Kim

That’s a very good idea you have, offering to re-design charity websites for free.

I don’t know why they’d get so butt hurt about your offer though. =/ Guess some people are over sensitive when it comes to their work.

Good luck!

Jem

Don’t forget schools, like I mentioned.

I’d also recommend sending your CV with a link to your portfolio to all local (Telford/Shrews) design agencies explaining that you’re looking for work and experience, and asking them nicely to bear you in mind should a job opening arise with them.

Rachael

If I were running a web design studio, I would hire you.

Meggan

Internships might be another consideration. I’m not sure what they’d be like in the UK, but here in the US you can sometimes find paid internships (unpaid might be more common) at agencies. It’s nice for them because they get someone interested in learning and gaining experience that they can throw work at, and you get your foot in the door at that particular agency, who might want to hire you after your internship is up since you already know the company and their workflow. The company I work for does that, anyway.

Are you on LinkedIn? Sometimes networking is a really good way to hear about job openings or even just about companies you might want to work for in the future.

Your portfolio is super clean and organized - that’s a huge plus. In terms of projects, you can always create fictional clients who need websites to fill out your portfolio. Always disclose they are fictional - “This is an e-commerce site for a fictional shoe store called eShoes” - this will let you get a more diverse set of projects/designs without having to find actual clients. Maybe a skydiving company needs a brochure website for their services; maybe a mushroom collector wants a photo gallery website. Your Qbee site, as cute as it is, probably doesn’t belong in your professional portfolio, since it doesn’t represent client-type work - you want to feature stuff people can see themselves having on their own sites.

You have some really nice web work. Try not to get too discouraged! The economy is crap lately (at least here in the US) and it’s hard to find a good company you mesh with. I’m confident things will work out for you though - you’ve got a great eye for design and know what works and what doesn’t.

Melissa

Everyone’s made some great suggestions that I’d totally recommend too!

Maybe you can try making more themes for Wordpress or some basic CSS themes for flat HTML sites? The horror of the latter, I know…but I’ve even been thinking about doing that just to get more of something on my own ‘folio.

B.

I contacted a fanlisting of one of my favorite television shows and suggested I help them design and redecorate their site, and I said it in the most polite way possible–praising their design and giving them lots of credit for “how beautiful it is.” Even though I was lying, it was so damn ugly… they didn’t buy it.

And they never e-mailed me back.

I’m glad you are feeling (or on your way to feeling) better about this situation. You’ll get a job eventually.

Enzo

I suggest making some WP themes up for grabs first, just as Melissa suggested. Once you get a handful up and people are already using some of your themes, then you could take another step forward like by redesigning some small web hosting businesses. Some look horrible. Just take it gradually and I’m sure you’ll get there sooner or later.

Yos

yea! You make awesome wordpress themes!

It’s awesome that you’re trying hard for this And that you’re helping people out redesigning websites and stuff

Crystal

I find that after you get the word out there… people tend to flock to you.

I did several free sites for people in my school and in organizations I’ve been involved with and I was pretty much hailed as the Goddess of Web Design (which I feel bad about, because my designs aren’t that professional).

So just get involved… every time you hear the words “website” and “needs work”, volunteer to do it. They money will come to you when the time is right.

Personally speaking again… my first web design gig was a competition I entered with friends, which won us first place and $250. Then a client came to me and gave me $500 for a site that I barely finished =OO

Kristina

My school’s website is crap, but they spent ages on it
If I see a charity website that looks like it needs a hand, I’ll yell =]

Chien Yee

I’ve made several free / paid designs for people out there, but no one ever asked me for simple web works much. I do things for free most of the time, and my works never exceed $20.

And my favourite thing to do is have an exchange theme event with friends, like, you design something for another person in exchange for a design from them. It’s something to boost both portfolios