I had a long discussion with a job recruiter here in the Chicagoland area not long ago that suggested I might see more job opportunities come my way if I were to place my focus on 3D applications other than Inventor.
Might there be some truth in that statement? Based on job openings in the Chicagoland area that you've come across, might changing software increase my chances for employment?
Any information that would provide a sense of how popular Inventor is in the Chicagoland area would be most helpful and enlightening.
Greater Grand Rapids, MI area. Majority of jobs ask for SolidWorks/ProEngineer/Inventor (or just plain AutoCAD); there are a few that ask for Unigraphics based software.
My advice would be to hit up a good job search engine like Indeed.com and throw out the names of the various software packages, or throw out mechanical designer and look at the postings to see if software is mentioned and compare that way.
For example, current job opening results in St. Louis:
AutoCAD 152
Revit 54
Inventor 7
Catia 11
Solidworks 35
I can't help but wonder how many of those AutoCAD postings are for "AutoCAD Inventor" or other quirky combinations. Those doing the posting aren't always the most product savvy. I know our executives can't wrap their heads around the concept of separate versions of AutoCAD, a third-party application, DWG format, and vertical content format.
@dgorsman wrote:I can't help but wonder how many of those AutoCAD postings are for "AutoCAD Inventor" or other quirky combinations. Those doing the posting aren't always the most product savvy. I know our executives can't wrap their heads around the concept of separate versions of AutoCAD, a third-party application, DWG format, and vertical content format.
Unfortunately for me, recruiters also have problems describing software to contractors. Just last week I was sent on a job interview via a placement firm for an Inventor job. After spending quite a bit of time reviewing prints, I asked the 64 dollar question; "what format are your drawings in?" While some were PDF's, most were AutoCAD files with solid models within Model Space. The client had specifically noted to the recruiter "AutoCAD Solids" yet the recruiter understood Inventor models. That interview cost me 3 billable hours at my current assignment! The second interviewee was given the assignment. While traveling to my current job assignment, I talked with the recruiter. He apparently thought the two applications were the same! As I ended the conversation I was told by the recruiter that they would try again to find assignments for me. Now I've got to worry that each time I interview for assignments with this particular placement company, that I'm provided with the correct information about what software will be used! For the love of Pete, get your facts and software applications straight! Sheesh!
@Anonymous wrote:
@dgorsman wrote:I can't help but wonder how many of those AutoCAD postings are for "AutoCAD Inventor" or other quirky combinations. Those doing the posting aren't always the most product savvy. I know our executives can't wrap their heads around the concept of separate versions of AutoCAD, a third-party application, DWG format, and vertical content format.
Unfortunately for me, recruiters also have problems describing software to contractors. Just last week I was sent on a job interview via a placement firm for an Inventor job. After spending quite a bit of time reviewing prints, I asked the 64 dollar question; "what format are your drawings in?" While some were PDF's, most were AutoCAD files with solid models within Model Space. The client had specifically noted to the recruiter "AutoCAD Solids" yet the recruiter understood Inventor models. That interview cost me 3 billable hours at my current assignment! The second interviewee was given the assignment. While traveling to my current job assignment, I talked with the recruiter. He apparently thought the two applications were the same! As I ended the conversation I was told by the recruiter that they would try again to find assignments for me. Now I've got to worry that each time I interview for assignments with this particular placement company, that I'm provided with the correct information about what software will be used! For the love of Pete, get your facts and software applications straight! Sheesh!
~cringe~ Ouch.
Yeah, that's going to be a problem any time you've got an inbetween type, whether a recruiter, HR, or both. Heck, sometimes the hiring manager doesn't even know.
I had rejected an architect's files for cad standards non-compliance a few years back, and neither the manager nor the drafter realized they were using ACA instead of vanilla AutoCAD.
And, during a series of interviews I had last year, I was getting pretty excited and thinking I was a great fit and was going to be hired... until they gave me a SQL test. You wanna know exactly how many times SQL had been mentioned in the job ad, the initial documents I was given to review and in the interviews? None. Yet, it was considered by the hiring manager to be essential to the role.
Wasted a heck of a lot of everybody's time. (Still, I'd used SQL in college, just hadn't in awhile and couldn't pass their test. I might've been able to study up if given the chance.)
@Mistress0fTheDorkness wrote:~cringe~ Ouch.
Yeah, that's going to be a problem any time you've got an inbetween type, whether a recruiter, HR, or both. Heck, sometimes the hiring manager doesn't even know.
I had rejected an architect's files for cad standards non-compliance a few years back, and neither the manager nor the drafter realized they were using ACA instead of vanilla AutoCAD.
And, during a series of interviews I had last year, I was getting pretty excited and thinking I was a great fit and was going to be hired... until they gave me a SQL test. You wanna know exactly how many times SQL had been mentioned in the job ad, the initial documents I was given to review and in the interviews? None. Yet, it was considered by the hiring manager to be essential to the role.
Wasted a heck of a lot of everybody's time. (Still, I'd used SQL in college, just hadn't in awhile and couldn't pass their test. I might've been able to study up if given the chance.)
I feel your pain, Melanie!
Another related nit to pick I have with recruiters and job posters has to do with identfying what version of software is being used at the job location. Very few jobs I've come across bother to post the current version of the software that's being used! Each year the 100+ CAD packages available to the public change, sometimes incrementally, other times drastically. I find knowing what version of software that's being used a valuable tool for several reasons:
1) It provides me with a technological litmus test. I tend to stay away from jobs where AutoCAD R13 is being used, as an example. I shudder to think why would software that old would still be used? I've been in several situations where during the interview I was asked why 5+ year old software can't do the same things that the latest version of the same software can do. Back in the day, my AutoCAD R13 skill-set was quite extensive. I certainly couldn't say that today!
2) It helps me prepare for the assignment to which I've been hired for. Not every engineering department has the latest version of software installed. As of today, I don't imagine that there are many early corporate adaptors of Inventor 2014. While getting ready to start a new assignment, you'll find me at my computer re-acquainting myself with the earlier version of the software that the client uses. I don't want to be fiddling around looking for icons or typing commands that aren't available with the older software.
In conclusion, knowing exactly what software and what version is being used, goes a long way in finding contractors that have the required skill-set to successfully complete their job assignments.
I'll bet even money that we'll see not to long from now a post in the AutoCAD forum why AutoCAD R9 can't get installed on Windows 8.
I'm afraid that too many upper-management types still chant the following mantra "There is no ROI to calculate when you make 15 year old drafting software available to your engineering staff". In second place is "Is the latest version really that much easier to use or that much more efficient since we upgraded to AutoCAD 2001?"
yeah the places (with old software) are dangerous and i hope people do not apply/work there. If they cannot afford to buy some new software/hardware, they can't afford to pay employees! I dunno why it's so difficult to buy new hardware/software unless the company is non-profit or about to go under. My engineers/workers all routinely ask to renew subscriptions or buy all sorts of things, and I'll automatically say yes. Sometimes I'll say "sure, but must ask for a discount first" and when the new quote/email shows up i'll sign it. The other day an engineer wanted a new workstation (his old one was already plenty fast/good but that's ok... there's a rule here that engineers get all the biggest/baddest computers). So he picked/named all the parts and showed me. I said no... must upgrade the commercial Radeon video card to a Fire Pro workstation card that's on the SW approved list. Then instead of a 7200 RPM drive, had him put in an Intel SSD (good capacity/size), even faster i7 IB-type processor, and then approved it. It was too easy. But it doesn't help with all the product bugs or project delays though lol.