Vault Career Guide to Electrical Engineering (2005)
Transcript of Vault Career Guide to Electrical Engineering (2005)
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The medias watching Vault!
Heres a sampling of our coverage.
For those hoping to climb the ladder of success, [Vaults] insightsare priceless. Money magazine
The best place on the web to prepare for a job search. Fortune
[Vault guides] make for excellent starting points for job huntersand should be purchased by academic libraries for their careersections [and] university career centers. Library Journal
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A killer app. The New York Times
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To get the unvarnished scoop, check out Vault. Smart Money Magazine
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experiences at specific companies. The Washington Post
A key reference for those who want to know what it takes to gethired by a law firm and what to expect once they get there. New York Law Journal
Vault [provides] the skinny on working conditions at all kinds ofcompanies from current and former employees. USA Today
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ELECTENGICARE
2005 Vault Inc.
VAULT CAREER GUIDE TO
ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
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TERRY COSTLOW
AND THE STAFF OF VAULT
ELECTENGICARE
2005 Vault Inc.
VAULT CAREER GUIDE TO
ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
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Copyright 2005 by Vault Inc. All rights reserved.
All information in this book is subject to change without notice. Vault makes no claims as to
the accuracy and reliability of the information contained within and disclaims all warranties.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Vault
Inc.
Vault, the Vault logo, and the most trusted name in career information TM are trademarks of
Vault Inc.
For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, contact Vault Inc.,
150 W. 22nd St., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10011, (212) 366-4212.
Library of Congress CIP Data is available.
ISBN 1-58131-387-x
Printed in the United States of America
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We are extremely grateful to Vaults entire staff for all their help in the editorial,
production and marketing processes. Vault also would like to acknowledge the
support of our investors, clients, employees, family, and friends. Thank you!
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ixA R E E RL I B R A R Y
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INTRODUCTION 1
THE SCOOP 3
Chapter 1: Electrical Engineering Basics 5
Some History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
What Electrical Engineers Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
What Its Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Chapter 2: Overview of Career Options 9
Where to Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Roles in the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The Mainstays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Diverse Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Standards Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Consulting Engineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Patents and Legal Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Chapter 3: Electrical Engineering Design 19
A Basic Design Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Tinker Toys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Verifying performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Team Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
GETTING HIRED 25
Chapter 4: Acquiring Skills 27
Engineers Dont Live by Technology Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Picking a College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Table of Contents
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Vault Career Guide to Electrical Engineering
Table of Contents
2005 Vault Inc.xC A R E E RL I B R A R Y
Chapter 5: Interviews 31
Interviewing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
A Typical Interview Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Sample Interview Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Chapter 6: Life in EE 37
What it Takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
The Real World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Where the Jobs Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Equal Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39Salaries and Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
A Day in the Life: Electrical Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
A Day in the Life: Marketing Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
ON THE JOB 45
Chapter 7: Career Paths 47
Moving Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
No Lifetime Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Lifelong Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Mobile Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Global Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
FINAL ANALYSIS 53
APPENDIX 55
Associations, Organizations and Online Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Electrical Engineering Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
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Americas dependence on electronics is so great that most people cant get
through a day without using a product that has a microcontroller or other
electronic circuitry. Digital alarm clocks, automotive controls, computer
networks, TVs, cell phones and MP3 players are all a part of electrical
engineering, designed in large part by clever people who studied electronic
engineering in college. Indeed, many of the products we take for granted
today, from the smallest chip to the large supercomputers that help predict
weather, stemmed from the minds of electronic engineers who wanted to
build something new and different.
From ideas that range from seemingly crazy to really nifty to just plain useful,
engineers come up with working products. Marketing people might come up
with concepts and software developers play an important role in design, but
engineering is where it all begins. The digital revolution thats changing the
world wouldnt be possible without it--electronic engineers are developing
the hardware that is truly changing the world. Theres been a lot of
innovation in this country over the last half century, and most of it would not
have happened without engineers, says Chad Evans, vice president of the
U.S. Council on Competitiveness.
Entering this fast-paced field requires an inquisitive mind and an ability to
understand difficult technical principles that are often mathematically based.
A creative bent and the ability to analyze problems from different angles also
help. If you have these traits, youll find that youll always be challenged by
a career as an electrical engineer and particularly by the fast rate of technical
change.
There are a number of other beneficial paybacks for those who chooseelectrical engineering. Electronic engineers earn good salaries while getting
to work with interesting technologies. And because many products require
electronic technologies, its fairly easy to find a field you can understand and
enjoy.
On the downside, staying abreast of technology in a global economy is a
challenge. Technologists must keep up to date so they dont lose their job to
cheaper offshore workers. The impact of international competition from low
wage countries is being hotly debated throughout the electronics industry.
1A R E E RL I B R A R Y
Introduction
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3A R E E RL I B R A R Y
CARELECENGI
THE SCOOP
Chapter 1: Electrical Engineering Basics
Chapter 2: Overview of Career Options
Chapter 3: Electrical Engineering Design
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Since electronic engineers are the men and women responsible for developing
concepts for new technologies, they play an integral part in the digital
revolution. Among other advances, electrical engineers made the Internet a
vehicle for communicating freely to people anywhere on earth. They devised
techniques for sending data, the methods for making sure everything gets to
its destination. They designed the PCs, servers and other equipment that let
people see images from around the globe in a matter of seconds.
When people talk about smart appliances, smart phones and other so called
smart products, theyre unknowingly complimenting the intelligent peoplewho made those products. Electrical engineers are responsible for making
cell phones small enough to fit in your pocket, and they also figured out how
to put cameras into a mobile phone that can last for hours without recharging.
But electrical engineers have been changing the world for most of the 20th
century. The term electronics didnt exist at the dawn of the 1900s. But the
engineers of the day quickly realized that the science of moving electrons had
enough potential to have its own name.
Some History
During the first half of the 1900s, engineers made radios with tubes (glass
enclosures surrounding large, fragile electronic circuits, often assembled by
hand). The first televisions also had many tubes beyond the picture tube
(which is still widely used as the televisions screen). These tubes were so
large and bulky that Eniac, the first real digital computer, weighed thirty tons
when it started churning data in 1944.
The stage for the era of electronics was set by research scientists at Bell Labs,
who did the work of electrical engineers, even though many didnt hold what
was then a new degree. In 1947, Bell researchers figured out how to make a
transistor, which became the basic building block of the silicon chips now
used in millions of products.
In the 1950s, a transistor radio the size of a cigarette pack was a marvel,
showing the general public the compactness that modern electronics couldprovide. Today, there are literally millions of transistors on a chip. The size
benefits of digital electronics over tubes are obvious: for example, compare
the bulky cathode ray tube (CRT) computer screens that have been used for
5A R E E RL I B R A R Y
Electrical EngineeringBasicsCHAPTER 1
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Vault Career Guide to Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering Basics
decades to the sleek flat panel displays of today. The CRT, which is also the
technology used for conventional television screens, is the last of the tube
technologies to become obsolete, falling victim to replacements such as
liquid crystal displays (LCDs) developed by electronic engineers.
This act of replacement is a mainstay of engineering. The nature of the field
involves tinkering looking at something and figuring out how to make a
better version. Whether an engineer is looking at equipment on a factory
floor, in an airplane, or in his office, hes likely to take the shell off a product,
see how it works and then come up with something better.
This kind of tinkering forms the basis for new technologies. The scope is
staggering everything from compact disc players, airbags and anti lockbraking systems to computer networks and calculators derive from new
technologies developed by electrical engineers who thought there was a better
way to do something.
The history of electronics is loaded with people who had a novel idea and
then worked diligently to bring their products to life. Hewlett Packard was
started by a couple of guys working in a garage, where they created a novel
instrument first used by sound engineers making Disneys Fantasia.
Decades later, an HP engineer worked nights to come up with a new product
that contained a new technology some referred to this product as a
personal computer. Steve Wozniak wasnt the first to make an affordable
computer, but he helped found Apple Computers, the first company to make
computers available to the average family.
There are many other companies that have significantly impacted the
electronics industry. Electrical engineers at IBM have led the country in
patents for decades, providing breakthrough after breakthrough. And
engineers at Texas Instruments invented the integrated circuit commonlyknown as a microchip and also popularized compact calculators.
What Electrical Engineers Do
Most engineers, like most workers in other professions, make far more
modest impacts on the world. An engineer might be one of the thousands
who work for a computer maker, auto company or satellite developer. But
these team members all contribute to larger goals, bringing the resources of
the Internet to millions, saving lives with vehicle safety systems, making it
possible to explore life on other planets, or simply getting more TV channels
into the home.
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Other types of engineers work in vastly different realms. Civil engineers, for
example, design bridges, roads and other structures. Mechanical engineers
design physical products, from the plastic body of a cell phone to an auto
body to the factory equipment that makes locomotive engines and train cars.
Jobs in the electrical engineering field are extremely varied. Though the
designer of a new microprocessor for next generation PCs and the designer of
the control module for a Navy radar system both have degrees in electrical
engineering, their jobs are fairly dissimilar. To understand what electrical
engineers do, perhaps its easiest to first explain what they dont do.
What Its Not
Many people think that electrical engineers are involved in software, but
thats not their primary role. They do typically design the hardware the
semiconductors (chips), circuit boards and systems that run the software.
Software specialists, who often graduate with computer science degrees,
write the programs that run on that hardware. The insides of an X-box are an
example of hardware that would be designed by an electrical engineer, while
the games themselves are written by software specialists. That said, hardware
and software are so intertwined that workers in both fields have to understand
the basics of the other, even though they wont usually get involved in the
more complex aspects of the other discipline.
Another common misconception is that electric and electronic are identical.
Many people use the terms interchangeably, but there are subtle differences.
Electrical engineers deal with high voltages and large systems, like routing
power from generators out to homes and businesses. Some electrical
engineers deal with huge equipment that requires further heavy equipment to
move and install. Much of an electrical engineers job is designing systems
that provide electrical power, such as the power distribution scheme in a train
station or airport.
In contrast, electronic engineers often work with very small components and
subsystems that fit inside cell phones, CD players and computers. Electronics
is a subset of the electrical field, using the controlled flow of electrons to
accomplish a task such as solving an equation or sending voice patterns from
one spot to another. Nevertheless, most industry insiders commonly use the
two terms interchangeably, as we will do throughout this bookeven though
the focus of this book is smaller electronic products, the computers and
boards found in cars, planes, appliances and the like. Though there are many
engineering jobs developing and maintaining larger electrical products, the
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majority of EE graduates are likely to end up working with microchips, LEDs
and other common components.
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Hardware and Software
Until the computer era brought the term software, the term hardware
meant a hammer or nails. Now, it means equipment such as personal
computers and DVD players. These products are examples of powerful
modern technology.
But without software to tell them what to do, they cant do any more
exotic computing tasks than a hammer. That software contains the
code that tells a system what color screen to display, or whether to taketwo numbers and compare them or simply put them into a word
processing document.
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Where to Work
Electrical engineering is an exploding field. If you have an electronic
engineering degree, its hard to think of a field that provides more choices.
The boom of smart equipment has created many jobs for engineers, and the
push to come up with the next new thing keeps engineers busy across many
fields. Cars, trains, robots and refrigerators all have electronic controls; evenlight bulbs and dog collars now employ electronic components.
Among the largest employers of electrical engineers are computer,
telecommunications and consumer electronics companies. These fields are
pretty much the domain of electrical engineers, though a few mechanical
engineers are needed for package design.
There are almost always job openings at the giants within these fields, such
as IBM, Motorola, Cisco, Sharp, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Dell.
These huge corporations employ hundreds of engineers at their home offices,
but many also have remote engineering sites scattered around the country.
Most major corporations also have international offices. Though there is
some chance for transferring overseas, the bulk of engineers in a region are
from that area.
Finally, there are a number of smaller companies that produce many different
types of basic computing and telecommunications equipment.
Roles in the Field
Electronic engineers may find themselves working in many different fields,
but the majority will end up designing computers, communications and other
products often considered electronics. Computers and communication
employ more engineers than other areas. Computer makers may find
themselves building PCs, but many of these so-called commodity products
are now being designed and manufactured overseas.
While U.S. product developers still have some role to play even in these
commodity areas, more American engineers will be designing larger
9A R E E RL I B R A R Y
Overview of CareerOptions
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computers such as workstations and supercomputers, which are intended for
more technical work. Workstations are a common tool for engineers who
design chips and other complex gear, while supercomputers are used by
weather forecasters and defense engineers who design bombs and other
equipment. Both applications deal with millions of elements that interact with
each other in incredibly complicated, sometimes inscrutable ways.
Many working engineers will also be integrating these computers into larger
systems, either networks or computer systems based on a number of PCs or
workstations working in parallel. Most businesses today have networks, and
theres a small but growing trend towards linking several PCs together to
address complex tasks such as developing new pharmaceuticals. IBM, HP,
Dell, Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics are among the many companies
in this field.
Communications has become a huge field. It includes the vast network of
telephone lines, broadband networks and even communication satellites.
People making phone calls, using the Internet or watching cable TV are
employing these products. Scientists and surveillance personnel who use
satellite communications and monitor phone lines comprise another facet of
the broad communications field. Theres a vast infrastructure needed to make
phone calls and Internet connections a part of everyday life. Electronicswitches route connections, transmission gear sends those signals over long
distances and power supplies keep these components running. Major
corporations in communications include Cisco Systems, 3Com, Tellabs,
Qualcomm and SBC.
Electronic engineers will also find a number of jobs making subassemblies
and components. In terms of subassemblies, video game players and others
who add memory boards to their PCs to boost their capabilities are doing
something thats common throughout the industry. Numerous companiesdesign circuit boards that are used to make factory controllers, TV
transmission systems, military equipment, and power communication
systems. But unlike the makers of video and sound boards that go into PCs,
these specialized companies, such as Adaptec, Bustronic, Elma, Curtiss-
Wright and SBS Technology, provide the circuit boards used in a vast range
of products, from robots to telephone switches to naval ships. These circuit
boards feature components varying from complex semiconductors to simple
resistors and capacitors.
The component side of electronics also employs large numbers of engineers.
Intel, Texas Instruments and National Semiconductor are among the best-
known component-makers; Intels Pentium line is advertised widely. While
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the average consumer doesnt know that digital signal processing chips from
Texas Instruments and others power most audio and video systems, those
devices are well-known throughout the electronics industry. Less-recognized
components like thermistors and sensors, which cost pennies, arent as
glamorous, but they keep cell phones and other products working. Electronic
products have many signals running throughout the system, and these tiny
components can protect an expensive Pentium processor from power surges
that could fry it.
Electronic engineers have a hand in the design of connectors, audio amplifiers
and even the packages that hold different types of chips. The design of power
supplies that convert electricity from a wall outlet into something that can
power a fragile chip is an activity that keeps numerous engineers occupied.
The disk drives that hold information for computers also pose design
challenges for a number of engineers.
Many electronic engineering jobs must skirt the line between technology and
reliability. The medical field is using increasingly high-tech gear every year.
This equipment is often life-critical, so designs must be extremely
dependable. Other equipment such as CT scanners and X-ray machines arent
quite as critical, but they cost thousands of dollars and impact many facets of
the health care field, so these systems must also run for long periods withoutrequiring maintenance.
In military and aerospace, many engineers are designing advanced systems,
from key control systems to luxury items for commercial or corporate jets.
The challenge is to come up with lightweight electronic systems that run
planes or provide users with environments that include more and more of the
tools and toys passengers use at home or in the office. Knowing how to make
very reliable systems that have inexpensive backups to guard against failures
is of obvious importance for engineers in this field. Boeing, Cessna andBombardier are among the companies that design aircraft, and they all have
numerous suppliers who make everything from display screens to electronic
controls to compact keyboards.
The demand for engineers who design military systems went through a slump
at the end of the Cold War, but the success of high-tech equipment since then
has brought this market back; smart bombs, night vision equipment, military
robots and other equipment feature on television news reports. Military
products require forward thinking and knowledge of design skills forextremely harsh environments. Many of the engineers at Raytheon,
Honeywell Defense, Northrup Grumman and Boeing work in this specialized
field.
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Consumer electronics is an area that once seemed to be moving almost
entirely offshore. But creative U.S. engineers have come up with ways to
compete with their lower-paid counterparts in the Far East. Cell phones, in
particular, were created in the U.S., and to a certain extent the majority of that
business has stayed in the U.S. But digital recorders, global positioning
system (GPS) equipment and many other products bought by millions of
Americans are designed at least in part by U.S. engineers. Major corporations
like Thomson, which owns the RCA and GE consumer brands, have
operations in the U.S. Engineers at Tivo created a whole new segment in
consumer electronics. Designers at Frigidaire, Amana, Maytag and other
appliance makers are using more computer controls, creating job openings for
more engineers. Electronic technology is also moving into tools, made by
Black and Decker and others, adding to the number of engineers who design
consumer electronics.
The automotive industry is another segment employing more electronic
engineers every year. Electronic technologies now account for $2,000 or
more in most vehicles, and the number of electronically controlled features is
growing every year. Anti-lock braking systems, engine controllers, adaptive
cruise control, lane departure warnings and stability controls are among the
many features that use electronics to improve the driving experience.
Companies like Johnson Controls, Siemens VDO, Delphi, Visteon and many
others are constantly devising new electronic features and improving old
ones.
Theres also a huge test and measurement field that makes development
products used by engineers in all electronic fields. Products like
oscilloscopes, vibration testers and multimeters perform measurements on
prototypes and production equipment, making sure it performs as expected.
The engineers who develop these products are often at the cutting edge of
technology. When the newest, fastest products come out, test equipment must
be fast enough to see if the hot new product is running as it should. Similarly,
the engineers who run these tests must have a good understanding of these
procedures, and whether the tests theyre running provide true representations
of a given electronic systems performance.
These test and measurement tools are also used to troubleshoot products that
have failures, whether during development or once theyre put into action.
Agilent, Fluke Corporation and Keithley Instruments arent company names
familiar to the general public, but they make the test equipment that is used
by many electronic engineers. National Instruments has led the trend toward
using personal computers to test many different types of equipment, from
electronic components to the sound characteristics of closing car doors.
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While these fields employ large numbers of EEs, theyre only the tip of the
iceberg as far as areas in which electronic engineers can find jobs. From
security equipment to medical products, theres a never ending string of
unlikely items that need some brainpower from an electronic engineer: even
some church organs now use electronic controls.
The Mainstays
The majority of electrical engineers go into what might be considered
traditional job categories, if anything can be considered traditional in an
industry that really didnt start to mature until 1981, when the first IBM PC
was introduced.
The declining costs of electronics mean chips and systems will continuously
find new applications. As computer chips become cheaper, clever electrical
engineers can design electronic controls that are cheaper than mechanical
switches.
Thats bound to continue. Semiconductor manufacturers make exponentially
more chips every year. Though the first microchip was made by Texas
Instruments Jack Kirby in 1958, it wasnt until 1994 that worldwide salescracked $100 billion. In the following six years, the industry matched growth
that had previously taken 36 years, as industry sales surpassed $200 billion in
2000, according to the Semiconductor Industries Association.
Common appliances like refrigerators and stoves have benefited from plenty
of electrical technologies, but theyve only recently incorporated electronic
components such as microcontrollers. Today, its possible to buy a
refrigerator that links to the Internet and uses bar code readers to determine
whether its time to buy milk or mustard.
Diverse Industries
While this growth creates many new job opportunities, job growth doesnt
rise at nearly the same rate as market shipments. Corporations contend there
arent enough skilled engineers, and many are hiring engineers from foreign
countries or contracting with designers who live in other countries.
But the industry has not suffered a decline in the number of jobs worldwide.
Thats partly because the electronics industry is built on providing new,
improved products in increasingly shorter development cycles. In some
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industries, like mobile phones and PCs, new products come out every few
months, making older products obsolete in a hurry. Throughout the
electronics industry, more than half of a companys revenue typically comes
from products that were introduced within the past 18 months.
All these products require some level of design expertise. Complex products
obviously require skilled engineers who understand leading-edge
technologies. But someone has to design even the simplest products. New
electrical engineers can often find a home with companies that need some
design expertise for these simpler products.
But engineers can ply their craft in many different fields. Many engineers
start out in conventional areas of electronics, but stay on the lookout foropenings in fields that particularly interest them. Combining a hobby with a
job is also possibility, as electronics is an area that holds almost unlimited
career opportunities for engineers who want to work in areas that might be
considered out of the mainstream. Guitar amplifiers, race cars and medical
instruments all have electronic components. Trains and planes make
extensive use of electronic controls. A few lucky engineers are able to blend
their hobbies, whether thats music or racing, with their career.
While the dominant firms in many fields are well-known, there are far moreopportunities at the hundreds of smaller firms around the country. Throughout
the electronics industry, there are often customers who want something a bit
different from what mainstream companies can provide. For example,
automobile makers often require more rugged, temperature-sensitive chips
than other kinds of manufacturers. What works in one factory might not
translate in another. Smaller companies can carve out a niche in these kinds
of specialized areas, which are often too specific for large corporations to
address. Most of these so-called contract design houses have fewer than 50
engineers.
Standards Development
There is an almost unlimited range of projects in this field available to
interested engineers. Those with good business and marketing sense can
become their companys link between engineering and marketing. Good
presenters who can bridge technology can end up doing a fair amount of
writing. Those engineers can also find themselves going to a number of trade
shows and technical conferences, presenting on the companys new
developments.
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Another way for engineers to get out of the office and do some traveling is to
get involved in standards bodies. Trade associations, the IEEE and other
groups, often maintain the standards that make it possible for different
products to work together. Wi-FI wireless and the USB interface for cameras
and consumer gear are among the many standards that were developed by
groups of engineers.
Participation in these standards bodies is voluntary, but many engineers
companies are extremely interested in knowing how a standard that impacts
their products is evolving. So they send engineers to committee meetings,
which are sometimes held at international locations. This is an excellent
opportunity for engineers who like to travel, but its also a great way for
designers to get to know people at other companies a key benefit for job
hunters.
Consulting Engineers
Another possible career path for engineers with a bit of experience is
consulting or contract engineering. In the past, consulting was primarily a job
for people who had been laid off. But today there are networks of consultants
who come in to help companies with problems their own engineers cant
solve. To do this, an engineer needs a few years of experience in a specific
field, developing a reputation for knowing the subtleties of a focused
technology, like networks, analog circuitry, or factory automation. Its more
difficult for young engineers to get into consulting right away unless they
have skills in a very hot area, or have learned a niche technology.
But electrical engineers who develop skills in a focused area can often
become their own boss and earn significantly more than their counterparts
who opt for the security of steady employment. Theres an enjoyable degree
of diversity in consulting work, and consultants usually spend less than one
year at a given company. Switching to new companies provides a nice change
of pace, and consultants can see how different companies are organized and
how different engineering teams solve problems. Its a good way to learn, and
a good way for engineers to extend their personal network.
A network of friends and acquaintances is important for any career, but its
crucial for electrical engineers, who come by many of their jobs by referrals,
either when someone familiar with the consultants work hires them or refers
them to someone whos looking for a specialist.
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The consulting life isnt for everyone. Consultants run their own businesses,
so they deal with issues like billing, taxes, insurance, not to mention selling
themselves things that company-employed engineers dont have to worry
about. Many engineers dont think the extra income and freedom are worth
the headache of dealing with these additional responsibilities.
Consultants also have to learn how to juggle the engineering work with the
challenge of finding the next job. Time management and scheduling become
more important, and the ability to estimate costs is also key. Engineers who
sell their talents need to be well-compensated, but they also have to be cost-
effective for the hiring company another kind of juggling that consultants
have to learn.
Patents and Legal Jobs
As electronics permeate more and more aspects of daily life, many
professions increasingly need specialists who understand technology. Theres
a growing demand in the U.S. patent office and in the court system for
electrical engineers who understand research and the law. The competitive
nature of the electronics industry precipitates many lawsuits; patent disputes,
unfair business practices and product liability are among the many reasons
that companies will find themselves in court.
These lawsuits create a need for lawyers and expert witnesses. So for those
engineers who truly know how to explain complex technical issues in ways
that the average person can understand, a patent or legal job is a distinct
possibility. Extremely complex technologies that sometimes have subtle
differences must be explained without putting judges and jurors to sleep. And
those who know how to do this effectively often provide convincing reasons
why their side deserves the winning verdict.
Another avenue for those who want to do something aside from basic
engineering is to become a patent examiner. As more companies apply for
patents, theres a growing need for examiners who determine whether
applications should be granted. In 2002 and 2003, The U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office hired around 500 examiners per year. By comparison, a
large company like Texas Instruments might hire engineers in an average
year. Not all patent examiners are electrical engineers, but given the boom in
electronics, a fair number need to understand electronic technology.
Once they gain experience on the job, many patent examiners study law and
become patent attorneys after a few years of working for the government.
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Patent attorneys help companies and engineers file patents; a background in
examining patents can be helpful preparation for this career. As in most
fields, theres more money to be made in private practice than in public
service.
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A Basic Design Cycle
Regardless of whether theyre designing semiconductors, PCs, fighter jet
controls or cell phones, there are a few commonalities that cut across most
engineering disciplines. Engineering in the 21st century is a desk job, one that
relies on brainwork rather than physical tasks like soldering or wrapping
wires. In rare instances, EEs have to roll up their sleeves and solder parts onto
a board, but thats becoming less common as products become more complex.
Circuit boards now have circuits as tiny as 0.1 mm, about the diameter of a
human hair. Thats one reason humans dont solder chips onto them. But
rather than physically make them signals, its more important that todays
electrical engineers understand the subtleties of sending very high speed
signals through these networks.
Some designers work with transistors to build integrated circuits
semiconductors like microprocessors and digital signal processors. Millions
of these elements are often combined on a single chip. Other engineers link
these semiconductors to other components, resulting in circuit boards that
realize the magic of cell phones, computers and other electronic gear. Still
others work at larger levels, bringing to fruition computer networks, cell
phone infrastructures and other complex systems.
Some basic design tasks remain similar across the board. But specific
electronic products demand varying design objectives. For defense and
automotive applications, a products ability to withstand a harsh environment
is key. Low costs drive consumer applications. For portable equipment, size
and battery lifetimes are paramount.
Electrical engineers ultimately determine how products will perform, given
these different parameters. An engineer must know how to tailor a product
design to meet these varying requirements. Bosses dont expect new
graduates to understand these nuances, but young electrical engineers need to
pick up these traits quickly to become important players on the design team.
Engineering generally starts with conceptualizing, through which the basic
ideas about a new product are sketched out. Sometimes the idea springs fromone person, but more often, teams of marketing and manufacturing personnel
sit down with engineers to determine what customers want, and what they can
efficiently build.
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Once the concepts are firm enough, engineers start figuring out the circuitry
that will enable a given product to achieve the desired tasks at the necessary
price and performance points. This is the mainstay of electronic engineering,
the primary daily responsibilities of most engineers turning marketing
goals like a products size and performance into actual working circuitry.
To do this, team members must figure out the overall approach, often called
the architecture. This is the back of an envelope approach often described
for young startups, in which someone grabs some scrap paper and starts
showing others how their concept will work.
The architecture is much like a blueprint, in that it shows only the overall
plan, not the actual size of a nail or the speed of an electronic component.Often, the architecture is derived from previous-generation products, or it
may be based on a standard such as the PC architecture.
Tinker Toys
Designs are typically completed on PCs or workstations, powerful computers
that can handle the complex drawing and mathematics needed for designs that
often have millions of individual elements. Computer-aided engineering anddesign programs are the common tools of the trade, along with oversized
monitors that make it easier to see the many fine lines in most products. Many
engineers say that these CAE and CAD programs make it seem like theyre
building a product using Tinker Toys.
But constructing electronic circuits is anything but childs play. There are
subtle nuances in the way components fit together, and a single error in a
large system can hinder performance or even cause a complete shutdown.
CAE and CAD programs now accomplish many of the mundane tasks
engineers used to have to do, like routing the signal lines that link
components together on a circuit board. But regardless of whether an
engineer is using computer-aided programs or not, determining which
components are needed is the first step. The architecture will define some
parameters, but engineers must then figure out which parts do the job
efficiently. Specifics like speed, power requirements, cost and component
availability are essential to know. Engineers have to understand technical
tradeoffs, but they must also be able to anticipate whether new parts willbecome available in the given timeframe, or whether older parts will become
obsolete before their creation is produced.
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Arranging these components is the next step. Engineers must consider several
factors. More complex or high-powered chips (those that generate more heat)
need to be separated from each other, so that its easier to cool the system.
Electrical noise must also be taken into account. Just as a cell phone or
vacuum cleaner might cause static when its too close to a radio or TV,
electronic parts can interfere with other chips performance if theyre too
close to a sensitive device (such as another chip).
Once all of the pieces are properly placed, its time to start checking the
function of the overall design. For this, engineers turn to other development
tools called simulation and verification programs. Even if the design exists
solely on the computer at this point, simulation programs can anticipate how
the virtual circuit will work. They can tell if the design actually does the jobs
its designed to do, and how quickly.
Constructing circuits can be a lengthy process. Engineers run the simulation,
then pore over the results to see how the product is performing. Sometimes,
theyll look for bugs that prevent the system from working efficiently. Other
times, theyre thinking about ways to improve the designs performance.
When they finish one round, they often run another simulation, repeating this
cycle until the design seems perfect or the available time runs out.
Verifying Performance
Once tweaks and fine tuning have been done, verification software performs
another layer of tests. Often, hardware and software are verified together in
this phase. Software is a critical part of any design, and the way hardware and
software work together is crucial. During this phase, EEs will work closely
with programmers to weed out any glitches.
All these computerized examinations are usually performed before an actual
physical prototype is manufactured, as its far cheaper to spot and fix
problems before real hardware is put together. In the semiconductor world,
its not uncommon for chip designers to iron out most major problems before
the first silicon prototypes are produced.
And even though design tools are able to accomplish more and more of the
steps in product design, its still critical that skilled workers are on hand to
interpret the results of these programs, especially as products continue togrow in complexity.
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Team Players
Electrical engineers spend much of their time in front of a computer screen,developing new versions of whatever their company makes. But engineering
isnt a solitary environment. In fact, teamwork has become a key aspect of
product design in the past decade or so. Technology has gotten so complex in
recent years that the stereotype of a single engineer coming up with a product
that alters the companys fortunes is quite rare.
Design teams usually comprise several engineers with slightly different skill
sets. Working together allows for the accumulation of a range of potentially
constructive ideas, increasing the chances of getting a product to market
quickly, with the best possible set of attributes. This emphasis on team
development is forcing individual engineers to think more about how to make
the case for their own approach. So-called soft skills such as presenting
before groups, consensus building and cooperating with team members are
increasingly important.
Moreover, the electronic engineering field has historically been dominated by
white males, and many in the industry now feel that this lack of diversity has
compromised the effectiveness of some products. For example, a group
comprised only of men might not consider the size, weight or strength of
women and children when devising a certain product. But a competing
company with women on its design team might come up with a product
suitable for a broader audience.
Because of this, many American companies and universities are working to
attract more women and other groups historically less well-represented, like
minorities, to the field. This initiative, along with the growing number of
students and working engineers who are emigrating to the U.S., is increasing
the diversity of engineering teams.
Some companies are beginning to scatter design sites around the country,
even the globe. For businesses racing to beat the competition to market, this
means projects can be worked on around the clock as some engineers go
home, the project is passed to another time zone where workers are just
arriving.
Marketing and other non-engineering personnel like purchasing agents,
whose expertise is not in design, but in buying parts at the best price, oftenprovide feedback to design teams. In many industries, product development
might also involve mechanical engineers, materials engineers and others.
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For engineers, all of this requires being able to work with team members who
might have very different ideas about how to do things. (The trend toward
global design teams wont impact every company, since smaller companies
are less likely to need branch offices.) Most universities are responding to
this team concept by encouraging study teams, with groups of students
working together. Theres also a growing tendency to pull in students from
other disciplines, such as marketing, to work on semester-long projects with
engineering students.
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Using the Web
Given the major role electrical engineers played in developing the
Internet, its no surprise that theyre using it a lot. Learning how to find
the latest parts, as well as keeping abreast of new products and
technical trends is critical. Engineers surveyed by Design News
magazine use the Web an average of four hours, 41 minutes per day,
slightly more than 10 per cent of an average work week. And that
doesnt include time spent on e-mail, which is the preferred mode of
communication for many engineers. Engineers can derive enjoyment
from simply thinking about how many different pieces of computer
equipment are needed to send a message to someone in the next
cubicle.
While the Web can eliminate the tough task of walking over to the next
desk, it also makes it possible to work on a design with someone whos
on another continent. Whats sometimes called collaborative design is
still in its infancy, but it may become a significant part of the business.
Many in the industry foresee a day when a team of engineers scattered
around the globe meet online regularly to determine how they can
process a design and get it out to their customers. However it evolves,
the design process is likely to involve development tools that may be
held by a third party or owned by a large corporation. Those tools can
be shared by designers in different locales, each manipulating a design
image that can be seen by all of them simultaneously.
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CARELECENGI
GETTING HIRED
Chapter 4: Acquiring Skills
Chapter 5: Interviews
Chapter 6: Life in EE
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Engineers Dont Live by TechnologyAlone
Technical skills are an engineers stock in trade. Theyre the tools that get
engineers jobs, keep them employed and make promotions and new jobs
possible. But technical skills involving math, science and circuit technology
arent the only talents necessary for a successful engineering career today.
So-called soft skills communications, public speaking and teamwork
are increasingly emphasized in the 21st century workplace.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the nations most
prestigious engineering schools, routinely addresses this issue by providing
etiquette courses, covering everything from handshakes to cocktail parties to
tea time. We learned from talking with alumni and employers that there is
an impression that our students are often not able to appreciate what the real
world is like, such as how to make things happen in the workplace or how to
fit into an organization, says MITs Associate Dean of Engineering Dick
K.P. Yue. Many other engineering schools have similar programs, and mostengineering deans agree that MIT is addressing an important aspect of
engineering education.
Sometimes, business concerns will override technical issues. Engineers who
have knowledge of business and finance will usually find it easier to work
with other departments in a given organization. Understanding business
issues is critical for anyone who works for a business, and thats even more
of a necessity in a competitive field like electronics.
But the increased emphasis on team projects across the board is what makes
soft skills most important. Team players must be able to share responsibility,
delegate tasks and work well with other team members. Increasingly,
engineering teams are comprised of people from different cultures. The
number of female engineers is growing, so young engineers must realize they
are entering a field thats no longer male-dominated.
Picking a CollegeMost engineering schools provide broad training that prepares students for a
variety of jobs. But universities and their engineering schools often become
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known for their specialty areas. Some schools are known for networking,
manufacturing, semiconductors or other specialty areas. One of the
challenges facing prospective engineering students is balancing a broad
technical education while focusing on a given technology. Generally, this
isnt a negative. A broad education prepares a student for many different
roles. At the same time, having a specialty in the area the college is known
for can give a student an edge in that field. Typically, students who have a
clear idea of their chosen field should pick a college known for that
engineering discipline unless there are overriding reasons to attend another
school.
Many electronic industry companies limit their recruiting to a handful of
colleges. These select schools work somewhat closely with given companies,
which often donate money, equipment or even some personnel assistance. In
return, the colleges sometimes do research in a companys area of interest.
Not to mention that universities turn out well-educated graduates that
companies need to build for their future.
For example, Delphi Electronics, a leading supplier of automotive
electronics, works closely with Purdue University and a handful of others.
Siemens VDO works closely with Penn State, Georgia Tech and the
University of Southern California. The Detroit-based company also workswith local universities including Kettering, Wayne State and the University of
Michigan.
That close link to universities in a corporations home town is extremely
common. Motorolas semiconductor company, now an independent company
called Freescale Semiconductor and based in Austin, Texas, has close ties to
the University of Texas. Venerable Motorola itself, based in the Chicago area
since 1928, works closely with the University of Illinois in Champaign and
the Illinois Institute of Technology.
These links are not always geography-driven. Many schools have specialized
areas of interest, and the companies that want graduates experienced in those
areas wont always be located nearby. Sometimes, there are strong links
between a successful CEO and his alma mater. Other times, theres simply an
appreciation of what the university has done. Sony is headquartered in Japan,
but in the 1990s it made one of the largest-ever corporate donations to a
university at the time, establishing an engineering school at the University of
Illinois named for John Bardeen. Bardeen helped invent the basic buildingblock of the industry, the transistor, in the 1940s before spending much of his
life teaching in central Illinois.
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These close connections give the company insight into what the school is
doing and what the students are learning. In the hunt for talented employees,
success in hiring students from a given college of engineering keeps hiring
managers coming back. That doesnt mean that students from schools that
arent on the corporations preferred list are out of luck if they want to work
for these companies. But they will have a tougher time getting the attention
of busy hiring managers who wont interview candidates who dont rise
above the crowd. A student who has his sites set on a specific field will want
to find out which colleges focus on that field and what companies recruit
there heavily. Visit school web sites or talk to career counselors or deans of
departments to find out this information.
Students should also consider the amount of time it will take to get a degree.
Most engineering schools offer four year degrees, but a few well-known
engineering schools, such as Purdue University, have an optional five-year
course. The tradeoff is that the extra year gives students more time to take a
formal co-op program, in which they spend a few periods working full-time
for the same employer over the course of the five years. Whether a student
takes an internship for a semester or works on a longer co-op, these
internships and co-ops are almost always worth the time they take. Not to
mention that theyre generally paid positions.
Employers often view these programs as a way to try out a potential
employee, hiring those who appear to fit in. And even if that doesnt work
out, other companies generally like to hire graduates who have some form of
work experience. Internships and co-op programs are a great way for
students to build their expertise and get their foot in the door of a potential
employer, says Marilyn Mackes, executive director of the National
Association of Colleges and Employers. As a rule, employers look for job
candidates who have the kind of work-related experience that students can
gain through an internship or co-op program.
In 2004, employers surveyed by NACE offered jobs to nearly 60 per cent of
these student workers at the end of their internship/co-op period. In a separate
NACE study, employers rated internship and cooperative education programs
as among their most effective methods for attracting and hiring new college
graduates. Companies like IBM, Texas Instruments and National Instruments
typically offer jobs to more than half their interns. Colleges have also
realized the importance of internships. In 1997, NACE found 72 per cent of
colleges helped students arrange internships. In 2004, that figure had risen to
85 per cent.
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Its worth noting that while the Internets role is growing, the most successful
pathway for hiring is through a personal reference. A student who has a
friend, relative, professor or someone else to mention his or her name to one
of the people involved in hiring will usually have a leg up on other
Candidates.
For the most part, the reasons for picking an engineering school arent much
different than the rationales for picking any other type of college. Reputation,
location, cost and comfort factor are important criteria that must be balanced
for each student and family.
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Interviewing Basics
Finally, senior year will arrive, bringing the excitement and trepidation of the
first professional job hunt. Most universities provide a fair amount of help in
this search. Professors often have contact with companies and can sometimes
provide leads. University employment departments have listings. Many of
these offices also offer job fairs, during which company representatives visit
the campus. These job fairs are an excellent place for students to speak with
representatives and get a feel for the job market.
Technology jobs are often cyclical. During the late 1990s, engineering
students often picked from many job offers, but in the early 2000s, job offers
were scarce. Serious job seekers should find out which companies are
attending, get information on their key targets and come into the job fair
ready to make a big impression on the company representative, who can put
their resume on the top of the pile that goes to the personnel director.
Often, the personnel director or human resources manager will be the point of
entry for job seekers. This person may have only general information about
the specific job and its requirements; his role is to weed out students who
dont seem to fit into the corporate culture and set up necessary paperwork for
those who will move forward in the process. Sometimes this will be a
separate interview. Other times this interview is done before the real
engineering interview.
Those who make this cut will often be in for a series of interviews.
Interviewing styles can vary widely by company, and theyll often vary
depending on how busy the managers are at the time. Try to get a bit of
background info beforehand, what to bring, how long the interview might be.
Unless its mentioned, its generally wise to come well-dressed. Though
engineers arent known for their fancy style, many have a traditional sense of
propriety and feel that an interview is one of those important occasions when
dressing up is the thing to do.
Some interviews last half a day or more. Sometimes a candidate will be
interviewed by a team from the engineering department. These team
interviews are designed in part to see how a candidate operates under
pressure, with many questions coming from multiple team members. Its not
a perfect test, but its a way to see how the interviewee might respond to
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deadlines and other pressures. Its also a good way for the team members to
see whether they think the candidate might fit in as a team member.
Some hiring managers like to give students a test, handing them a designchallenge in the general field of the companys work. For example, some Intel
managers give EEs a technical challenge, then ask them to create a circuit that
could address that challenge. Others will question candidates about how they
might face a design issue, looking for what sources they know about and how
they dissect a problem and strategize a solution. And though its rare, most
senior engineers have had at least one interview where the hiring manager
does most of the talking, rarely taking time to ask a question.
Generally, job candidates wont have much of an idea what to expect. But itsalways a good thing to do some studying to find out what the company is
working on and what makes their products tick. A job manager at Cisco
Systems says he ends interviews quickly if it becomes obvious that an
engineering candidate isnt at least somewhat familiar with the
communications technology his division develops.
A well-prepared candidate who can focus answers to address the companys
needs will gain an edge over the competition. Company web sites and trade
magazines are a good place to get this background information. Candidatesshould look at what the job description asks for and prepare for questions
related to that. They should also be ready to explain how their training has
prepared them for this role in the company, says Maureen Conn, the staffing
leader at Siemens VDO.
A Typical Interview Process
Its sometimes tough to say anything represents the norm in the electronicsindustry. The interviewing process will vary from company to company, but
there are general similarities. Heres a bit of what might pop up.
The process at Detroit-based Siemens VDO, the automotive arm of
Germanys largest corporation, is fairly typical. Most EE candidates will go
through a fairly extensive phone screening before getting an interview. This
is often done by human resources personnel, who know the type of person the
company wants, but usually arent very technically-oriented themselves.
These screeners job is to find people who fit the companys lifestyle andworking personality. They typically ask what are called behavioral questions:
how candidates deal with problem workers, how they resolve disagreements,
their general working style, etc.
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Those who pass this screening will then go through at least a couple of
interviews. In the first interview, they can expect to talk with one to four
people, spending 30 minutes to an hour with each person, says Conn.
Sometimes, all members of the interviewing panel will be present. These
interviews can sometimes seem like interrogation sessions, with engineers
and managers taking different tacks to barrage a candidate with questions.
Questions typically center on what a young engineer knows and how he or
she goes about solving technical problems. There are two things were
looking for, their experience and skills, and their behavioral patterns, Conn
says. Technical questions will often center on the various projects students
did in EE classes, issues faced and how challenges were overcome. Students
may be asked about theories, engineering laws, mathematical issues and
formulas. Engineers all have different views on the knowledge that forms the
basis of engineering, and this can influence how theyll decide which new
graduate they might like to work with.
Perceptions of what makes a good engineer can also vary widely depending
on a companys focus. EEs working in disk drives or aeronautics might ask
about Bernoulli law, a basis of how things fly, whether its an airplane or the
read head that flies over a spinning disk. A company involved in advanced
portable products or automotive engines might be more concerned about thelaws of thermodynamics and how they apply to removing heat from
electronic parts. Fitting lots of electronics into a limited amount of space is
critical in automotive, so those candidates will probably get some questions
about geometric dimensions and tolerances. Questions will also focus on the
students understanding of related theories and laws, such as rules of
thermodynamics.
Though questions about work experience wont be as detailed as for more
seasoned workers, interviewers will ask about job-related experience. Onelikely source of questions is around the types of engineering software the
candidate has worked with. Experience with software the company uses, or
similar software, will make it easier for a new hire to get up to speed quickly.
Those who are called back for a second interview will typically be speaking
mainly with the person who will be their boss. The second interview
generally runs about an hour and a half, says Conn. This interview will
usually focus more on the actual position. Managers are often trying to pick
between one or two contenders at this point. Questions will continue alongthe technical style of earlier interviews, but often, hiring managers will be
describing the job in greater detail, so this interview is likely to be a bit more
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give-and-take than the initial interview, where the candidate tends to do most
of the talking.
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Communicating is Good
Engineers have long been stereotyped as quiet, unassuming nerds who
have trouble speaking with people. Thats never been very correct, and
like any stereotype, its only applicable to certain members of a group
at certain times.
Most products are so complex that engineers will be working on a team.
Whether the team members are all electrical engineers or theyre fromother disciplines, there will be meetings where everyone will be
expected to detail their progress. Engineers have to be comfortable
making presentations in front of team members. Often, engineering
teams will have to describe their programs to marketing and
management teams who tend to hold the purse strings and have the
ability to kill projects or boost their budgets. Strong presenters who can
communicate technical issues in laymens terms are critical to the
success of many programs.
Communication skills cover many areas. Understanding body language
is essential. Engineers can appear disinterested or even dishonest by
moving in a way that makes others think their words and movements
dont go together. They might just be nervous or unsure that theyre
talking at a level that non-technical audiences can understand, but
whatever the reason, observers often stress non-verbal communication
as something engineers need to learn. Its wise to take a speech course,
or at least volunteer to make presentations for group projects while in
school.
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Sample Interview Questions
Here are some broad queries, along with
suggested answers.
Q: What are some of the college projects youve been involved in?
This is a good chance to highlight any large class projects that might be
germane to the job, or that emphasize your skills. These can be from
coursework or extracurricular activities. While they might ask about class
projects, most interviewers will be just as anxious to hear about club activities
or other work that shows initiative and engineering skills. If the question isabout coursework and you want to talk about starting a campus club in a
related area, one course of action might be to touch briefly on class projects
and then mention that you also did interesting work in a club. The point of
these questions is to find out how the job candidate solves problems, and
whether theyve worked in related areas.
Q: What attracted you to engineering? Why do you think youd make a
good engineer?
Many broad questions in this vein are designed to glean a bit about your
background and your interests/skills. This is a good time to show enthusiasm
for the field, and your interest in related areas. I was interested in science
class in grade school, and I liked math in high school, so engineering seemed
to be a great place to blend these interests might be a good opener. It really
doesnt matter whether youve always been interested in math, science and
other areas that lead into engineering, or whether it was a high school class
that got you interested. But it does matter whether you seem to truly enjoy
this type of work or just took the major because a friend said the pay wasgood.
Q: What programs and tools have you worked with?
This can address software packages, such as simulation, verification,
CAE/CAD/CAM packages, or other development tools. It can also mean
hardware, such as test and measurement products. In some cases, youll
know what they want. For example, if youre applying for a job designing
circuit boards and you used a design program during a class, thats a good one
to start with. But if youre not sure what tools or programs the company
might use, this is a good spot to provide a fairly long list of software youve
worked with. As with most questions, its never a bad idea to ask for more
specifics if you think the question could be answered different ways.
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Q: How can you help us build our business? What makes you the ideal
candidate?
This type of question provides a good opportunity to show that you knowsomething about the company. Tailor responses to the product area the
companys in, and highlight the reasons you could hit the ground running if
you get the job. For example, Ive worked with many networks in school and
helped several friends set up home networks, so I think Ive got a good base
to help you in the network expansion project youre starting.
Spending a bit of time on the companys Web site before the interview is good
practice. If you havent done at least some background research to know
what the company makes, this could be a problem. A NACE list of badinterview experiences underscores a big flub by a student, who suggested he
could market the companys products to its customers. The company makes
nuclear weapons.
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Setting Yourself Apart
Its often difficult for engineers (among others) to make sure the right
managers know about their accomplishments. Stressing this too much
can seem like boasting or begging for attention. At the same time,
managers might feel threatened if engineers tout their individual
achievements to upper-level staff.
Presentations are one way of accomplishing this goal. A good presenter
will often talk up the accomplishments of others, but a good speaker is
one whose name and image stick in the mind of the audience.
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What it Takes
Electrical engineers must be methodical and precise, or theres a good chance
the products they create wont work well or last long. But they also must be
creative. Coming up with new ways to use electronics requires an engineer
who conceives of techniques nobody else has considered. Thinking outside
the box, to use the industry clich, is becoming an expectation, not an
exception.
The push to be first to market with the next new thing puts lots of pressure on
product developers. The first product to market gets a large percentage of
business, so the engineers who can come up with a new idea and then get it
ready to ship quickly will be first in line for company bonuses.
It doesnt matter whether the electronic content is a small part of a product,
like a sensor in a medical product, or comprises the entire device, like a cell
phone. The engineers who design the product have to come up with new ways
to provide more capabilities than their competitors, or to reduce the price
significantly. Those are the reasons people buy one product over another.
Engineers sometimes work with customers to find out what they want. Or
theyll convene with their marketing counterparts, who usually spend far
more time mingling with the customer base. Translating the input from
customers, who play a critical role in whether or not a product is successful,