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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

Visit Vault at www.vault.com for insider company profiles, expert advice,

career message boards, expert resume reviews, the Vault Job Board and more.

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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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


Electrical EngineeringBasicsCHAPTER 1




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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.


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


Overview of CareerOptions

CHAPTER 2




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Overview of Career Options

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

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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

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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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Electrical Engineering Design

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

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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.




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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Interviews

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.


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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Interviews

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.


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,

vault career guide to electrical engineering (2005)

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