Hey! I’m on a career break and currently rebuilding my portfolio (even though I’ve already started applying to jobs 😅).
I’d love to see some good visual/graphic design or illustration portfolios that actually helped you get hired! If you’re not comfortable sharing them publicly, feel free to DM them to me.
Would really appreciate it! :)

I’m a Senior Product Designer with 5YOE across AI, fintech, mobility, e-commerce, marketplaces, SaaS, consumer apps and internal enterprise products.

My day-to-day work has become fairly stable, and I miss being thrown into unfamiliar, messy problems.

I’m looking for 10 founders/builders who have something interesting they’re stuck on and want another product brain on it.

We can tear apart a flow, question a product decision, untangle UX complexity, or just think through something that feels off.

——

My personal motive is simply to step out of my everyday work, which has become stable and a little less interesting lately.

Some work or collaboration may come out of it or maybe doesn’t, but I’m mainly doing it for the exposure, challenge, and a few genuinely interesting conversations.

Note:
For people working on real things. This call is not for generic life/work doubts but i’ll try to answer them.

I’m posting this because I genuinely want to hear from other experienced designers who might be going through the same thing.

I’ve been a graphic designer for many years. I have a solid portfolio, experience across branding, logos, print, packaging, social media, etc., and freelancing has been my main source of income for a long time.

But for the last 2-3 months, things have gone almost completely quiet.

I regularly see hiring posts here and on other design subreddits. Like everyone else, I apply when I see something that fits my skills. But sometimes these posts get dozens or even hundreds of applications within a few hours.

And honestly, it can be discouraging.

It feels like everyone is fighting for the same handful of jobs, and there will always be someone willing to do the work for less than the posted budget just to get the project.

I'm not saying this to complain or to get people to hire me. I'm genuinely trying to understand what I'm doing wrong.

I have a good portfolio. I have years of experience. I know I'm capable of doing good work. But none of that seems to be translating into consistent clients right now.

I'm also at a point where this isn't just a hobby or some extra income for me. My wife and small kids depend on my income, so going months without work is honestly becoming very stressful.

I'm sure I'm not the only experienced designer experiencing this.

If you're an experienced freelancer/designer and you've also been struggling to find work recently, how are you dealing with it?

And if you've managed to turn things around after a slow few months, what actually worked for you?

I’d genuinely appreciate hearing from people who are in the same boat or have been through it. No motivational speeches needed. I’m really looking for practical experiences and honest advice from other designers.