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I'm a Graphic Designer in a Digital marketing and design agency startup (8 months experience). I'm the only designer there. 1 person for copy writing and 1 director (not art director) who checks my designs. No senior designer or art director.

Whenever we have to make social media designs/ads (4-5) for weekly campaigns, I research, brainstorm the ideas, how can it promote product, how it can affect market, what should be the message (rough ideas about copies to be written. They write copies based on my designs, i.e., the actual message of campaign is decided after I have made the designs.) present the ideas to content team and director. The only thing they say is, "Yes, try that".

Most of them time it works. But sometimes once in a month it doesn't work easily. I have to work hard and smarter a lot.

Consider my current situation. I presented my concepts to my director, and he agreed. I made those designs, he rejected them in a minute. Because his mind was saying that I should have done in a different way like we had done earlier. Okay, for the current product it wasn't much possible to do that way. So I researched more ideas. And I presented 2nd approach and he said try that. It was rejected again. I was told again to think more.

I've spent 3 days (though effective time is around 15 hours on it, I spent other time on other design works).

I see no intent or support from my director and content team (whether I should get this support from them or not, I'm not sure yet).

Even if I ask from them about such hint or little direction, they don't say something helpful and specific. Their replies are almost same: "Just research what others are doing", which I'm already doing. But that has also been rejected, because they don't know much about design (admitted in the past unknowingly).

Without thinking much, I said, I'll try again.

Then they behave like: You've spent so much time already. 3 days. What's going on. Why don't you think what's going to actually work at the beginning only?

One more thing: What my director approves for such campaigns has 50-50 percent chances of being approved and rejected by client.

At this point, I find myself in a dilemma. I start doubting my skills as a Graphic Designer.

I know and believe in myself, that with a few more tries and possible direction (which way you should proceed, what things you can try, just a little hint), I can design what will work for my director.

(If you'd like to know the exact design problem, to understand this question better you can read HERE. I explained it on Graphic Design SE).

Given that all, I know there is a fault somewhere. Which can be related to following things:

1. My director/content team should give me some hint and a bit idea, at least about one design, when something isn't working even after researching




2. There should be an art director (I think art director can give a bit hint that I'm talking about. I don't know much about their responsibilities much)




3. As I'm only Graphic Designer there, I should take whole responsibility and blame myself there. Or I should quit graphic design.




4. I'm in a wrong startup among wrong people.




5. They are using me as Art Director + Graphic Designer (if this is the case, please comment)




6. Something else that I don't know

I'm not afraid how many times they reject, and how many times I need to re work on them. I feel bad only when I have to doubt about my design skills, I'm hold responsible and blamed for all (time spent, rejections), without any support and a direction to begin solving the problem.

The question is: As a Graphic Designer in a digital marketing and design agency, do I have to deal with it, doesn't matter it's too bad for you and your self esteem? Or there's something else which can be improved, and which can improve whole situation?

PS: Kindly edit the topics, if there can be any better.