What does the future really hold for a soon to be Graphic Design professional? Is it as bleak and hopeless as everyone makes it seem? Should I switch Majors?

Hello Julien.

After graduation I also found it hard to convince potential employers of my potential. I moved to London, lived for as cheap as I could and found a job in a large electronics retail store. During that time I took on free work, and continued with my creative projects in an attempt to elevate my skills. It ultimately pays to be actively creative and generous with your skills.

I was doing visuals at a small festival, for free, where I finally met my first boss in the creative industry. I sent him a CV with a showreel and printed samples of my work every couple of months. Finally one day a position opened up at the company and he asked me in for an interview.

Be as open as you can be new experiences and to continue to learn.

Don't limit yourself to 'Graphic Design'. You are or can become a 'designer' of whatever you want. With the skills as a basis you can expand into product design, web design , motion graphics, architectural visualisations, interaction design....

Keep the faith in yourself. Keep feeding your passion for design, art & illustration.
There is always need for people who can make text easily readable, images look brilliant and products sought after.

Best of luck.

Please do NOT discourage yourself. You are very talented person. Every where you go (coffee shop, meeting with friends, visiting your HS.. etcc) sell yourself tell them what you do, what you learn, what inspires you. Tell them what you love to see in the furture. I would suggest to maybe post your art online. Theres a website that you can post your gragphic designs, Try find a local stores that make signs; its a start (ex: UPS STORE OR FEDEX) these stores makes signs for business. Maybe you can expand your horizon working in different states. Good Luck.

Graphic Design can be a very rewarding profession. I have a few friends in the profession. One of which works for a casino. The title of Graphic Designer can open up so many options. Start to look outside of the box. For example look into Advertising/Marketing. I know another person who is a Graphic Designer that designs football helmets. Put the research and time in when picking a college or career area to go into. You might find that you really enjoy other factors in an industry.

A professional creative career can be very rewarding, and one of the main reasons for that is because you really have to discover your own path. This takes time and energy and a whole lot of trial and error! Consider all of the ways that design impacts people's lives – and then point yourself at the things you care about most. You may have to do some pretty boring or unseemly stuff to get started, but never take your eyes off the things you're passionate about. For me, it was interactive design – anything that created a connection between people. Music is also very important to me. Over the years I've made a living doing both, sometimes simultaneously!

And unlike many other professions, in creative the cream usually rises to the top – talent and collaborative ability will take you far.
Some "designers" make the mistake of believing that the work they do alone in a room with their computer is what they get paid for. The truth is, that's only small part of it. To make a living, you have to transform yourself into a great collaborator; you need to work with technologists and marketers and engineers and anyone else who is bringing products and services into the world.

So make finding great collaborative partners a priority. Couple that with persistent practice in your craft, and you'll make a living.
And remember, it isn't about making huge cash. It's about being happy!