u/Available-Lake-6919

Hey everyone,

Is anyone here with around 2–3 years of experience currently applying for UI/UX or Product Designer roles?

I'm asking because I've been checking LinkedIn every day, and it feels like there are very few openings compared to before.

Also, I notice that a lot of designers on LinkedIn have the "Open to Work" badge. Is the job market really that difficult right now, or am I just getting the wrong impression?

If there are any senior product designers or hiring managers here, I'd really appreciate your perspective. What's the actual market situation for UI/UX and Product Design roles at the moment, and why does it seem so challenging?

I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

Is anyone here with around 2–3 years of experience currently applying for UI/UX or Product Designer roles?

I'm asking because I've been checking LinkedIn every day, and it feels like there are very few openings compared to before.

Also, I notice that a lot of designers on LinkedIn have the "Open to Work" badge. Is the job market really that difficult right now, or am I just getting the wrong impression?

If there are any senior product designers or hiring managers here, I'd really appreciate your perspective. What's the actual market situation for UI/UX and Product Design roles at the moment, and why does it seem so challenging?

I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

Is anyone here with around 2–3 years of experience currently applying for UI/UX or Product Designer roles?

I'm asking because I've been checking LinkedIn every day, and it feels like there are very few openings compared to before.

Also, I notice that a lot of designers on LinkedIn have the "Open to Work" badge. Is the job market really that difficult right now, or am I just getting the wrong impression?

If there are any senior product designers or hiring managers here, I'd really appreciate your perspective. What's the actual market situation for UI/UX and Product Design roles at the moment, and why does it seem so challenging?

I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice. Thanks!

Edit

Hey everyone,

First of all, thank you to each and every one of you for taking the time to comment on this post. I really appreciate it.

Now, I want to share something that I think might help many designers who are struggling in the current job market.

For the last two months (May and June), I spent my time trying to understand what is actually happening in the job market. Everything I'm sharing is based on the data and research I personally did.

Please don't ask me to share all the links because it's simply not possible. There is just too much data.

Here's what I did:

• Conducted very deep research using Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Perplexity.
• By "deep," I mean researching new job openings, what employers are asking for, what is mentioned in job descriptions, how many applicants apply every day, how many people get interview calls, how many receive actual offers, how many get jobs through referrals, and many other things.
• Applied for jobs across multiple job platforms.
• One thing that shocked me was seeing recruiters not even downloading applications that matched the job requirements almost 100%, even when the portfolio was very strong.
• Read many genuine articles, asked questions on educational platforms, social media platforms, and yes, this Reddit post was also part of my research.

Final result:

For me, it feels like entry-level to around 2–3 years of experience roles are literally being eaten by AI. I have accepted that. Whether you agree or not is completely your choice.

Another thing I noticed was that some people got offers through referrals even though, in some cases, their portfolios didn't even have basic text alignment. Luck and referrals also play a significant role.

If you're wondering why I'm writing such a long message, it's because I believe a designer's job is not just to create beautiful screens but to make people's lives easier. I truly believe in solving problems, and I also believe in helping people whenever I can.

So, to every designer out there, I know this is a tough time, but change is a part of life.

Please consider learning another skill that can at least help you earn your bread and butter while you continue your design journey. It can be anything you enjoy bakery, food, construction work, makeup artistry, massage therapy, or any other skill that can provide basic financial support.

Stay strong, everyone. Don't lose hope.

Thank you once again.

All the best. ❤️

Hey everyone,

Is anyone here with around 2–3 years of experience currently applying for UI/UX or Product Designer roles?

I'm asking because I've been checking LinkedIn every day, and it feels like there are very few openings compared to before.

Also, I notice that a lot of designers on LinkedIn have the "Open to Work" badge. Is the job market really that difficult right now, or am I just getting the wrong impression?

If there are any senior product designers or hiring managers here, I'd really appreciate your perspective. What's the actual market situation for UI/UX and Product Design roles at the moment, and why does it seem so challenging?

I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

Is anyone here with around 2–3 years of experience currently applying for UI/UX or Product Designer roles?

I'm asking because I've been checking LinkedIn every day, and it feels like there are very few openings compared to before.

Also, I notice that a lot of designers on LinkedIn have the "Open to Work" badge. Is the job market really that difficult right now, or am I just getting the wrong impression?

If there are any senior product designers or hiring managers here, I'd really appreciate your perspective. What's the actual market situation for UI/UX and Product Design roles at the moment, and why does it seem so challenging?

I'd love to hear your experiences and any advice. Thanks!

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

I'm genuinely looking for honest and practical advice because he's one of my closest friends, and I want to help him make the best decision for his future.

Thanks in advance.

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

I'm genuinely looking for honest and practical advice because he's one of my closest friends, and I want to help him make the best decision for his future.

Thanks in advance.

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

I'm genuinely looking for honest and practical advice because he's one of my closest friends, and I want to help him make the best decision for his future.

Thanks in advance.

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

I'm genuinely looking for honest and practical advice because he's one of my closest friends, and I want to help him make the best decision for his future.

Thanks in advance.

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

I'm genuinely looking for honest and practical advice because he's one of my closest friends, and I want to help him make the best decision for his future.

Thanks in advance.

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

I'm genuinely looking for honest and practical advice because he's one of my closest friends, and I want to help him make the best decision for his future.

Thanks in advance.

30-year-old designer got laid off. He has one UI/UX offer (5 LPA) but is also considering taking a remote Graphic Design job and building freelance income/businesses on the side. Which path would you choose and why?

My friend is 30 and was recently laid off from his remote Graphic Design job after 2 years. Before the layoff, he had already started learning UI/UX and building projects because he wanted to switch careers.

After 3 months of applying, he finally got one UI/UX offer for 5 LPA.

Now he's confused.

Option 1: Take the UI/UX role and continue building a career in UI/UX.

Option 2: Take a remote Graphic Design job and use the extra time to freelance, build clients, and experiment with small business ideas.

His thinking is that job security feels weaker than ever. He sees experienced professionals struggling after layoffs and wonders whether building multiple income streams is smarter than relying on a single employer.

If you were in his position, which path would you choose and why?