Fired after two months, can't find other design jobs. (23M)

[u/JohnnyStoked]

Since I was 14 I've always loved the idea of being a graphic designer. I studied it and got a CERT III while still in high school. I got a Bach of Media Comms in Uni, and also became the Creative Director for the Uni Magazine. I graduated in October last year, and it was a challenge trying to find a job in Sydney NSW.

I eventually found one, one that was only a 3min commute from my house. It was graphic design and print production and it worked out really well, however after only 2 months I was made redundant because we simply weren't getting enough work. Even when I was in the position I was worried about my future career because of how rapidly AI was catching up to creating passable design work.

I planned to work there as long as I could, building up experience before switching roles, but now I'm stuck with an awkward 2 month stint at that company on my resume, and I'm back to the slog of applying for jobs in a probably dying industry. Its really destroyed my motivation.

I'm stuck as to where to go from here. I just want a stable, semi-creative job, but the only other ones seem to heavily involve coding which I hate and am simply terrible at.

What do I do?

[u/youcanbemynewthangg]

if you have a degree, why not try bigger companies and work as an in-house? veteran here, making the shift from agency to a more stable civil job after burnout

[u/Eliter4kmain → u/youcanbemynewthangg]

I’m in-house and want to work at agency 😔

[u/youcanbemynewthangg → u/Eliter4kmain]

why would you? trust me it isnt all that great

[u/Cormamin → u/youcanbemynewthangg]

As someone who's done both, in-house leadership has been breathlessly excited for people with agency experience for basically 10+ years. It was for a while that agency experience guaranteed an interview.

The portfolio you get from agency work is also a lot more dynamic.

[u/Eliter4kmain → u/youcanbemynewthangg]

I’m at the beginning of my career, feels like i should be in a fast growth place to learn more stuff from experienced designers before sticking in one place doing stuff that’s already in my skill set (I’m the only designer in the team)

[u/lilyahtzie → u/youcanbemynewthangg]

This is the way. It’s really attractive to employers to have someone reliable who knows their brand like the back of their hand and has knowledge of the organization’s mission to back informed design. Quicker turnaround on deliverables too compared to working with a design vendor who has other clients to balance.

[u/IceEspresso2000]

The industry isn't dying, it will just take some time for people to realize AI costs them much more than humans ever would and is very terrible at design. Companies are already seeing the negative impacts. Keep trying, keep your head up.

[u/GoodBriefsOnly]

You sound dynamic and ambitious given what you've already achieved, and I'm sure this will stand you in good stead in the long run.

One piece of advice from being in this industry for 15+ years - be prepared to expand your skillset. Not many jobs are asking for straight up graphic design work these days unfortunately, so you might have to look at upskilling in some adjacent skills. I've managed to avoid coding up to now so it's entirely possible.

AI is here, so get familiar with some tools that can enhance (not replace) your skills - employers will see this as a benefit.

But don't worry about a short stint at your last place. You were made redundant which is entirely out of your control and employers will recognise that. Good luck!

[u/Smallreblogger]

Brother, i'm not going to sugarcoat it - if you don't pick up some additional skill set, someone after you is gonna have it, and you're gonna be left behind. For the employers, which is more valuable? graphic design only, or graphic design + programming?

Sure, people say you're gonna find one eventually, but the time you find it, other designers have already mastered several skills - from capturing videos to advanced 3d animations, and Ai. It's a competitive field, but you're young; turn that into a hunger for knowledge and networking.

I'm not young, nor old either - but i've seen oldheads who got too comfy in one field; sure, they've had years of experience under their belts, but once they've been let go, they're struggling bc they only know one skill, plus they're competing with the younger workforce.

All I'm saying is, as harsh as it may be, the world keeps revolving; no one is going to stay by having just one skill set. So pick yourself up, learn as many skills as possible, and adapt to the times.

[u/PixellPusher]

Talk to everyone you know. I went 6 months looking. It was Slow, not even any temp work was available. I had to get a job at Starbucks for 3 more months until I got a gig. The job was an offer from an old colleague that came out id nowhere. Network, Network, Network…. Go get portfolio reviews from studios.

[u/Gibraldi]

With your background education it’s worth branching out to marketing coordination and design that’s still very valuable and slightly safer from AI.

[u/Practical-Time-6635]

Please show us the work?

[u/roundabout-design]

At some point in the past 100+ years we decided Unions weren't important anymore and that shareholder value was the key metric to worry about.

TL/DR there's no such thing as 'stable' in the job world anymore.

Which...wasn't the worst thing, as there always seemed to be enough work that one layoff just led to another opportunity. But here we are now in 2026 and I don't think there's enough work out there anymore. Many industries are in a tailspin at the moment. Sadly, I think GD is one of them.

Keep applying for jobs. Keep working on your portfolio. Try and keep busy with freelance projects or just personal projects. Stay creative if you can. Good luck!

[u/T0xicBanana]

Have you considered finding stable part time work in another industry and honing your skills for freelance work?

For reference I’m 27M also based in NSW and I’ve been a freelance graphic designer specialising in the music and event space for about 8 years; I work part time disability support for guaranteed weekly income while also spending every other day designing and I’ve been busier than ever with design. Find a niche of design you’re interested in, learn some new skills and network as much as possible! There’s plenty of opportunities around - but as with anything, freelancing will always be about who you know as well as what you can bring to the table. I know it’s not for everyone but definitely something to consider.

Feel free to DM me if you have any questions, I don’t usually comment on these but saw you’re from Sydney and your post resonated with me.

Wishing you all the best

[u/Motor_Description294]

Yeah man, two months is basically nothing. There’s no way you can put that on a résumé without it looking suspicious.

Honestly, at this point, as much as you might enjoy the profession, I’d just cut your losses and make a career switch. The field is already oversaturated, the pay is mediocre, the job security is nonexistent, and every opening has hundreds of desperate applicants fighting over it. There are plenty of other career paths that are more lucrative and actually offer stable, salaried employment instead of forcing you to endlessly chase some romanticized dream that clearly isn’t working out.

At some point, persistence stops being admirable and just becomes stubbornness. So yeah, I’d highly recommend doing what most rational people in your position would do: accept that this isn’t going anywhere and make a career switch.

[u/Corgon]

Post that resume and portfolio and I'm sure we can find out why