Layoffs...

Out of context: Reply #11

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  • Horp18

    I haven't been laid off, and I haven't been a designer since about 2006 anyway.

    However, I think the whole industry is continuing to shrink dramatically, and the reality is it will never return to the form any of us ever knew.

    I leapfrogged my way around the general creative industry for my entire career, and was finally labelled a "brand strategist" until August 2025.

    But that role was, by then, patently absurd. I'd paid off my mortgage around 6 years ago and had dabbled, between project commissions, with various things... one of which was driving for money.

    I paid the money to undertake the HGV (heavy goods vehicle / trucks) tuition and test.

    Got my license, and I now drive trucks. Signed up with an agency and I drive all kinds of trucks for a wide variety of organisations.

    I drive for the National Health Service blood donor services, and a national food distributor, and a local business that supplies building materials. Other things will come along. Driving tippers out of quarries, or doing a run to Scotland in a massive rig. I've just got started.

    The money is fine. It's less of course, but it's still more than enough.

    I like it. It has a physical aspect to it, and it brings an insane amount of new experiences. I drive long distances and see places I've never been to before.

    I quit LinkedIn ... about 6 weeks ago I guess. I'm out. I'm ex-creative industries. Life is good.

    There's so much else that one can do.

    Don't cling on to the idea that you're a designer, or a creative, or an image maker, or whatever.

    It can be more exciting being brand new and having it all to learn.

    Horp 18Permalink
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    • "I quit LinkedIn"
      Not having that self-important circle-jerk in your daily life must be liberating.      Continuity
    • We see you rollin', we likin'...
      Enjoy the freedom.      Longcopylover
    • Congrats, Horp, on your continued success. I was laid off with the rest of my team in November. For me, having no job or role in society has been a bummer.nuggler
    • Well doneGnash
    • +1 @continuity...canoe
    • Interesting take.You don't have to give up being an artist or designer though. Those can be life long passions. But 100% agree. It's a big world.falcadia
    • +100 Horp. There's a whole world of things out there where creativity still applies. I started a side gig that has evolved into branding vacation properties.aslip
    • thanks! and glad things are working out. this is inspirationalSquiddy
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