How to get a job as an electronic engineer

[ah ffs]

I remember a discussion I had over a CV. I refused to interview a bloke and my boss wanted to know why as he thought the CV was ok. I pointed out that I didn't want anyone that used the word "eclectic" on a CV when he clearly didn't know what it meant. Such little things are the difference between getting an interview and not.

You wrote off a candidate for a single word in their resume? That's a bit strong isn't it?

When you've got a couple of hundred CVs with perhaps twenty useful candidates in them, it gets to the point where you need to whittle it down to a number suitable to interview. I don't want to interview more than five for each position open, so need to lose fifteen. On such small things major decisions are made.

Fair call. Just seems like a trivial reason to disqualify someone. Especially considering your boss deemed them OK.
Think I'll go have another look at my resume. There's probably a heap a words giving recruiters the sh*ts.

[Kohanbash]

I remember a discussion I had over a CV. I refused to interview a bloke and my boss wanted to know why as he thought the CV was ok. I pointed out that I didn't want anyone that used the word "eclectic" on a CV when he clearly didn't know what it meant. Such little things are the difference between getting an interview and not.

You wrote off a candidate for a single word in their resume? That's a bit strong isn't it?

When you've got a couple of hundred CVs with perhaps twenty useful candidates in them, it gets to the point where you need to whittle it down to a number suitable to interview. I don't want to interview more than five for each position open, so need to lose fifteen. On such small things major decisions are made.

Fair call. Just seems like a trivial reason to disqualify someone. Especially considering your boss deemed them OK.
Think I'll go have another look at my resume. There's probably a heap a words giving recruiters the sh*ts.

It some times works the other way around also. We have brought people in for an interview just because we liked a specific word (or their email address) from their resume.

[nctnico]

Its difficult to vet people just from their resumes. I've worked with people who knew shit about programming and still got hired as a programmer.  Since then I introduced tests so people can at least show they have actual knowledge.

[Icarus]

@AndyC_772: I have another interview tomorrow. I'll use your valuable advices. Thank you.

[AndyC_772]

Good luck 

[AndrejaKo]

@AndyC_772: I have another interview tomorrow. I'll use your valuable advices. Thank you.

Try to make a detailed list of things they asked you and how you responded and post it so we can analyze it.

We already had the honesty example. Perhaps there's something more that we've missed.

[KJDS]

Things I'm looking for when interviewing graduates.

Enthusiasm
A sense of humour
An understanding of basic electronic principals
A ability to learn

Fail on those top two and I don't care if you have the potential to be a genius. No manager wants to manage a prima donna. It's something tolerable when the prima donna is already experienced and capable of bringing a great deal to the table, because by that stage they'll be mostly working on their own, but for a grad role you need to show you can contribute.

In any team project, some of the tasks are the equivalent of cleaning the toilet. As someone that's worked as a contractor for the last decade I'd done my share of them but they are equally likely to end up with a new graduate. If an interviewee can't show enthusiasm about dealing with everything they will have to undertake, and can't demonstrate a sense of humour especially when things go wrong then I don't want them on the team.

As far as the technical side goes, what is really important is not what the answers are but how they are answered. If you don't know something then say so, don't procrastinate or prevaricate and whatever you do don't bullshit. Crisp, clear and concise answers are all that are needed. If a question is asked which you know a lot about, cover the basics and then ask if they want more detail. Don't spend five minutes explaining one leaf on one tree when they ask you the shape of the forest.

[Icarus]

Folks, finally I've got a job as a design engineer
Everyone who show me guidence and support, Thank you very much.

[AndyC_772]

Excellent news, well done 

[BBQ]

Alright, i managed to get a short internship at a hospitals technical division! Hopefully it will lead to something more permanent.

[BBQ]

Hi guys,

I have a job now at an electronic manufacturing services company. It is a trial employment.
Not strictly as an engineer, but it is interesting anyways.

Good times, hopefully they will last.

[Psi]

Everybody told me "be honest in the interviews". I belive that's a terrible idea.

It really does depend on who you're talking to.

If it's a manager/HR person you need to avoid the absolute truth and instead say what they expect to hear, or at least filter your responses to be more "business like*.

But if you're speaking to an engineer, or someone more hands-on, then the truth will usually be better received than business jargon.

I'm oversimplifying it a little, other factors come into it and you have to make a judgement call on which way you should go.

There's ways to "phrase" the truth so you don't seem like a dick.

[KJDS]

Everybody told me "be honest in the interviews". I belive that's a terrible idea.

It really does depend on who you're talking to.

If it's a manager/HR person you need to avoid the absolute truth and instead say what they expect to hear, or at least filter your responses to be more "business like*.

But if you're speaking to an engineer, or someone more hands-on, then the truth will usually be better received than business jargon.

I'm oversimplifying it a little, other factors come into it and you have to make a judgement call on which way you should go.

There's ways to "phrase" the truth so you don't seem like a dick.

There is a difference between truth and tact. It may be true that the woman interviewing you is ugly, and it may be that being truthful is good, but. ...

[Psi]

Everybody told me "be honest in the interviews". I belive that's a terrible idea.

It really does depend on who you're talking to.

If it's a manager/HR person you need to avoid the absolute truth and instead say what they expect to hear, or at least filter your responses to be more "business like*.

But if you're speaking to an engineer, or someone more hands-on, then the truth will usually be better received than business jargon.

I'm oversimplifying it a little, other factors come into it and you have to make a judgement call on which way you should go.

There's ways to "phrase" the truth so you don't seem like a dick.

There is a difference between truth and tact. It may be true that the woman interviewing you is ugly, and it may be that being truthful is good, but. ...

Yep, tact comes into it, but i cant think of any real situation where a woman interviewing you would expect you to make comments on her looks.

If she actually did come out and ask "do you find me hot or ugly" then it's anyone's guess what reply she would consider the "right" one.

[Icarus]

Hi guys,

I have a job now at an electronic manufacturing services company. It is a trial employment.
Not strictly as an engineer, but it is interesting anyways.

Good times, hopefully they will last.

Best wishes bro.

Everybody told me "be honest in the interviews". I belive that's a terrible idea.

It really does depend on who you're talking to.

If it's a manager/HR person you need to avoid the absolute truth and instead say what they expect to hear, or at least filter your responses to be more "business like*.

But if you're speaking to an engineer, or someone more hands-on, then the truth will usually be better received than business jargon.

I'm oversimplifying it a little, other factors come into it and you have to make a judgement call on which way you should go.

There's ways to "phrase" the truth so you don't seem like a dick.

I'll follow those guide lines. I belive manipulating human behaviour is much harder than manipulating electron.

[AndyC_772]

Absolutely right! Electrons behave according to physical laws which are both known (at least well enough for most current practical purposes) and, more importantly, consistent. People do not.

Also, they're all the same. Whatever rules hold for one electron also apply to all the others you're likely to encounter.

You won't ever come across an electron which is a jerk, or one which actively dislikes you.

There's probably a whole thread in its own right here...

[VK3DRB]

Things I'm looking for when interviewing graduates.

Enthusiasm
A sense of humour
An understanding of basic electronic principals
A ability to learn

I will never hire someone who has an arrogant "know-all" disposition. I have worked with a few of these over the years. They are vexations to the spirit and it is a joy when they leave. Electronic engineers and embedded programming has more than their fair share of these social misfits.

Enthusiasm is top of the list. One volunteer is worth ten conscripts. The best tend to be those who were brought up with a screw driver in their hand, not those who for cultural reasons were brought up with servants and studied engineering because that was what was expected of them. I always ask them why they got into engineering and what did they enjoy doing as a child. "Pulling things apart and working out how they worked" ranks high. Doing electronics, embedded programming or mechanical design work at home ranks VERY high.

I also test engineer's knowledge and IQ. I have learnt not to trust anyone I don't know. I usually give them a quick IQ test to determine there level of logical reasoning. I learnt a lesson years ago when I was party to hiring a Star Trek fanatic who faked his degree and who did not even know what our mains voltage was.

The ability to learn generally comes with the degree. I look for those who LISTEN to ideas of others. No-one, including ex-military personnel, knows everything.

Those who can sacrifice their own behaviour for the sake of the team is important. That is, if we have coding or PCB design standards, they should be adhered to.

On the social scale, it is good to work with those who like to have a bit a fun - a bit of personality. Those who think outside themselves.

If the applicant is a ham radio operator, that is a plus because that proves they volunteers rather than conscripts and probably have some social skills as well.

If you fit all this, you won't have a problem getting a job as an engineer.

[Bored@Work]

Funny list. I'd hire the opposite.

Enthusiasm? A dangerous thing. Since you used so many military comparisons, enthusiasm kills people.  I prefer people who think first. Never volunteer if you want to live. And boy, do people go on my tits who, after a hard working week, enthusiastically want a meeting a 5:30 pm on Friday to enthusiastically discuss some nitty gritty detail the world doesn't care about, instead of wrapping their shit up and go home.

Hams? Yeah, only if I want to have people ho wstuck in the past, with that token showcase project at home. You know, that project full of cobwebs which they intend to finish since 25 years, but didn't because they were busy honing their "social" skills by exchanging small numbers with people all over the world all night and meeting in clubs where they tell each other how great the past was and that they are god's gift to the electronics world.

[HackedFridgeMagnet]

I will never hire someone who has an arrogant "know-all" disposition. I have worked with a few of these over the years. They are vexations to the spirit and it is a joy when they leave. Electronic engineers and embedded programming has more than their fair share of these social misfits.

Enthusiasm is top of the list. One volunteer is worth ten conscripts. The best tend to be those who were brought up with a screw driver in their hand, not those who for cultural reasons were brought up with servants and studied engineering because that was what was expected of them. I always ask them why they got into engineering and what did they enjoy doing as a child. "Pulling things apart and working out how they worked" ranks high. Doing electronics, embedded programming or mechanical design work at home ranks VERY high.

I also test engineer's knowledge and IQ. I have learnt not to trust anyone I don't know. I usually give them a quick IQ test to determine there level of logical reasoning. I learnt a lesson years ago when I was party to hiring a Star Trek fanatic who faked his degree and who did not even know what our mains voltage was.

The ability to learn generally comes with the degree. I look for those who LISTEN to ideas of others. No-one, including ex-military personnel, knows everything.

Those who can sacrifice their own behaviour for the sake of the team is important. That is, if we have coding or PCB design standards, they should be adhered to.

On the social scale, it is good to work with those who like to have a bit a fun - a bit of personality. Those who think outside themselves.

I agree with all these.

My first post graduation technical job was unpaid volunteering at a local community radio station. After a few months I managed to find some paid work, partly due to the volunteer role.
Soon after I managed to get my "volunteer" colleague a job at my new company.
Whatever you do you cant just sit at home posting off resumes, you need to keep learning at the bare minimum.

[vk6zgo]

Funny list. I'd hire the opposite.

Enthusiasm? A dangerous thing. Since you used so many military comparisons, enthusiasm kills people.  I prefer people who think first. Never volunteer if you want to live. And boy, do people go on my tits who, after a hard working week, enthusiastically want a meeting a 5:30 pm on Friday to enthusiastically discuss some nitty gritty detail the world doesn't care about, instead of wrapping their shit up and go home.

Hams? Yeah, only if I want to have people ho wstuck in the past, with that token showcase project at home. You know, that project full of cobwebs which they intend to finish since 25 years, but didn't because they were busy honing their "social" skills by exchanging small numbers with people all over the world all night and meeting in clubs where they tell each other how great the past was and that they are god's gift to the electronics world.

And somehow that's worse than being the resident Moray Eel on an Electronics Forum?
Seriously though,BAW,don't ever stop being a Curmudgeon---that's your peculiar charm!

[VK3DRB]

Funny list. I'd hire the opposite.

Enthusiasm? A dangerous thing. Since you used so many military comparisons, enthusiasm kills people.  I prefer people who think first. Never volunteer if you want to live. And boy, do people go on my tits who, after a hard working week, enthusiastically want a meeting a 5:30 pm on Friday to enthusiastically discuss some nitty gritty detail the world doesn't care about, instead of wrapping their shit up and go home.

Hams? Yeah, only if I want to have people ho wstuck in the past, with that token showcase project at home. You know, that project full of cobwebs which they intend to finish since 25 years, but didn't because they were busy honing their "social" skills by exchanging small numbers with people all over the world all night and meeting in clubs where they tell each other how great the past was and that they are god's gift to the electronics world.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

But some of the most up-to-date smart people I know happen to be ham radio operators. Many engineering graduates today would not know how a $10 K-mart AM radio worked, and know stuff all about transmission line theory and RF. To many, FM radio just works - no idea how a Foster Seeley discriminator works, let alone ever heard of it. I use RF in my job designing medical electronic products that use Bluetooth and other stuff.

Not all of us live in the past. Most electronics true believers live for electronics in the past, the present and the future. And we never stop learning.