Community
AutoCAD Forum
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Will AutoCAD Certification help me get my first drafting job?

11 REPLIES 11
Reply
Message 1 of 12
jordanrichards320
1946 Views, 11 Replies

Will AutoCAD Certification help me get my first drafting job?

Hi all, I've been self-studying AutoCAD with a student license the last few months, and I'm wondering if employers would hire someone whose only experience drafting is the time they spent learning and an AutoCAD Professional Certificate. 

Is it worth the money ($150)?

 

Thanks in advance!

Labels (1)
11 REPLIES 11
Message 2 of 12
Patchy
in reply to: jordanrichards320

Nope,

If they want you, they will train you, if they don't, they will say we're hiring experienced person.

Message 3 of 12

If you aren't going to miss the 150.00 - Id get it done.  It can only be a plus on a resume.

 

 

Message 4 of 12

Look into government contracting with the Navy (in particular, as it is my current field for 10+ years as a mechanical drafter). If there is a spot hiring, normally there is a drafting or engineering group willing to help train you. I've only had an Associate's Degree ever since my first job as a Drafter, but everything I know has come from OTJ training and learning the program for customers. Definitely worth the 150.

Please be kind, rewind your exploding. Do not explode hatching, dimensions or text. Think of your fellow drafters! 🙂

https://www.youracclaim.com/badges/9aa4a1d5-0d02-4888-be6f-ed8f0653d8ad/public_url
Message 5 of 12
RobDraw
in reply to: jordanrichards320

It can help if there is a lot of competition for jobs in your area. The problem is it doesn't say that you are any more qualified than the next guy. It just means that you know the software. 


Rob

Drafting is a breeze and Revit doesn't always work the way you think it should.
Message 6 of 12
apjones
in reply to: jordanrichards320

It also illustrates that you are willing to take the initiative and invest in yourself.

Pete

>Please Accept as Solution and give Kudos as appropriate to further enhance these forums. Thank you!
Message 7 of 12

It won't hurt you to get certified; it also will not guarantee employment. 

Message 8 of 12

Typically, for students breaking into the job market, you get someone in a ‘key position’ to read your resume then he offers you an interview. (A key position doesn’t have to be a VIP hiring manager, it could be your future immediate supervisor.) If the job opening generates a ton of responses, typical when posted in a hiring service, then your cover letter (goes hand-in-hand w/the resume) puts your resume in the keep pile while the remaining resumes get discarded. 

The resume and cover letter play a critical role and yes, everyone understands it’s not totally fair b/c qualified applicants can get shafted while under qualified ones stay alive and proceed in the hiring process. It’s the game, and you, the applicant, gotta play it. 

The key is to stand out and showcase your ability at the same time. And all this must occur within the parameters of a cover letter and resume. 

 

If you get an invite, create a portfolio of hardcopies and bring it to the interview. Neatly organize them. And no, a paperclip or staple doesn’t count as organization.  If they’re D-size drawings you can make half sized copies, just get them printed on paper. And by all means create a professional looking titleblock complete with a fictitious firm name and address (shows your ‘creativity’ in a subliminal way). 

Less than 5% of entry level applicants create a portfolio so if standing out is your goal, and it should be, be prepared and create one. 

So which applicant gets hired? 

  • One applicant writes a cover letter to accompany his resume that grabs the reader’s attention so he can’t put it down until he’s finished reading it while a second applicant doesn’t even write one. 
  • One applicant brings copies of plans, elevations, cross sections, orthos and details to the interview while another goes empty handed. 
  • One applicant has printed homework assignments printed within a titleblock so it looks like work product while another writes a bulleted list of drawings he can draw.

Given the hypotheticals above, how do you think a firm would weigh the importance of a certificate?

Chicagolooper
Message 9 of 12

Look at several job posting websites, like Indeed, Monster, etc, and search for "Certification".  You'll find very very few list AutoCAD certification.  

Meanwhile, be prepared to "audition", by drawing something handed to you, and answer questions about it.  I applied for teaching job and had to proof I know what limits tolerancing was.  

Message 10 of 12

What I believe is that Certifications can give us an Edge over others. If you are going for an Interview, you may have some slight advantage over the others. But if you are not able to answer what the interviewer is asking you, even the certificate won't help you get a Job. 

 

It depends on what you know. And also, if you don't have a Certification, but have a Good Experience with the Software, maybe without a Certificate, you can get a Good Job...

Thanks and Regards,


Rushabh Thakkar.


Please use the Accept Solution button to mark any posts that provide the answer or solution. 


Likes are always welcome.


LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook.      


                        


 


 

Message 11 of 12

No. If you will work as a designer, you need certification. An AutoCAD draftsman creates a package of working documentation with Autodesk AutoCAD software: prepares working documentation on the basis of 3D models and planning decisions, makes drawings, draws details, draws up specifications. Can interact with the client, travel to the site for measurements, communicate with related specialists (visualizers, engineers, builders). If you look at Ratings IT companies, you will notice different requirements for specialties.

Message 12 of 12

@jordanrichards320  Yes, definetily.  Technically speaking that job title is called CAD Operator since you haven't actually followed a Drafting Course.  I have met plenty of CAD operators throughout my career.  Go for it. 

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report

”Boost