Currently trying to get back into the field of Graphic Design after 3 years! Would like some advise. Thank You!

#1

So I’ve been out of the Graphic Design field for 3 years now. Actually, I’ve never really had a full-time graphic design position because I gave up on it without really trying or pushing myself hard enough. I didn’t have a good experience with both of the internships that I had. It was a lot of put downs, verbal abuse, and emotional abuse, which left me feeling broken. I was already dealing with enough stress with graduation approaching and trying to finish all of my projects for my porfolio show. I also was dealing with burnt out, fatigue, depression, self-doubts, and lack of motivation and inspiration. So I thought my internships will help me with that, but they didn’t.

I now realized that I didn’t have to believe all the lies and negative comments that was being presented towards me by certain people at both of my internships, but it’s quite hard to do when you already have been struggling with low-self-esteem, low-confidence, and not believing in yourself, your abilities, and capabilities. Fast forward to now after sevreal sessions of counseling and trying to change my perspective of myself and my life, I would like to get back into the field of Graphic Design and actually be confident this time, believe in myself, and be ready to conquer what life throws at me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks once again.

#2

Welcome to the forum Caligirl01.

If you have a nice portfolio, start applying for regular jobs, not internships. If you don’t have a nice portfolio, then start developing one with volunteer work not limited to internships.

#3

I would try to take criticism with an open mind. Don’t take everything personal.

As far as your work, you will probably have to work on your portfolio to revamp it. Best of luck to you! With hard work and focus i’m sure you will be able to get an entry level design job that will help you with building confidence in your skills.

#4

HI, Caligirl01. Welcome to the forum!

It’s difficult to know what you’ve been through and what your circumstances were, but life sometimes sucks. I wish that weren’t the case, but it’s true for all of us at one time or another.

Life is relatively short. The roads you travel while making your way through it should be your decisions alone and not determined by the fear and hesitations brought on by what other’s have said or might think. It’s a terrible shame to lose trust in yourself due to other people’s shallow comments. You know yourself better than anyone else, and you should pursue whatever you want to do. Whether you succeed or fail in the specifics isn’t nearly as important as whether or not you set fear aside and embrace the adventure.

Way back, 40 years ago, when I was still in high school, I read Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. If you’re unfamiliar with the book, it’s Thoreau’s account of his two years spent living by himself in the woods near Walden Pond.

There were two paragraphs in the book that have stuck with me all my life. They’re not about design, but they are about the importance of living one’s life to the fullest and having no regrets.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.

#5

Fantastic book. I read it years ago too. Well worth a read.

#6