Hobbies Should Add Something (Or Leave Them Off)

If you're going to list interests, make them interesting or relevant. Architecture, exhibitions, photography, printmaking, furniture design. These all add context to who you are as a designer.

"Watching TV" and "socialising" add nothing. If you've got nothing compelling to include, just leave the section off.

Proofread Until Your Eyes Hurt

Then get someone else to proofread it too. A partner, a friend, a flatmate, anyone. Typos and grammatical errors make you look careless, and in a visual profession, attention to detail is everything.

If you don't have anyone to ask, use Grammarly or another tool. Just make sure it's spotless before you send it.

Don't Leave Unexplained Gaps

An unexplained gap looks worse than the actual reason for it. If you took time out to travel, freelance, deal with health issues, or handle family matters, just say so briefly. You don't need to over-explain, but acknowledge it. Honesty matters.

Always Send It With Your Portfolio

This should go without saying, but your CV is only half the picture. Always send it alongside a PDF portfolio showcasing your best three to five projects relevant to the role you're applying for. Your CV gets you attention, your portfolio gets you the interview.

We’ve got some tips for your portfolio here if you need some help…

Tailor It Every Single Time

This is what separates designers who get interviews from designers who don't.

If you're applying for a hospitality interior design role, your CV should highlight your hospitality work. If it's a residential architecture position, focus on residential projects. If it's a branding role for an FMCG brand, show FMCG experience.

Don't send the same CV to every job and hope for the best. Hiring managers can tell when you've actually read the brief and tailored your application. It shows you care, and they notice.

The Bottom Line

Your CV is your first impression, and you don't get a second chance at it. Make it look good, make it clear, make it relevant. Show them quickly why they should care, and give them a reason to pick up the phone.

If you're not getting responses and you're wondering whether your CV is holding you back, we're always happy to take a look. Sometimes it's just one or two tweaks that make all the difference.

Need a second pair of eyes on your CV? Want to make sure it's actually working for you? Get in touch. We'd love to help.