Advice needed regarding applying for my 1st job in electronics - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Mad Professor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 10:20:41 am
content: Hi AllAs per the topic title I am looking for advice with regards to applying for my 1st job in electronics.Here is a copy of the advert from the local paper.QuoteI am looking to be applying for the PCB & GA Assembly Operators, so that I can get my foot in the door.I have previously worked in both the computer and automotive industries, I got my previous job's via recommendations, so I skipped the formal procedures, and as such I am at a total lost on where to start.I know from the advert that need to sent in a covering letter and my CV.Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciatedThanks for your time.Best Regards.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 10:37:46 am
content: So the advert says thisWorking with our busy manufacturing department. The successful candidate will have previous experience in PCB assembly techniques, sub-assembly methods and will be able to recognise components and read engineering drawings. They will also have good manual dexterity.Ideally the candidate will be IPC and Jstd, although in-house training will be given.And that's what they will want in an ideal world. Do you have work experience that covers those requirements? Do you have hobby experience that covers those requirements? If so then you're in with a chance. If not then the best CV and covering letter you can possibly produce is unlikely to get you in the door unless they are prepared to put in more training than they are advertising.I've no idea what the job market is like in your area, but it's possible that they'll receive a lot of CVs, in which case they'll just take the ones showing good experience. It could be that they don't receive many applications and a well written covering letter showing enthusiasm can make up for some missing skills.So, having written all that, what does your skillset look like compared to the advertised requirements?

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 11:54:15 am
content: Ipc and jstd ... Thats al ost military grade soldering....On your cv show some things you have made. Stuff with very small components like twfp and 0402. That should convince them. If you can do that by hand you will have the base covered

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 12:08:42 pm
content: Do you have any qualifications or experience?The first two sound like unskilled production operator jobs, these aren't electronics jobs.The Test Technician is at least a hands on electronics troubleshooting role.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 12:18:48 pm
content: It's unfair to suggest that they are unskilled. Soldering to IPC standards is a skill, it's a skill not possessed by most of the designers I've worked with.Quite how unskilled the GA operative roll is cannot be determined from the description, but if they are asking for an ability to read an engineering drawing then it should be above burger flipper level.

author: Mad Professor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 06:17:36 pm
content: Thank you for your replies.I will try and answer all your questions as best as I can.Maybe the title of this post might be a little off topic, as you have rightly stated that the job title that I am looking at is not what most people would class as electronics job. But as said above I am just trying to get my foot in the door, and work my way up if at all possible.I live on the "Isle of Wight", the island is approx 22x13 miles, with a population of about 140,000.I do know of people working for said firm that had no previous experience.No I don't have any qualifications, as for experience I have none within a environment as such.While working in the computer industry, I have done numerous repairs to PC/Laptop motherboards, such as replacing damaged sockets, through-hole and surface-mount components, I have re-balled BGA chips.While working in the automotive industry I have also repaired numerous ECU's / BCM's.Hand soldering and hot air re-flow work is not an issue for me.In my spare time, for a hobby and on-going projects I do enjoy designing and building printed circuit boards, using both through-hole and surface-mount components.I do prefer using through-hole components, but over the last few years I am now finding myself using more and more surface-mount components.In the past I have made my own single sided and double sided PCB's, I have used the toner transfer, photo etch, cnc routing methods. I have now started getting my PCB designs manufactured by firms such as itead Studio.Thanks again for your time.Best Regards.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 06:25:53 pm
content: It sounds like you have suitable experience, all you need to do is to put that into your CV and the enthusiasm of you post above into your covering letter and you'll have a decent chance of getting an interview.Get someone else to read through it once you've put it together and before you send it off. I'll happily review it if you PM me it once it's in decent shape. Your CV should be the best thing you've ever written.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 11:26:59 pm
content: Just a question here from this side of the pond, not knowing how things are done there. Would it be impractical to include a couple of photographs of projects you designed with your cover letter and CV? Might give an extra push if you show something demonstrable.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 11:48:37 pm
content: You describe good "rounded" experience suitable for the position that interests you.Now you mustproveit, especially as you state you have no formal qualification.Try to include a time-frame that demonstrates your path of on-going learning.(last paragraph)Photos, BOM's, schematics, PCB layouts of your projects will not go un-noticed.Don't forget an emphasis on SMD will be better received than TH.Do include all that you describe above and convey the passion for electronics that you seem to have.This is important if its not just another job in your eyes. They will notice is it is the case.Should you get an interview take a good PCB to show you know what is expected.Break a leg as they say.

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 11:58:26 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 22, 2015, 12:08:42 pmThe ATE position definitely sounds like it will be unskilled.At my place of work we recently had people who knew nothing about electronics doing ATE work. They just had to have the right mindset to reliably follow the operator procedures to the letter. Which was to follow the step by step instructions on the PC monitor (eg making/changing connections) and then to press a button to run the test and then act accordingly if the test came back as PASS or FAIL.So there was no electronics involved at all. They could have previously been on an assembly line putting cherries on cakes or one lady was a housewife looking for her first job after a divorce. She turned out to be a very good and very efficient ATE tester

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2015, 12:08:21 am
content: I should add that the ATE role could act as a future gateway into the Test Technician role if you don't have the qualifications to do the Test Technician role.So one option would be to apply for the Test Technician role and if you don't get it then hopefully you would get the ATE role. After 6 months in the ATE role you could ask to be given the chance to do an HNC part time with a view to getting a more advanced role in the Test Department in the future.QuoteAt my place of work, few people 'escape' or progress from the PCB/ASSY Operator role unless they want to become a section leader or manager. i.e. they generally don't hop across into test or engineering roles.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2015, 12:51:13 pm
content: Your location is, I'm afraid, going to be an impediment to your career. The IoW is small, and there's no real reason for an electronics company to want to locate there given the difficulty of getting people and goods on and off the island.However, geographically speaking, you're not too far away from places where the opportunities are much better. Move to the other side of the Solent and you're immediately in range of a far greater choice of companies to work for. If you have family and friends on the island, it still won't be far to go and see them.If you're not yet in a position to move, then go for the best job you can find - but don't spend too long in it. If you've spent years doing soldering, then no matter how keen or knowledgeable you are, you run the risk that your CV will put you in the same pigeon hole as people who canonlysolder. That may do your career aspirations more harm than good.

author: Mad Professor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2015, 11:42:47 am
content: Thank you all once again for your time and advice.This week I received an acknowledgement letter for the application for the above job.The letter stated that the closing date for the job is 6th March 2015 (today), and if I have not heard from them by the 27th March this would mean that my application was not successful.How soon would I expect to hear from the firm, if they was thinking about calling me in for an interview?Thanks again for your time.

author: sunnyhighway
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2015, 07:19:20 pm
content: Quote from: Mad Professor on March 06, 2015, 11:42:47 amYou could get a call tomorrow, but also 2 or 3 months from now if the guy they wanted (was) cancelled before his trial period ended.What I mean to say, don't hold your breath, but invest time and effort in alternative vacancies.It's much better to have the burden of choice than no job at all.