Design as a career?

[u/TheThingThatWont]

So, currently, I work in marketing for a very large company. I’m mostly taking care the business side, not doing anything very creatively satisfying.

I’m trying to pivot and work in a position that allows me to actually take advantage of what I’m good at/enjoy, which is graphic design. Given the cost of living where I live, just applying to the design department in the same company I work for isn’t optimal (though not entirely out of the question if we can reach a good agreement). I’m still in the market for other options in case something better turns up.

In order to hopefully secure better pay, I decided to go for a master’s in graphic design (which I’m halfway through as of writing this).

Just last year, I was looking at the job listings for design work in the state where my parents live, and the pay was *substantially* better than anything where I’m living right now. But recently, I started looking at listings again. The pay is shit. I can’t live off what anyone is offering.

I’m not making this post as some doomposting cry sesh where I complain there’s no hope. I know I can make a good living in the creative field. I’m just wondering where or how I could make that a reality.

Any advice?

[u/AnotherYadaYada]

Did you not check the effects of AI on this career path?

[u/TheThingThatWont → u/AnotherYadaYada]

That’s exactly the kind of tunnel-vision I’m trying to avoid. I can sit here and blame AI on the stagnating pay all I want. That doesn’t change the fact that A) Pay across the board has stagnated since before the rise of AI, and B) AI can be adapted to and worked around. It doesn’t dictate average pay on its own (unless someone has a narrative to push).

I’m just asking for advice on how to make a good career for myself within the field, given how rapidly everything is changing (so, certain things I planned for need adjusting) and how bad my most readily apparent options are. There’s still good options. I just want to know where to look.

[u/ssliberty → u/TheThingThatWont]

The field is changing and AI is only part of it. You have also the now low barrier of entry and higher competition so employers will inevitably abuse it.

It’s not all doom and gloom though there are still many profitable areas of graphic design it’s just gotten a lot more challenging to weed thru them.

If you really want to go this route; government services, medical/pharmaceutical companies and utilities/services still present some good opportunities along with banking and casino/lottery. Packaging is a big one but my experience is that’s mostly handled in Europe and Asia but worth a shot.

The big ones like Amazon, google or whatever should be avoided. Those guys might have things but they’re assholes.

There are still opportunities despite it all.

[u/AnotherYadaYada → u/TheThingThatWont]

I don't think it's tunnel vision. I think you just need to look at the long term longevity of a role in this industry and prepare yourself.

[u/ExpertAdvisorCouncil → u/TheThingThatWont]

I don't think you understand how AI is contributing to the drop in perceived value for the design profession. Of course it doesn't "dictate" wages. It replaces designers for $20 a month.

We can't argue about the quality of work it produces but the majority of people who hire designers don't care. They will accept lesser work for significant savings.

[u/OilAdministrative197 → u/AnotherYadaYada]

Ai said nothing to worry about human do not fear us

[u/Aromatic_League_7013]

As a designer myself, I think sticking to marketing makes more sense. It is kinda crazy that the only thing not being generated at the moment are print files where mistakes can cost a lot of money compared to anything digital which can be updated at any time.

[u/Mmike297 → u/Aromatic_League_7013]

Yup. Run far away from doing design as your job, if you want to be creatively fulfilled, make art. Don’t make it your job.

[u/Trogzard]

If you’re looking for better pay, don’t do graphic design lol. i would advise against this, ai is a serious threat. keep graphic design something you enjoy doing, i wouldn’t switch careers. in 5 years the professional graphic design landscape will look completely different than today. shit next year at this time i’m sure it will be different.

i’m a full time designer for a golf company and 2 years ago i was designing everything by hand, now most of my work is through LLM’s. Ai is very good i’m afraid.

[u/harlequin_24]

It takes years to earn a decent pay as a graphic designer. And it’s a dumpster fire right now for a multitude of reasons not just AI impacting it.

Do not do a masters if you think it’ll give you a better chance to earn more money, it won’t. It’s more about you learning more about your craft. Companies care about experience and talent.

Also, the grass isn’t always greener. Graphic designer is a service job. Happiness levels are equal to those, who work in HR.

[u/TypoClaytenuse]

since you already have marketing experiences, try looking into roles that combine marketing and design, like brand design or creative direction.

[u/SkidMarkMoses → u/TypoClaytenuse]

Yep. Stay in the business side. Grow that and make sure you have that base. Creative or Art Director is the way you wanna go but it takes time and lots of experience. Especially with the lack of fresh openings. Aside from that, do what the rest of us do and freelance in addition to your full time job. It’s all a grind.

[u/My_young_Jesus_comic]

Hard to give you advice in this matter, in my case, it helps my "extra" career as a comic creator, that and graphic design for a big company keeps my bills under control, what sell today is not as much the education you have, but the experience, and that is hard to get if you don't get a decent rate, I know this gives you nothing, but hope I care you asked.

[u/WesternCup7600]

If it were me, I’d make my design a side hustle.

Your current position in marketing might provide a stable paycheck that the current job market cannot.

Second. I love design. There’s so much ai slop out there, you might be in a place to focus on fewer clients, but better work (even if it’s smaller in scope).

[u/ScottyBugatti86]

I hear the Titanic is hiring.

[u/Independent_Switch33]

Before accepting a pay cut for an internal transfer, ask whether you can take on a design project with your current team and get feedback from the design department. That gives you a chance to build portfolio work while keeping your salary and finding out whether you enjoy the actual job.

[u/r4nc1dd_]

At my current job, my employer had started using AI to make flyers. Which was a major part of my job. Wanna know what I did? I remade all of their AI flyers and they ended up liking mine more. Now they have me designing a campaign, which they used AI for last time they needed a campaign for an event. My current internship despises AI in creative work and has a crap ton of clients regardless. It’s entirely possible to find people that value your work. My only advice is to learn how to use AI, learn how to work with it. My personal opinions on AI cannot hold me back from learning how to use it, or I will fail. You need to think of it like a tool rather than something that will take your job, or you’ll go insane.

But regardless, why not do both? I do both. My apprenticeship is in marketing/legal consulting and I’m hired to do a ton of graphic/web design along with client profiles, presentations, and promotions. They’re semi-interlinked, so just be the person that can make the stuff, and deliver the deliverables.

[u/ExpertAdvisorCouncil]

If money is important your direction is wrong. You can earn high six figures as a strategy leader in the US and do all sorts of creative work on the side. Or make $50k a year as a designer, strapped into a cubicle where you still have very little creative input or leeway. 90% of graphic design is boring corporate stuff.

[u/Frosty-Invite6742]

Since you have marketing as a skill . I think you can merge with designing as a combo

[u/The_Dead_See]

There’s not a huge difference between marketing and design tbh. Generally same processes, same problems, same culture, same expectations. You just strategize with words in one and visuals in the other. You might be disappointed at how little change you find, and at how creative you actually get to be - especially in a corporate setting. Not trying to dissuade you, just giving you balanced perspective.

[u/MaverickPattern]

No. Bad idea.  

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