Struggling for experience is an understatement. I've been trying to do this volunteer thing, where I approach business I'm interested in and ask to help out their marketing and design teams. It helps once in a while, but it has not rendered me anything long-term and the contacts I make usually toss my name aside after the events. I'm currently living in Michigan, which you'd think would have design needs just like any other state, but we have one of the worst local economics in the country (I think only New Orleans is below us!).

Anyway, I want some advice or suggestions as to where, if you were me, would aim to put yourself if you wanted to become a professional designer in the print, web, and enviromental graphics fields. It seems when I cold call companies asking to talk to people in charge, I get the run around. I don't have a real direction to go into. I don't know where the hubs are.

Also, since i'm in the catch-22 of "you don't have experience/we won't give you experience," what would be a good next move? I've interned. I've done free work. I'm starting to think its either I have really bad breath or that I'm just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, a tic tac or a moving van seems like my solution. Any advice from the community?