Digital Imaging and Photography → [FYI] Proficient in Corel, Not Adobe products.

I`ve been working really cheap for the last year as a Graphic/Web Design/Developer. My employer pays me to use Corel products and i learnt to use them while on the job.

I need to step it up a notch before this winter because I can no longer afford to work for such a cheap rate. How hard is it to transfer my skills to Adobe products or convince other employers that I can do what they need with Corel products?

Every ad I see for employment mentions Adobe products but not Corel. I under stand that Adobe is the standard in design work so did I screw myself by learning to use Corel instead of Adobe products? Is it wrong of me to ask my employer if i can install Adobe products at work and start using them for the sake of future employment?

I have started a online portfolio (not published yet) to show potential employers or clients some of my work. I`m hoping if I cant learn to use Adobe products soon that my portfolio will speak for itself and convince them I can do what they need with Corel.

Come this winter I will have two years of design experience under my belt (pretty much internship at a low hourly rate). I have a degree in computer technology but up till my current employer I had never touched a graphic design program so I`m looking to land a job solely from my current employment experience.

What say you?

you will need to learn the Adobe products, plain and simple.
There is no substitute in the pro world, no way could you "convince" a serious employer that Corel would be ok.

Some concepts and techniques you will not have to learn from the ground up, since you have some foundation with the Corel products, just not all of them.

I wouldn't say you screwed yourself by learning the Corel stuff first, but doesn't mean you can skip the nitty gritty of the Adobe products.

It's kinda like saying, I know Adobe InDesign so I dont need to learn QuarkXPress. when in truth you need both.

Working with printing press requirements is where Adobe is king.

My advice, start with downloading the 30 day adobe demo's one at a time and learn the basics and work your way up.

Either spend a few bucks for »www.lynda.com or »www.kelbytraining.com or college courses in graphic design.

lynda.com provides a 7 day free trial btw.

I honestly didn't know Corel still had products

Ya they just came out with a CorelDraw X6. Great software and half the price of Adobe stuff. =-p Pricing the Adobe stuff is insane...

A lady friend of mine was into almost production-grade embroidery. At the time I was quite surprised to learn that Corel was big time into that market. They still are: »www.corel.com/corel/page ··· eCode=en