career advice needed

Thread Starter

_nisha246_

Joined Dec 13, 2020
9
  1. Hi. I am an electronics and communication engineer. I have already done c programming, analog and digital electronic courses at university. Also, an Iot home automation project using nodeMCU in my 3rd year project. so should I start by watching tutorials on c programming, electronics and arudino or do some other projects?
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
Welcome to AAC!
so should I start by watching tutorials on c programming, electronics and arudino or do some other projects?
If you've already done C programming, I assume that means you've already taken a class. Why would you need to watch tutorials? If you have specific areas where you'd like to get in depth knowledge, I'd recommend getting a book because a lot of the so called experts on the internet don't really know what they're talking about.

If you want to get hands on experience with electronics and microcontrollers, come up with some projects that really interest you and do them. If you have an interest in the projects you work on, you're more likely to work through any difficult parts.
 
Last edited:

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,714
Once you have the basic background knowledge the best way to add to your experience is to actually build a project.
Find a project that interests you and one that integrates hardware and software. Get out your soldering iron, oscilloscope, programming platform and get cracking!
 

Ian0

Joined Aug 7, 2020
9,674
Make a complete project, put it in a case, make a neat fascia panel, and make sure it looks safe.
When you interview for a job, you might be interviewed by someone from personnel (or Human Resources as they call it these days) who will be more impressed by something in a nice box than actually how it works.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,714
Make a complete project, put it in a case, make a neat fascia panel, and make sure it looks safe.
When you interview for a job, you might be interviewed by someone from personnel (or Human Resources as they call it these days) who will be more impressed by something in a nice box than actually how it works.
I did exactly that.
I was given a recommendation of an OEM who might be in need of a design engineer.
I made a cold call, walked in with my own design and product and was hired instantly.
 

kaindub

Joined Oct 28, 2019
129
Sad to say that at this stage you are someone who has done a electronics and communication engineer course.
Its when you apply that knowledge to real world problems do you develope engineering skills.
If you are looking for a job, make the best presentation you can. People hire on attitude not aptitude. Don't wait for the dream job, it is unlikely you'll find it first up. Take the job that can use your skills. These days, you never know where you may end up. In electrical engineering, the technology is changing so quickly that in a few years time, what you learnt in your course will be irrelevant. Even C wont be around forever (Sorry C fanboys)
 

kaindub

Joined Oct 28, 2019
129
For your first job you are trying to show the employer that you have something better than the next guy. For entry level jobs the employer knows that he is going to have to train you.
When you are applying for your next job it's completely different. You will then be assumed and judged on your on the job knowledge.
Thats why I believe your first job needs to be one where you can learn to be an engineer and apply what you learnt in school
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,071
While the current employment picture still involves "traditional" large scale industrial employers there are now many opportunities with smaller, more agile companies. These companies often depending on the leading edge of tools and technology to distinguish themselves and so wile theoretical knowledge might be a nice résumé item, they are looking for more.

There are two things more important than your degree to such an employer:

Evidence that you are able to be an autodidact
Proof that you can apply what you learn practically

So you are quite right that is useful to learn something on your own and build something from it. What should those things be? My suggestion is that you consider two facets of the problem. The first is what do you want to do?

If you could learn something that seems very desirable to employers but you would hate doing it as a job, that's not the right thing. Instead, look for something that interests and motivates you. Something you like to do.

The second is relevance. You could produce something in, say Java, but that is not going to appeal to companies using modern tools to do innovative things. Java will be interesting to a company with an existing codebase using it. It will primarily be maintenance job. If that appeals to you it's a good path, but if you want to do new things, then Javascript makes more sense.

When choosing something for this purpose it will help you a lot to figure out what problems are currently becoming important to solve. For example, if you choose to build some IoT project you might want to implement excellent security according to the most current methods. To learn about the problems with security and ways to efficiently solve them. What is likely to be the next adopted standard? Do that. Do it as part of your project fo show strong practical application and judgment.

I would ay that you need to keep in mind this first job could set the direction for your entire career so be sure it is something you will enjoy to do. If you like variety concentrate on that. If you prefer routine, choose that.

As far as a practical choice of project, pick a few companies you would like to work for and research what they are currently doing. Find out the toolset they use and the development they are working on. Often the CTO or someone managing development will have a blog, or there will be press releases. Do that research and you won't be flying blind.

Good luck.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
so if i do projects on embedded software by myself will those count as experience on upwork or linkedin?
It depends on what the projects are. If they're trivial and have already been done in a similar manner many, many times, they won't account for much. If you took a new approach, it might be worth some consideration.

Book learning is pretty much just the cost of getting an education. For education to really matter, you need to show that you can apply what you've learned. Other than the basics, I found that the most important thing I learned in school was how to think and solve problems methodically. Much of the knowledge I used in working in the electronics/semiconductor industry for 4 decades was learned on the job. If you work on the bleeding edge of technology, the books haven't even been written yet.
 
Last edited:

Thread Starter

_nisha246_

Joined Dec 13, 2020
9
It depends on what the projects are. If they're trivial and have already been done in a similar manner many, many times, they won't account for much. If you took a new approach, it might be worth some consideration.
A embedded software engineer on youtube recommended to start off with bluetooth-controlled robot project. Do you think its worth it as a beginner?
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
A embedded software engineer on youtube recommended to start off with bluetooth-controlled robot project. Do you think its worth it as a beginner?
Without knowing what the project entails, I couldn't comment on whether it was a worthwhile exercise for a beginner.

IMO, there are a lot of so-called experts on YouTube who are actually idiots; YMMV. Most stuff on YT isn't peer reviewed.
 

DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,152
You seem to be missing an important point: Your project should be something that not only shows off your skills but also is something in which you are personally very interested in. If it is not something in which you have great interest how are you going to be able communicate enthusiasm for for the project and what you learn from it to your prospective employer? Whatever your project, relate it to the job opening you are disucssing. If there is no way to tie aspects of your project to the job being considered, don't make too much of your project.
 
Top