I was fired today after more than a year at a web agency, shortly after going through a breakup, so I'm feeling pretty lost. I have around six years of experience and have completed more than 90 projects, including some complex custom builds. However, my most recent role gradually became repetitive WordPress work: choosing templates, copying them onto client domains, and replacing the text and images. The company also used screen recording, offered little opportunity to learn, and eventually started cutting staff when business slowed down.
I took the job because I needed income, but I ignored the warning signs and now feel frustrated that my experience ended with such limited work. I don't want to keep competing for poorly paid agency jobs or continue doing basic template implementations. I'd like to move toward a stronger, more stable development career by learning a modern stack, but I'm unsure what direction makes sense and whether AI will reduce opportunities in that area. What would be a practical next step for someone with my background?
2 Answers
You’re not starting from zero. Six years and 90-plus projects is useful experience, even if the latest job underused your skills. Separate the urgent problem from the long-term one: first stabilize your income and apply for roles using your existing strengths, then build toward the kind of work you actually want.
For your portfolio, focus on a few substantial case studies rather than listing every template site. Highlight the custom builds, technical decisions, performance improvements, integrations, and results. Pick one direction—such as React with TypeScript and a modern backend, or a more specialized area like testing, accessibility, or performance—and build one or two polished projects around it. A focused portfolio and clear explanation of your past work will help you move beyond low-end agency roles.
Don’t pressure yourself to discover your life’s calling immediately. You’ve just lost both a job and a relationship, so the short-term goal is to land on your feet. A job can simply provide income while you decide what you want to pursue.
At the same time, treat this as useful information: you now know that constant monitoring, no skill growth, and repetitive template work are deal-breakers for you. When interviewing, ask what percentage of the role involves custom development, how engineers learn, how projects are staffed, and why the position is open. That can help you avoid accepting another role with the same problems.
You’re right—I probably need a practical plan first instead of trying to solve my entire career while I’m still dealing with the shock.
That makes sense. I think I’ve been treating the last job as proof that my whole experience is worthless, instead of separating the company’s work from what I’ve actually learned.