All the jobs I see as 'suitable', I've applied for...graduate job seeker

I am looking for creative 'Junior' (Graphic Design or Artworker) roles, however, I look on reed, Indeed,TotalJobs, and basically see all of the same jobs I've applied too.

Either I've applied, or they are new job specs just re-written and advertised through umpteen different recruitment firms.

I appreciate that perhaps there is a large pool of jobs I haven't applied for, because I don't have the experience they require or that it isn't specific to my career path.

That aside, it is increasingly frustrating to go on these jobsites and find that they are very limited. Or just spew out the same jobs just rewritten or reposted.

It's gotten to the point, I check jobsites almost daily, I email recruitment firms directly with my CV, I check LinkedIn. But they are the same jobs or jobs that are Senior-Mid level.

What other solutions is there? Anybody else feel like this?

Hiya! Sad to hear your job search isn't going well You are trying to break into a very competitive industry, so there are probably loads of applicants for every junior role.

Have you tried contacting companies of interest directly? Smaller companies may not advertise their job openings on graduate job boards, or may not even realise where their business could use a graphic designer until you get in touch with them and offer your services You may find that you need to do some work experience first to demonstrate to companies what value you could provide.

You could also try building up more of a portfolio through freelancing and voluntary work, thus enabling you to stand out from other applicants or even apply for more senior roles.

Yeah it's not going so great sadly! I graduated a year ago today in fact, and although it could be worse, I've had let's say three interviews from then up to current day- so only a handful.

I haven't signed up to every single agency in my area per se, but that is because half of them don't actually get back to you, when they do its to tell you they have no suitable vacancies.

I went through a phase were I emailed small firms, some got back to me others didn't- but I can keep trying with that!

My portfolio consists of unpaid freelance work (where I offered to provide business layout design for business cards, letterheads), only to be told they didn't like it, and therefore the project fell of face of the earth. Additionally, I have some voluntary work for a horticultural agency, charity work and some university work.

I am on the lookout for freelance jobs, and also creating fake (hypothetical design work), but ideally I'd like to be getting paid for the real deal.

Thanks for your response