Depression? I barely know her

[M.A.D]

Hi my name is Mery,

I got a graphic design diploma 10 years ago and graduated as a photographer 4 years ago, both with high scores yet I have never been active in both ‘‘careers’’. I have done a few projects that mostly stayed in the family, nothing I can say was worth getting a degree for.

Most of my peers have given up their career path to be mothers, bartenders or move on to learn java language, so talking to them about art became a ‘‘what’s the point’’ moment. I kept up with art, photography and networking trends from the internet instead of a community. Nothing gave me the sense of purpose or a trusted guide line (everyone is different and not every experience is share by many). This plus some personal issues, fuelled up the feeling of emptiness, loneliness, feeling of being a boring person and the feeling that I would never going to make something out of myself.

Then 2020 happened.
I approached a therapist and she (and my personal situation that changed) encouraged me to get back to my basics. I drew everyday for a year (no, my sketchbooks are not like those you find on youtube) and slowly got back to creating and being excited about learning adobe software’s, UI design and Blender (only for floor plans at the moment). It felt very rewarding - mood wise.
This boost helped because, in February, 2021 I was made redundant due to Covid-19 staff cleanse. 2019 me would have gone crazy and I would have applied for customer service jobs. Instead, I have been working 9 to 5 on my portfolio with the hopes of finding a paid job and people with my same interests.
It has been a wild ride - if the ride was 2 feet tall- I can not wait to share what I have done with you and see if I have imposter syndrome or I simply suck.

Have any of you been through similar experience? and if so are you working on it or is it still eating you inside?
How do you approach a possible client knowing you have been out of your game for so long?

-MAD

[Just-B]

My situation is similar in some ways but different in others. Like you, the whole COVID thing left me without a full-time job.

Unlike you, I’m close to retirement age, so the full-time job prospects were all but non-existent. Thirty-plus years as an art/design/creative/communication/marketing director in a half dozen jobs, but my age overrides all of that and seemingly makes me unemployable.

I have always done freelance work on the side, so I decided to make it my full-time business. Clients don’t seem to care about age like employers do. Similarly, I suspect they won’t be especially concerned about your work history. I have no rational explanation for these illogical workplace biases. Anyway, I contacted some of my old freelance accounts, got work that way, and have gradually expanded on that to the point where I have just about as much work as I can handle.

I don’t especially like working from home, however. The isolation and anxiety really get to me. I enjoyed collaborating with teams of people a lot more than working solo, but one does what one needs to do to make things work.

Anyway, you might not have my experience, but you’re not hobbled by the age thing either. You didn’t mention what kind of job you were working at before being laid off, but it sounds like it wasn’t graphic design.

A degree in graphic design and photography, like yours, is a nice, complementary combination. At previous jobs, when I hired people, that combination would have made your resume stand out from the others, so you’ve got that going for you.

A ten-year gap in your employment will be noticeable, but it’s not all that uncommon — especially with women. I’ve worked with (and hired) women who took that much time off work to raise kids.

If you’re looking for a job as a graphic designer, you have some of the bases covered, but the rest is going to boil down to your talent, skills, portfolio, and motivation.

[RedKittieKat]

Just poking my head in to say Welcome

… and trust me my sketchbooks look nothing like Youtube videos either

But, I still love my sketchbooks I always try to remember that any Social Media … be it an image or a video is the “A” side of peoples lives … we never see what’s playing on the “B” side

[pluto]

G’Day @M.A.D

It sounds like you want to work as a designer and the have qualifications to support it. What do you think is getting in the way of you finding a job or doing some freelance work?