SMT007 Magazine

SMT007-Dec2020

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46 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2020 authorized to recruit external hires. I was part of the college recruiting team, as 90% of HP engineers were recruited from universities (BS, MS, or Ph.D.). HP's process for college recruit- ing was based on an early form of network- ing. HP maintained close contact with depart- ment heads and head professors of engineering departments at favored universities. To recruit chemical engineers, we went to those universities noted for their focus on industries like electronics, process control, and environmental. I contacted the department heads for chemical engineering at five noted universities, including my alma mater. We asked professors to give us the names of their most talented graduating students that would likely be interested in a career in electron- ics. We contacted the students and scheduled appointments to interview them at a time con- venient for them rather than the fixed slots at the engineering placement office. Most chem- ical engineers were not looking for careers in electronics, but rather in petroleum, chemi- cals, pulp and paper, or energy. Recruiting in Good Times and Bad New university graduates proved to be excel- lent PCB process engineers. However, if you are looking for experienced engineers or sci- entists, then other tactics are in order, such as: • Networking with peers • Professional organizations • Conferences and seminars • Industry newsletters and magazines • Internet job postings/social media • HR departments and professional recruiters Networking With Peers This is always my first choice. If you've met other engineers that have impressed you and may be interested in your job, then you are on your way. That is one reason I recommend that you should write technical papers for publica- tions. It makes your name visible in the indus- try. Delivering papers at conferences increases your network and opportunity to meet peers. The majority of jobs are found through con- tacts, so network, network, network! Professional Organizations Joining a professional organization is another way of increasing your network, but most POs have a website with job postings or "situations open" that you can take advantage of. The most useful organizations are those that have monthly or bi-monthly meetings. They are great places to meet and get to know your peers. Conferences and Seminars There is always an abundance of conferences and seminars going on in electronics, espe- cially printed circuit manufacturing, design, and assembly. IPC is the most visible in North America, but it has its counterparts all over the world (EIPC in Europe, ICT in the U.K., JPCA in Japan, TPCA in Taiwan, etc.). There are also various SMTA conferences and seminars, as well as other trade shows and events held by other organizations. Industry Newsletters and Magazines There are numerous electronics newsletters that may have job postings as part of standard features. The same is true of industry maga- zines. If recruiting efforts have not returned any results, then an ad placed in one of the magazines may be the ticket. Just remember, magazines have a longer lead-time than news- letters or newspapers. Internet Job Postings/Social Media There are many sites that cater to job search- ing, including professional contacts through LinkedIn. Through networking, a job posting may be forwarded to someone who is looking for something in your field. HR Departments and Professional Recruiters If you are in a larger company, the HR depart- ment will be involved, especially with news- papers or professional recruiters. For smaller companies, it depends. Professional recruit- ers are usually my last resort. Although they are effective, they offer the service of finding candidates at a price in order to make money, which can be expensive.

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