[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajt976 Strohmie, First of all, a big congrats on your masters. That's a really huge accomplishment and I hope to make it there someday as well. I don't know if you had said this before hand but in your grad work, what was your area of emphasis? I was just curious. Anyways, I'm probably in no position to give you advice, but I plan on taking the best (or pretty much any ) job offer's that get thrown my way. I think I'll just be happy getting a salary instead of an hourly wage! I say go for it, see where it takes you and at the very least you will be getting real world experience. Not to stray any further from the original topic, but are there any suggestions you'd give to a young sophmore ECE student?! You know, other than stay on top of your class work and to actually do the suggested problems in my math classes? Again congrats, Andrew

I mainly focused on audio design applications, which basically means electronics, signal processing, and acoustics work. Basically, Head-Fi as a career.

As I posted earlier this evening, I highly recommend finding a co-op or two sometime before you graduate. And I don't just mean on campus internships or assistantships. I mean sign up for a summer or semester co-op at an outside company in your area of interest (have you decided on that yet?). That should at least help out with finding an entry level position once you graduate, either through networking at the company you worked for or simply having actual work experience outside of school.

 

[ajt976]

Quote:

Originally Posted by strohmie I mainly focused on audio design applications, which basically means electronics, signal processing, and acoustics work. Basically, Head-Fi as a career.

Yea that sounds like a really fun route!

I've considered going into the DSP side in hopes of dabbling in something remotely related to Head-fi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by strohmie As I posted earlier this evening, I highly recommend finding a co-op or two sometime before you graduate. And I don't just mean on campus internships or assistantships. I mean sign up for a summer or semester co-op at an outside company in your area of interest (have you decided on that yet?). That should at least help out with finding an entry level position once you graduate, either through networking at the company you worked for or simply having actual work experience outside of school.

Well, short answer is no, I've not yet found an area in EE/ECE that I find particularly interesting (or at least something that I enjoy more than the rest). But I really haven't been introduced to an awful lot of material to make any real decisions. Hopefully by next year I'll have at least figured out what I DON'T want to pursue. Internships are in the works though, I've found a couple of consulting firms that regularly take students from my university for the summer, and with any luck I'll score something with one of them.

 

[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajt976 Yea that sounds like a really fun route! I've considered going into the DSP side in hopes of dabbling in something remotely related to Head-fi. Well, short answer is no, I've not yet found an area in EE/ECE that I find particularly interesting (or at least something that I enjoy more than the rest). But I really haven't been introduced to an awful lot of material to make any real decisions. Hopefully by next year I'll have at least figured out what I DON'T want to pursue. Internships are in the works though, I've found a couple of consulting firms that regularly take students from my university for the summer, and with any luck I'll score something with one of them.

For DSP, make sure that you don't mind programming, because most of the opportunities in DSP require pretty strong programming knowledge. One of the main reasons I ended up going against a straight DSP focus is that programming is just not my thing overall.

As for finding a specific focus, you have a bit of time before you need to make a specific decision. I know someone who's a year through a MSEE at MIT and she still hasn't figured out what she wants to do with herself.

 

[strohmie]

Someone has an interview next week...

After three months of little to nothing, I got a response for a job with Honda doing automotive audio work. Now it's time to freak out. No, really, I'm not that type. But three guesses as to how many hours from now I'm going to be refreshing my memory of car audio systems.

It sounds very promising...I managed to have the recruiter in stitches through half the convo I had with her on the phone. At one point I had forgotten something she said earlier, made some joke about "failing the test before getting into the classroom," and she just laughed and said, "really, it's going to be fun, we're going to make this work."

...

Shall I take that as a GOOD sign?

Just out of sheer curiousity, what's been everyone's general success rate in landing an offer through an interview? Obviously I have to take the above, and my apparent rapport with the recruiter (who's also one of the two doing the interview), to be good signs. But I'm curious about anyone else's experience all the same.

 

[Nisbeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by strohmie Just out of sheer curiousity, what's been everyone's general success rate in landing an offer through an interview? Obviously I have to take the above, and my apparent rapport with the recruiter (who's also one of the two doing the interview), to be good signs. But I'm curious about anyone else's experience all the same.

I'll tell you my experience in a few months (my thesis is due on Jan. 4th)

Seriously, if you've already had a pleasant conversation with the recruiter, you should take that as a good sign. They've probably confirmed through your resume that your are technically qualified for the position, so the interview will most likely focus on assessing your problem-solving skills within your field and also to determine if you are someone who can work around other people.


/U.

 

[CMacDaddy]

I've had 7 interviews in the last 4 weeks for summer internships, and only 1 job offer.

During 3 of the interviews I didnt feel like I did anything but average. 3 other interviews I thought I did well. 1 I thought I did really well in.

I got the job from an interview where I thought I had just done well, go figure.

Best of luck with your interview!

PS: use the search function for a few threads about interviewing tips if you feel nervous.

Clarkes Post was particularly helpful

 

[hongda]

If you guys do go for internships, I recommend doing a 6 month internship/co-op. With three months it's fairly hard to get a meaningful project in. I give about 4 weeks to get accustomed to everything, cubicle, computer, all the paperwork, voicemail setup, orientation, getting used to meetings etc.... That leaves about 2 months for actual work. Planning your project, getting the right resources... it can get fairly rushed or you get a project that isn't very meaningful.

 

[strohmie]

Thanks for the advice guys. The basic thing I'm getting from most of what I heard is that I have a good start, it's just a matter of making sure I'm prepared and know what type of questions I might be asked in the interview.

I really want this job. Good location, good company, and dammit, I need some disposable income.

 

[skudmunky]

Do it! Hope you have fun where ever you work, but audio is cool.

 

[ken36]

Go for it.

 

[smuh]

you might be considered as a spy or sleeper here at head-fi and get you a permban

take the job, you can always look for something better/different...

 

[strohmie]

Thought I'd put a final note on this thread by saying that I ended up getting a job with Honda R&D Americas, doing car audio systems work. Glad to finally be getting a permanent paycheck.

And...guess which company is coming to make a proposal this Friday?

 

[bhd812]

Quote:

Originally Posted by strohmie Thought I'd put a final note on this thread by saying that I ended up getting a job with Honda R&D Americas, doing car audio systems work. Glad to finally be getting a permanent paycheck. And...guess which company is coming to make a proposal this Friday?

Bose?

 

[strohmie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 Bose?

That's the part which has interested me the most about the job -- for the audio systems we basically work with all sorts of different companies to set up a complete audio system for the car. So Panasonic may do the head unit, Mitsubishi may do the rear entertainment system, Pioneer may do the speakers...etc.

 

[D-EJ915]

Congrats on finding the job Strohmie!!