Do we really need the CIW Certifications?

Discussion in 'CIW Certifications' started by nellyp123, Jun 25, 2007.

  1. nellyp123

    nellyp123 Byte Poster

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    I have been studying web design for just under a year now and i have got my next exam ( IDO 520 site designer) booked up for the end of next month. I've been using the self study route using modules from prosoft and....i dont know why.....but something just dawned on me. I have been applying for jobs constantly since i have passed my foundations exam and nearlly all employers who i have spoken to on the phone have NEVER heard of the CIW certifications and when i did a job search yesterday by putting ciw in the keywords on dozens of job sites......nothing :blink

    So...do we really need to do the exams? yer obviously we need to learn the trade by using training modules and books, but is there really a bonus for holding the anonymous certificates?

    I know from reading other posts that having a cert can set you aside of other jobseekers who have'nt got the certs.

    But....is there any other way? Is there another web design certificate thats more known of then the CIW. Probally not, so why have'nt these employers heard of CIW when theres hundreds of design vacancies out there and a supposed skill's shortage in this country.:dry
    A question........! How many working web designers in this country (u.k) are CIW certified??????????? Hmmmmm.......at a guess....hardly any.

    Thought this would be a nice thread to get ya teeth into..........!!:argue
     
    Certifications: CIW Professional
  2. dee1810

    dee1810 Byte Poster

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    there is a website called CWJobs, that is quite useful.

    CIW is an american qualification, that isn't well known over here yet....
     
    Certifications: Foundations, Site Designer & JavaScript
    WIP: Server Admin, and Perl
  3. Kitkatninja
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    Yes, abit like Comptia's DHTI+ and the older version HTI+

    They are slowly starting to make their existance known - stressing the slowly part.

    -Ken
     
    Certifications: MSc, PGDip, PGCert, BSc, HNC, LCGI, MBCS CITP, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCE, A+, N+, S+, Server+
    WIP: MSc Cyber Security
  4. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    It's not even well known over here. Put quite simply, Web design companies don't want someone who has a bunch of letters behind their name... they want someone who can create Web sites. Fortunately, you can prove the skills you have by showing prospective employers what you can do, unlike network adminstrators who really have no way of demonstrating their job skills.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  5. dee1810

    dee1810 Byte Poster

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    Oh..:oops:

    You can see how easy it is to get facts wrong.
     
    Certifications: Foundations, Site Designer & JavaScript
    WIP: Server Admin, and Perl
  6. SilverWolf

    SilverWolf Bit Poster

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    Hi Guys and Girls.....well now i feel confident of my future job prospects!!!!! Bugger! :(
     
    WIP: CIW1D0-510, CIW1D0-520, CIW1D0-525
  7. JuryDuty

    JuryDuty Bit Poster

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    I think the key to finding the CIW Certification useful on a resume is to list out exactly what it is: Certified Internet Web Professional: Master Designer (in your case). In other words, don't just say CIW. This should spark curiousity, conversation and respect in the eyes of the employer, which is what will set you apart from other applicants, IMO.
     
    WIP: CIW Site Designer
  8. stuPeas

    stuPeas Megabyte Poster

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    Can't argue with that. If you think they don't know what it is, then TELL THEM:biggrin
     
    Certifications: C&G Electronic, CIW Associate (v5).
    WIP: CIW (Website Design Manager)
  9. nellyp123

    nellyp123 Byte Poster

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    What i have now been taught..( halfway through my training modules) is that the best way to attract potential employers is to create a " e-portfolio". Basically design a half decent web page with links to recent work, perhaps flash banners or web templates you have designed. Design the portfolio like you would a normal web site and have the ciw logo at the bottom, make it an image map ( clickable) with a link to the ciw web site so they could if they wanted to....read all about the certifications. Doing this will not only show what you can really do but also build up your skills.
    This is the way i am going to do it, leave the job searching for now until i am ready to show my work off. "B*****ks to em"
    :biggrin
     
    Certifications: CIW Professional
  10. CGooders

    CGooders Bit Poster

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    I like the way you think as that basically sums up what I am going to do.

    I plan on passing my Microsoft MCAD then just practice my skills on dummy sites, while in this process I will be developing my skills as I will be learning new skills. I will then further my knowledge in other various areas as in JaveScirpt, Flash etc to expand my skill set. I think doing this with no distractions, complications as in job searching is a much easier way to do things IMO.

    Just for the record, by getting CIW qualified does not mean you’re automatically ready to get a job in the Web sector. They say "nothing in life is free" and that’s exactly right, you still got to hone your skills and make sure you can present a well working and presented web site to get at least considered for a job within the industry.

    Thought I would just add that :wink:
     
    Certifications: Master CIW Designer
    WIP: Microsoft 70-305 & 70-306.
  11. nellyp123

    nellyp123 Byte Poster

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    Yep, nice one cgooders!, i like the way ya thinking. With regards to microsoft......have you looked at the "new generation" certs, like MCTS? I thinks there's a big demand for these skills ( notice i didn't just say certs! ) and i have been told ( which i am sure someone will correct me on this) is that alot of the developers who have the MCAD certs are sitting the MCTS exams as the demand is greater?

    Just thought i would get another opinion on this.

    I really wanted to become a web designer, but having been doing the training for over a year and getting advice from different people who are in the I.T industry and seeing for myself how easy it can be to publish a web site using GUI editors. Well.....it's starting to feel like a have waisted my time with learning the stuff when i could have learnt a programming language and now be a "in demand " web developer.:cry:

    So i am starting again as from next week ( Thats when i have sat my site designer IDO 520 exam) pass or fail?......web development is the path i will be taking.:D
     
    Certifications: CIW Professional
  12. CGooders

    CGooders Bit Poster

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    Well I have not really put much thought into my Microsoft certification as it was a bonus cert on my course that my tp provided.

    Nothing has changed in my mind about wanting to become a web designer, I see your point about the GUI editors but to become "in demand" you got to be good at what you choose to do, like in any job. If you get good at web design then you will be in demand IMO, thats how I hope to acheive a job in the web design industry, by becoming good with the technologies so I can produce good work relating to websites, I hope thats how it works if it does'nt then I may have to rethink :lol:.

    Just a quick question nelly, say you pass your Site Designer then that would mean you only have E-Commerce left to acheive Master CIW Designer, would seem a shame just to give it up when so close, to go to Microsoft. So in other words if you did pass Site Designer would you finish the Master CIW certification?
     
    Certifications: Master CIW Designer
    WIP: Microsoft 70-305 & 70-306.
  13. nellyp123

    nellyp123 Byte Poster

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    Well, i might do, eventually. Don’t get me wrong though, I am not giving up on web design, I’m just giving up on CIW. I have learnt alot over the last three months studying for the site designer exam and i am very close to finishing off my first web site for a DJ and music producer. So, like i said...pass or fail, it's doesn’t matter to be honest, because with regards to the microsoft certs.....i am going to stay with the web. Like design web applications and web sites in ASP. Learn a programming language like C# and really get stuck in. And hopefully in the mean time carry on designing web sites for friends, family and maybe a few paying clients.
    The reason for my attitude.....is because about three years ago i decided to start a diploma course in cartooning. It was with the cartoon academy run my "mitch" ( roy Mitchell). After completing the first 4 modules ( 12 in all ) i thought about researching the market and see what opportunities there was. What i found out was that the cartooning industry was very, very hard to break into. It was a saturated market as they say. I did the same with web design and got the same results. Anyone can spend a few months getting to know dreamweaver or FrontPage and the calling themselves web designers.
    Just having a look on the www.cwjobs.com web site and in the south east there is over five thousand vacancies for web developers with only just over a thousand for web designers.

    Yer, i agree with you about being good at web design, the more chance you have. But being good at web development with give me even more of a chance and still stay close to designing for the web.

    speak soon!
     
    Certifications: CIW Professional
  14. JuryDuty

    JuryDuty Bit Poster

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    Just to put in my two cents--I agree with CGooders, that you're so close, you ought to at least get the self study course and finish it. It'll cost you only about $250 USD for the study materials and exam voucher, and then it's on your resume for life. In other words, it's such a low cost and you're so close, it would be a shame not to finish it...especially since you only need about a 60% to pass. You can easily do that at this point, I'm sure.
     
    WIP: CIW Site Designer
  15. nellyp123

    nellyp123 Byte Poster

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    Having thought about it for a few days...yer i will be silly if i didn't finish what i started. Just needed good people like yourselfs to tell me that.

    Let you all know what the site designer exams like and if i pass.

    Cheers, nelly :biggrin
     
    Certifications: CIW Professional
  16. CGooders

    CGooders Bit Poster

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    Forgot to say in my original post, good luck with the exam nelly, I got my fingers crossed buddy.
     
    Certifications: Master CIW Designer
    WIP: Microsoft 70-305 & 70-306.
  17. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Bit of an odd thread this.
    I did CIW many years ago and have been gainfully emloyed in IT ever since, although I've earned several certs since.

    The question is, do you need ANY certs, or can you just win over an employer with your experience.

    Depends where you are in your career. Someone like Pheonix has a proven expertise with an employment history and references. Others have to get started as best they can.

    The way I read the original post is 'Is CIW magic and will it get me a job by witchcraft?'

    No. It won't, nor will any other cert.

    Bu if you apply yourself and learn, practice and revise, it will help you along the way.
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  18. IThurts

    IThurts Kilobyte Poster

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    Hello all, as you guys may have gathered, im not yet near getting started yet with my CIW foundation course, however to just use some common sense would not go amiss,

    ie: With ANY certification you get, its always a 1up to b able to showcase your works. With web design, its easier to do imho given the nature of the the work is design based.

    To me, its easier to get caught up in the worries and panic of "why should i get certified". Well to me, its obvious. You vs Joe bloggs, with Joe having a certification to his name but the same or even less experience/portfolio, the employeer will most certainly choose Joe. The certification basically to me demonstrates the ability and motivation to learn off your own back. It gives you a basis and foundation to establish yourselves in the web design world.

    Given the nature of web design, i would say that it is easy (more or less) to build a portfolio of works WHILE you work and revise and learn. So what i will be doing is essentially killing 2 birds with one stone, so learning and saving work and keeping it in one folder, ready to putin on one big a$$ webpage to show-off to potential job opps. Even if i do not do this, by the end of the exam i should have enough ability to be able to construct a webpage showing my learnings.

    What i WOULD like to know however, is what other areas of web design should be learnt? ie; FLASH?ASP.net? A list from a veteran would be great. For me i am learning the CIW foundation course...what else should i learn to make me a viable applicant?
     
    Certifications: BTEC national Diploma Computer Studies
    WIP: See Sig
  19. dmarsh
    Honorary Member 500 Likes Award

    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    Practice the fundamentals, knowing HTML, Javascript and CSS inside out and the various approaches and tradeoffs, design decisions is more important than learning the latest fashion.

    Once you've done that you can start to experiment with XSLT, Flash, Silverstream or whatever else takes your fancy...
     
  20. greenbrucelee
    Highly Decorated Member Award

    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Well put Rep given.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?

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