Automobile designers are niche professionals who specialize in designing vehicles. They spend most of their work day in an office creating concepts and designs using CAD or computer-aided design programs. The vehicles they design must be acceptable both in appearance and performance.
A bachelor's degree in industrial design or engineering is the basic qualification required to become an automobile designer. Doing an internship will help you grasp the finer nuances of the job and also help you build your portfolio, both of which will boost your employability. A solid understanding of vehicle mechanics and performance is essential. Automobile designers must also have excellent precision, organizational, mechanical and time-management skills.
At the interview, your interviewer will want to see your portfolio of work. This is where doing an internship will give you the competitive edge as it will help to build your portfolio. They will also want to know whether you have experience working with the CAD program and whether you can work independently or with a team during different phases of the conceptualizing and designing aspects. It is very important to let your passion for automobile designing show through when answering any questions the interviewer asks you. Rehearsing answers to some of the more commonly asked questions can help you answer more confidently. You can find these frequently asked questions at Mock Questions.