Question about my strategy to land a job as a pcb-designer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: siyar
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2025, 02:03:15 pm
content: Hi, I'm a recently graduated electronics engineer, and I've been searching for a job related to hardware — such as electronics test engineer, PCB designer, or hardware developer — for about a year without success. It often feels like there's always someone more experienced than me.So, I decided to pick a niche and build my own experience by doing lots of hands-on projects and studying the field in depth. My plan is to focus on PCB design, with an emphasis on embedded systems and IoT. I’ll share my work on GitHub and LinkedIn to showcase my progress.I came up with a strategy to accelerate my learning, but I’m not sure if it’s a good approach — I’d really appreciate input from someone with more experience. Here’s the plan:1. Make a list of common subcircuits used in embedded system boards (e.g. buck converters, etc.).2. Design a simple buck converter board, post it on Reddit for feedback, then design a second version using a different IC and implementing the feedback. Rinse and repeat.3. To save time, I won’t focus on using exact footprints, calculating precise values, or searching deeply for components — I’ll just use application note examples and approximate what’s needed.4. By following step 3 I will complete many more boards, get familiar with a wider range of ICs, and publish more projects on LinkedIn and GitHub to demonstrate my skills and devolopment to potential employers.5. Once I’ve worked through many subcircuits, I’ll try to design a larger, more advanced embedded systems board, polish it, manufacture it, and test it — something I can bring to job interviews.Do you think this strategy makes sense, or is step 3 too much of a shortcut?

author: abeyer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2025, 05:47:31 pm
content: I'm much more the software side professionally, so take this for what you will, but my 2c on a few of those points:Quote from: siyar on April 21, 2025, 02:03:15 pmJob hunting can suck... but there isalwaysgoing to be someone with more experience than you. You need to find the right role for where you're at today. Learning more in the meantime is great, and strongly encouraged, but I don't typically expect it to make a huge difference in what positions you'd be qualified for in the near term.Quote from: siyar on April 21, 2025, 02:03:15 pmThat seems like a way to miss out on a lot of important details that are part of any real work. Why do you think you should sacrifice quality for quantity?Quote from: siyar on April 21, 2025, 02:03:15 pmWhen I've reviewed github projects, the most impressive have always been the ones with an established history of continuing work on a smaller number of projects, not the ones with lots of one-and-done demos.

author: PGPG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2025, 07:16:45 pm
content: If you want to learn more about PCB design I would suggest to read articles I have linked at KiCad forum:https://forum.kicad.info/t/decoupling-capacitor-via-placement/25132/14https://forum.kicad.info/t/decoupling-capacitor-via-placement/25132/19

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2025, 07:54:28 pm
content: I think you're approaching this from the wrong side (based on own experience).Don't just focus on your engineering skills, they can always be enhanced or modified.And don't focus on finding a job fitting completely to your skill set.Companies are looking for people with personal skills that will fit into their environment. They'll add training as needed along the way.Costing a bit of money, going to a couple of seminars/sessions at an outplacement agency or the like will give you valuable tips on how to get that important first interview. Then it's up to you.

author: BennoG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2025, 07:58:05 pm
content: Quote from: siyar on April 21, 2025, 02:03:15 pmIf I was looking for someone and open their examples and see the footprints are of or even incorrect, I would pass you.So I second that tis is a important part of the PCB design.If I was you I would make simple projects that you are gone use in your lab, or for your personal interest, it would be a big + if electronics is also your hobby.But don't count me I was only 8 years old when I started electronics harvesting.Benno