Should I Quit My Job While Transitioning from Digital Marketing to Brand Design?

Dear Yvonne,

I'm finding my current job quite uninspiring. It seems to be more of a routine where I just clock in and out. Additionally, I'm handling all aspects of content creation, ideas generation, and marketing strategy on my own, except for design work. This workload can be quite overwhelming and exhausting. I'm hesitant about exploring other job opportunities within the same role because I'm worried that I might not meet expectations.

On a different note, I'm interested in transitioning my career from digital marketing to brand design. I'm starting from scratch by learning graphic design, and I'm actively searching for internship opportunities to gain experience in this new field. However, I'm at a point where I want to leave my current job, but I'm worried about being jobless as I haven't secured any internship opportunities yet to grow in my desired career path.

What advice do you have for me in this situation?

Yvonne says,

This sounds like you are facing both an emotional and professional dilemma that can be overwhelming but also a big opportunity to redefine your path. I would advise that you first evaluate your current situation thoroughly - what is missing from your current role, and can you communicate your needs? Ensure you can also maintain financial stability through this transition so you don’t increase the level of overwhelm you already feel - consider short-term flexibility in your current role to help you transition. Continue building the skills you need to transition into Brand design and be honest with assessing yourself. Creating a portfolio can also really help you land roles faster and showcase your skills without any formal brand design experience.

Then, pursue internship opportunities strategically - leverage your marketing experience, network intelligently and don’t stop applying for as many roles as possible. Also, try to bridge the gap between digital marketing and brand design - volunteer for design projects while still in your current role, and possibly look out for hybrid roles that combine marketing and design (e.g. marketing designer or visual content creator). To do all this, you need to address your self-doubt as well - shift your mindset and accept that you are going through a learning curve, celebrate progress over perfection, and manage the ‘imposter syndrome’ effectively through affirmations.

Finally, set a timeline and plan your exit. Stay flexible enough to balance your career transition with security. Good luck with your transition!