For many digital artists, the clearest and most direct path to a job is through a certified training program. This makes sense, as these programs are often connected with the industry and have impressive curriculums designed to maximise a student's chance of success. Unfortunately, not all training programs are created equal and a single piece of paper isn't always enough.
This is why we created Certified Digital Artist. To help digital artists gain a competitive edge in the job market by demonstrating your mastery of core creative media skills.
Is my degree enough to get a job?
There are thousands of schools, colleges and training providers to choose from. The top schools in the world regularly have employment rates of 90% or more which means they are teaching the right skills, and correctly preparing their students for production. However, this doesn't mean that those students all landed jobs with their first interview. It's quite the opposite.
For most junior artists trying to land their first job, it can take quite some time and this is where a Certified Digital Artist accreditation comes into play and changes the game.
Sure, you may have graduated from a top school. They have all the right connections to industry, their lecturers are working in the industry and their list of alumni is most blowing. The problem is, this doesn't guarantee you success or even a direct route into the job of your dreams.
What it means is that you do have completed high level training and have proven yourself to your school. What it doesn't prove is whether an independent panel of industry professionals feel the same. It also doesn't often adequately prove these skills beyond basic capabilities following tutorials and basic software competencies.
Demonstrate your skills, don't showcase them
When you apply to become a Certified Digital Artist, you are forced to break down your skills and demonstrate your competencies related to the job. Why does this matter? It matters more than you can imagine because you only get one chance to impress a recruiter and prove that you truly understand the job you are applying for, and how to handle all key tasks and responsibilities.
The trap most graduates fall into is relying on their degree and showing a glossy piece of paper and their digital showreel. This gets you in the door, but often it results in leaving the recruitment teams with countless unanswered questions or concerns about your abilities as an entry-level artist.
This is where a Certified Digital Artist can help. By unlocking this additional accreditation, you are clearly and indisputably proving that you are capable and competent in all required skills. The added benefit is that your demo reel will be more focused on "demonstrating" and breaking down your skills for analysis, rather than only showing glossy finished shots with no information, or forgetting to include important skills and competencies that a recruiter really wants to see.
Making a recruiters life easier, is a smart decision
No matter how accredited or impressive your training institute is, there is no guarantee of success. Just like in video games, you need to beat the final boss, in this case the Recruitment Manager.
By no means are they are scary as most final bosses, but they do play a role in your future success at the company, and whether you have made the right impression to get that first interview.
Having a degree at a reputable training institute is a great way to get through the first level. All recruiters have great relationships with top schools and colleges. They know from experience that you are being taught the right skills and have access to top quality trainers. However, your degree will never guarantee you a job.
Combine this with a Certified Digital Artist accreditation, and you have suddenly done all the hard work for a recruiter. Let me explain why.
No matter what your school or type of degree, a recruiter will always need to vett your skills and spend a large amount of time reviewing your work and trying to decipher your skills. Then there is the issue of "soft skills" or what we like to call "life skills". A recruiter needs to conduct an interview to get an idea how personable and friendly you are. Once again this takes time and effort.
When you start to consider the workload placed on recruitment teams, you start to appreciate the benefits that are associated with receiving a job application from a graduate that is also a Certified Digital Artist. To them, this instantly means:
- you have been means tested and approved by a third-party panel of industry experts, rather than only your school or college which completely removes any bias from your degree or diploma
- you have demonstrated you have the right "soft skills" to conduct a successful interview and handle tough questions
- you have demonstrated and proven that you truly understand each key skill and competency required for an entry-level role
- you have targeted your job application to a specific skill or range of skills which means a recruiter can allocate you as a potential hire based on their crewing needs for upcoming projects.
- you are motivated and proactive when it comes to levelling up your skills and doing whatever it takes to differentiate yourself from other applicants.
- you are 100% worth following up with and inviting in for an interview.
The choice is yours, and yours only
We don't believe that every students must become a Certified Digital Artist. Our objectives with this initiative is not to add another barrier to entry for artists. It's the exact opposite.
The goal of this accreditation is to help students:
- improve their resume and level up their LinkedIn profiles
- stand out in the crowd when applying for the same job
- build confidence and validate their own skills and competencies
So at this point, you have two choices. Apply to become a Certified Digital Artist, or use this open source archive of information to personally cross-check your skills against the list of associated skills. Both choices will get you closer to your goal of beating the final boss, and landing that first job.