I am about 4 months or so from graduation from my "Electronics technician" course and have a few questions. How hard is it for a new graduate to land their first gig? Also i talked to a "certified master electronics tech" in my area of NJ and he said fresh out of school I can expect to make 18-22 an hour which is just fine with me to learn the trade. Do those numbers sound reasonable or right? One last question, as a new tech do you get sufficient time to hone your craft from other veteran, experienced techs or are you thrown into the deep end cold? It seems to me even though you have all this education behind you, you still need to learn from the veteran techs. Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

In the present economy, it may be difficult even to get an interview, but do not give up easy--early bird gets the worm. Yes $18 to 22 is reasonable, but to actually land a job you may have to make concessions--once you prove your worth and get some experience, it should increase. Answering the final question, it depends upon the job and workplace culture--if you have a choice, the answer is clear--yes, there is always much to learn, even as a seasoned veteran.

Further advice--contact friends and family that are employed in electronics to see if they can get you an interview or at least notification of an opening--many openings are not advertised because it is easier for them to go after recommendations. You may have to relocate to where the jobs are--I heard that the Middle Atlantic states are doing better than most.

Also, do not wait for advertised openings--find out what is in the area and seek them out--that is what I did right out of college--walked in and almost got hired on the spot--wonderful opportunity--the providence of God--worked there for the next 25 years. While things may be tougher today, opportunities still exist.

God speed!

 

Ok thanks for the advice, anyone else have advice or info?

 

After learning electronics, I never looked for a job for more than 4 hours, the rest of my life, but the first one was working a parts counter for a year before I was allowed into the repair shop. Be prepared to take something dreadful for your first job. After a year in the actual workshop, you can have the kind of reference that causes instant hiring.

 

Thanks for the input, when you say "dreadful" what are we talking about? Dreadful hours, pay, benefits, location or all of the above? Thanks again for any information. Anyone else please chime in? I want to gather as much info as I can before I graduate and start looking.

 

Sadly a bit of luck is sometimes needed.
You need experience to get a job and cant get a experience without a job !

I was lucky in that start up company opened close to me and they were desperate for engineers. Thye were well away from the cities and took on anyone they could.
That got me in the door and Is tuck with a poor wage for 3 years until i became truly useful. I left but by that time I was an integral part of the business and they asked me to come back doubling my wage !

 

You should start looking and applying for a position within your field now. I actually landed my job about 4 months before I graduated. I would also suggest that you talk to the career service dept. at your school, but do not completely rely on them to find to find a job for you.

My situation was a little different than most, as I was applying for a job located here in Nebraska but the company is located in Michigan. The company was opening a satellite location and the technician they needed to hire had to be able to "hit it running" because that person would be pretty much alone in the satellite. I admit that I have struggled from time to time having only had 1 week of training in the home shop. The bright side is that I can always call or skype my boss with questions or talk to one of the other technicians.

One of the things that has helped me out was that I have 16+ years experience as an electrician in commercial and industrial construction and service. Now I repair a lot of the devices and equipment that I was installing. I have been doing this for about a year now and things are going fairly well.

It is a tough market out there and you may not get the dream job right away. You just have to keep knocking on doors and try to sell yourself as best you can.

 

Thanks guys again for the help. I'm a bit nervous now, but think I'll be ok. I have posted my resume on careerbuilder and a few employment staffing companies stating "I will be graduating soon" but no bites, my school also paid for a professional resume that looks real nice. I also posted my resume at the 2 electric companies in NJ but again no bites yet, which makes me a bit nervous too.
To be honest what would REALLY like to do is work on Railroad equipment. Either the locomotives, rail cars or signals department. That is really the #1 reason I am taking this course, to get a job like that at a RR, but it may not happen so I was wondering about other jobs like I asked. Thanks again for the help guys, appreciate it. Feel free to add to the discussion?

 

By, "dreadful", I meant working at a parts counter was not at all about electronics. I was ringing up parts for things like lawn mowers and clothes washers for $135 a week. That was after I finished school. Before I finished school, I worked for RCA...answering phone calls and typing the routes for the service men.

Then there is always some knuckle dragging mouth breather who says, "You think you're so smart. You went to college!"

Umm...yep...and here I am, working the same job you have.

My big break happened when the manager of TV repairs noticed that I was sending the broken TV's to the shop, already diagnosed. Two years of repairing TV's and my problems were over. I could walk into any business that did electronics and get a job instantly...so I did. Appliance repair, precision instruments, OEM power supplies, lasers, satellite radios for nuclear submarines...anything!

 

"Dreadful" is the counter at Radio Shack. Dreadful is terrible pay in a dingy back room plus getting fired for doing something right.

Careerbuilder is OK (my resume is there) but don't think companies are scanning there looking for you. You scan for them. If you can find the company name & address don't click them, call them, see if you can go there to drop off your resume. Smile, firm handshake and dress well as hiring decisions are made in the first 5 to 10 seconds.

Every time you talk to someone ask them what they do and do they know any companies that do (x) where x= what you want to do. People who get referred like that go to the head of the line.

If you like rail roading, meet some people who do it. Railroad dot net has some very popular forums. I frequent the one for our local (LIRR) and many people who are formerly or currently work there participate and post. They are terrific guys who will let you know how to join, when where how.

 

Well I can say this with 100% conviction, I will NOT ever work at a Radio shack. That isn't going to help anyone move up the depth chart. I didn't do all this work to ring up people buying half ass electronics from a dying retailer.

 

Let me echo what others have already stated, you're probably going to start off at the bottom of the food chain. That means you'll not have the most pleasant of jobs, deal with it. I recently placed a tech at a facility that involved the wiring of controls for mixing tanks.
The job was for wiring PLC, temp sensors, solenoid valves, pumps, etc.. At first my former student was thrilled. After all the wiring was run and sensors connected, the senior tech made the terminations at the PLC.
That then left my student to do "menial tasks " such as labeling the sensors, pumps, valves. Because he wasn't electronic/electrical 100% of the time, he quit.That company may never call me again for technicians.
That particular student has since seen the error in his ways.He now knows the only way to become the "senior tech" is to stay with the job.

 

I don't mind starting low, but NOT Radio shack low. That is an insult, don't you agree?