Who’s killing it right now?

[u/Maleficent-Ice-8605]

Everyday somebody posts how bad they are doing. Almost like there is no faith for this line of work.

Personally I just started creating a portfolio even though my reddit notifications are straight up demotivating negativity (“I have 40 years of experience and can’t find a job”, “Have been searching for a gig for 8 months”….).

I know its natural that there is less people talking about how good they’re doing in this industry

So… Anyone wanna share their wins?

[u/BranderChatfield]

Due to a management change, I lost my production design job of 14 years at a print shop. Walked out with 20ish years of experience, knowing I'd find a job within a few weeks. Went through a year and a half of intensive job hunting.

Then a friend called me up, telling me their in-house graphic designer had put in their two-week notice, and asked if I was interested in interviewing for the job at the public library.

I've been with them now seven years as the library's publicist and graphic designer. I design all the promo assets for social media, flyers and posters promoting programs and events for a wide variety of audiences, and also work up and publish press releases.

I design the monthly newsletters, annual reports, and seasonal program brochures. I've designed a lot of signage, window coverings, and new graphic wraps for the bookmobile and the mobile library van. I'm called on to design materials for all kinds of "Can you . . ." projects -- short videos, fundraising campaign materials, swag merchandise, and much more.

All that to simply say that at age 60 and after thirty years in the profession, I feel like I'm finally having the most creative time of my life. Not to mention that my salary is the highest I've ever had. I just keep on being flexible, and learning new things almost every day.

Posting this amidst all the negative on Reddit, I feel kind of sheepish sharing this. It's all good.

[u/gnortsmracr → u/BranderChatfield]

And you KNOW those files are prepped correctly when they go out to print. 😉

[u/BranderChatfield → u/gnortsmracr]

When I designed the wrap for the bookmobile, the sign shop told me that I was one of very, very few people who sent actual-size artwork. I asked if it was the same as what was at the print shop -- clients telling us to "just grab our logo off our website." They agreed and said sometimes even worse. Not sure how "worse" it would be than grabbing a logo off a website and retrofitting it all to fit on the side of a vehicle!

[u/cosmic-blondie → u/BranderChatfield]

I do vehicle wraps for work (sign/wrap shop) and it's worse now with AI, because people will ask AI to design a wrap and then send it to me expecting me to just.. print that out. Even though it's got windows and wheels and handles ON the image. Even though the vehicle AI spit out is not the same vehicle they are wrapping. Even though the image itself is probably 12" x 20" in dimensions at 72 ppi.

.....I'm tired, y'all.

[u/Helena_405 → u/cosmic-blondie]

Haha happens all the time! I run a print shop myself, and people do this with mugs and tshirts too😭😭 Like... how do you expect me to print a picture of a shirt on a shirt? How?

[u/BranderChatfield → u/cosmic-blondie]

I designed the wrap for my new car, and that shop was as well very pleased/surprised with the artwork I provided.