3 years post-grad, can’t land a full-time design role — any advice welcome
Graduated in 2023 with a BA in Graphic Design, but I’ve been freelancing since before university so I’ve got around 5+ years of real client work under my belt, although mainly within illustration, with bits of design. Despite that I cannot for the life of me land a full-time role.
I know the market is brutal right now and I’m sure there are designers far more talented than me stuck in the exact same position, so I’m not here to complain — I genuinely just want to know if I’m missing something.
My background is mainly in illustration, which I’ve been doing independently for years and built a decent following around. On the design side, it’s mainly been university and passion projects.
Over the past year or so I’ve started finding my niche more deliberately — gaming is where I genuinely want to be (imagine graphic designer at Playstation or a game studio, or even just at a design or marketing studio that often works with games) so my portfolio has been shifting more in that direction, in hopes that I will stand out more.
Applying for any entry/mid level roles as a designer, some even wanting a full time designer and illustrator but still the ‘Unfortunately…’ email or just total silence. I’ve had one single interview for a design role and that was a couple months after graduation. I tailor my CVs, I write real cover letters, I reach out to people directly on LinkedIn. Some of those conversations have gone well but nothing has converted to a role yet.
Is there something that jumps out from the portfolio? Is gaming too niche or not niche enough? Am I pitching myself wrong? Any honest feedback would be genuinely appreciated — including the brutal kind.
I’m hitting wall after wall and genuinely considering career switching.
Portfolio: mateipopovici.com
Illustration: @dyvblo on Instagram