New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
Illustrator Certification Advice!
Posted by Coe in
1 Jul 2009 — 7:29am
1 Jul 2009 — 7:29am
I’m looking to get my certification in Adobe Illustrator as a way to help pad my resume and squeeze some more money out of work (they give raises for certifications). I just want to know what training materials would be helpful to prepare. As I understand it, these Adobe exams are similar to the Microsoft Certifications in that there are two answers that are “technically” right for each question, but only one is the “Adobe” way. I need something that will give me a stronger grasp of the “Adobe” way. Thanks a ton!
User login
Support our Sponsors
1 Jul 2009 — 9:39am
There is an “Adobe” way?
Not sure I'd consider hiring a designer who were he to boast doing things the “Adobe” way :D
_____________________________________________
Personal Art and Design Portal of Ivan Gulkov
www.ivangdesign.com
1 Jul 2009 — 10:05am
Like I said, a means to an end. The "Adobe" way, like the "Microsoft" way, has a tendency to be tedious and long-handish, though I think the idea is that it saves time over the long haul. I certainly wouldn't expect people to hire someone because they have good workflow. Again, being certified looks good on a resume, but mostly I'm gunning for a bit of a raise.
1 Jul 2009 — 10:47am
How about you check with Adobe themselves?
http://www.adobe.com/support/certification/ace.htmla
"Give yourself a promotion. Become Adobe Certified."
1 Jul 2009 — 11:23am
Yeah, Adobe was the first place I went. I guess I'm really just looking for perspectives from people who may have taken Adobe exams. Like what Adobe materials they found to be most useful.
2 Jul 2009 — 6:44am
I took the Photoshop exam, but many years ago. I didn't find anything that hit "the Adobe Way" but there were questions that expected you to know what the menu item for Copy was, and under what menu, even though everyone knows that Ctrl/Cmd C will get you there without knowing anything about the menus.
As for training, I downloaded the exam learning objectives, which were about eight pages, maybe 50 to 100 objectives, and then went through each objective and made sure I could do exactly what it wanted me to be able to do. (I should have expanded that to be "do exactly what it wanted me to be able to do ... in every way possible").
I think back then it cost me $150 to take the exam. This investment has resulted in a net gain of $0 income to me in the 10/12 years since. (I was certified in Photoshop 5 ... and I think they are in Photoshop 11 now).
2 Jul 2009 — 10:30am
Gotcha. Thanks for the perspective. The only reason I'm taking the test is for the guaranteed raise, I fully understand it doesn't really say anything about my worth as a person or as a designer.