Computer Engineering

[matt_to_the_max]

Hello,
I'm currently majoring in computer engineering at my local college. I love computers and I want to make them work faster. I'm interested in VLSI and I would like to work for AMD or Intel some day. I also enjoy networking. My question to everyone here is, what should I do today in order to get a good job later on? It seems that you need 3+ years of work experience to get a job at Intel and/or AMD, so how am I supposed to get a job right after college if I need work experience? I have volunteered before and have worked on school computers at my high school. My parents work hard for me to go to college and I do not want to let them down! What should I do now to prepare for this exciting industry? Also, should I try to earn a masters degree, is it worth it?
Thanks for looking!
Regards,
Matt

 

[SouLXIV]

Hello,
so how am I supposed to get a job right after college if I need work experience?

get a job somewhere else? Unless you go to a top tier computer engineer/science school like MIT, Cornell, or Carnegie Mellon, don't expect to find a job at major companies right out of college. Masters would also be a plus, but you might want to pursue something different but related to your undergrad, like Computer Science. A lot of the time you can pursue a masters degree WHILE you are working, your company may even pay for the tuition. However this isn't as likely at higher tier schools.

 

[j3ff86]

Do an internship/co-op (or two) once you finish school.

 

[CraftyChicken]

I can't answer your question directly, as this is not my field, but I can tell you some general tidbits. When you say, "I want to make them faster," I'm taking that to mean you want to work in R&D as a principal investigator. Truth be told, a bachelor's degree is not likely to land you an R&D job like that. At best you'd get a job as a technician, which is a great job if you plan on returning to school later. Even if you went straight for your master's, you're going to work as a tech. That's not a bad thing, as there is a learning curve to the system and it takes some time to master it. Plus, you are a part of the team and are right on the front lines, getting to add your own advice and input often.

The best way to land this job is to really know your stuff. Talk to the faculty in your department whose primary research is what your interested in. You'd be surprised what kind of work is available for a 'clueless lowly undergrad.' You'll get experience in research, learn your way around a lab, get credit for your work (maybe even your name in a paper), and if your lucky a little bit of money. Your adviser/boss will get cheap labor and fresh-mind not polluted but years of study. This is very common, but you need to take the initiative.

Finally, grades help, but if you really become a part of the department and not just a number, you'll make the grades simply by virtue of studying what you enjoy. In my field, the best of the best were not preordained to success. The past and future crop of these 'great minds' were, or are, plumbers, clerks, mechanics, janitors, and paper-pushers . All had a desire, a dream, and a work bust-your-butt work ethic.

EDIT: Just to add, be open to new ideas and career paths. Opportunity can come from anywhere, and with a complete education the sky is really the limit. Once you do finish school, get a PhD and a little time in the field, you'll have an opportunity to make your own way.

 

[matt_to_the_max]

Thanks for all the replys. So basically, I need to get at least a masters to get into research and development for computer hardware? I want to design new processors and computer related parts. I am going to do my best in school and I will talk to a professor.

 

[matt_to_the_max]

I will be open to new ideas and career paths to!

 

[SouLXIV]

it's always better to continue learning, especially in the technology field because things change so fast, and getting a PhD isn't a bad idea. Don't let money be an issue though, because if you do well, most of the time you won't be paying a cent for grad school, and may even get enough money back to sustain a living. This isn't true for med/business/law school, though.

 

[-=Antimatter=-]

get a job somewhere else? Unless you go to a top tier computer engineer/science school like MIT, Cornell, or Carnegie Mellon, don't expect to find a job at major companies right out of college. Masters would also be a plus, but you might want to pursue something different but related to your undergrad, like Computer Science. A lot of the time you can pursue a masters degree WHILE you are working, your company may even pay for the tuition. However this isn't as likely at higher tier schools.

That's horrible advice.

You don't need to go to MIT to show a company that you're skilled and have something to offer. Just work hard in class, buy a suit, and learn how to interview well. Go to the on-campus job fairs or crash the job fair at a bigger school with lots of engineers.

It's all about connections. Do some internships during undergrad, and if you maintain ties with the companies you can have open doors waiting for you when you graduate. Get with a company that pays for grad school and you can finish a master's part time in 2-3 years. Look around for companies that do VLSI and embedded system design, you can often find small companies that aren't in the national headlines who are looking for skilled engineers.

If you want a grad degree right away, consider sticking around for a 5th year at your current school or find a school with a 5th year BS/MS program and transfer there. You can start taking grad classes as a senior at most schools to get a head start. It helps to know what you want to specialize in for your grad degree. Consider an MEng if you don't want to write a thesis. I'd only get a PhD if you're interested in staying in academia, teaching, or working in some kind of government think tank/DoD job. I'd also like to point out that you don't need a master's to get a decent job out of engineering, but I'd strongly recommend setting yourself up to get one in the next 5 years after graduation. Skill matters more than your degree; get yourself some technical skills and people skills and you're golden.

I graduated last spring, shoot me a PM if you are looking for decent companies/schools to consider.

 

[CruisD64]

+1 above.

I just finished with a degree in computer science and I think summer internships are the way to go. I never did one becuase I happened to have a parttime job for 8 years which was was related to my major. However, alot of fellow classmates ended up getting full time positions at the companies they interned for over the summer. The best thing you can do is to put yourself out there and become known.

 

[CraftyChicken]

Antimatter is correct. School choice doesn't matter. Sure, the tier-1's have nice facilities and prestige, but it all ends there. Just as the future is limitless, so are the path's to getting there.

Hard work, dedication, and a bit of an easy-going attitude help. I've seen time and time again students freak out when they realize they aren't doing what they want, or aren't happy doing what they thought would make them them happy.

As far as school choice, I will say this. MIT, Mellon, Cal-tech, yea they're great... for graduate-work or maybe a post-doc. Not to knock those schools, but the students who have success there will be the types who can succeed anywhere. If you haven't decided on a school yet, look at as many as possible. You don't even have to physically visit. Research the departments, check out their websites to see what work they are doing, and see if it interests you.

You're starting off right, asking for advice. Don't stop here though, keep up the quest. Eventually you'll find a mentor to guide you.

 

[MrWizard6600]

Hello,
I'm currently majoring in computer engineering at my local college. I love computers and I want to make them work faster. I'm interested in VLSI and I would like to work for AMD or Intel some day. I also enjoy networking. My question to everyone here is, what should I do today in order to get a good job later on? It seems that you need 3+ years of work experience to get a job at Intel and/or AMD, so how am I supposed to get a job right after college if I need work experience? I have volunteered before and have worked on school computers at my high school. My parents work hard for me to go to college and I do not want to let them down! What should I do now to prepare for this exciting industry? Also, should I try to earn a masters degree, is it worth it?
Thanks for looking!
Regards,
Matt

Very Large Scale Integration!

you know the census these days is that VLSI is somewhere between just 100,000 and 1,000,000 transistors right? Were now on to Megascale and Gigascale integration

anyways, Co-op?

 

[SouLXIV]

That's horrible advice.

You don't need to go to MIT to show a company that you're skilled and have something to offer. Just work hard in class, buy a suit, and learn how to interview well. Go to the on-campus job fairs or crash the job fair at a bigger school with lots of engineers.

It's all about connections.

How is it horrible advice? I simply said he should look for a job/internships elsewhere first to get enough work experience.

And you also just restated my point. People go to a school not just for the education but also for the connections you would make there. MIT is the number one engineering school, Cornell has the best Computer Science/Engineering department in the Ivy League, and CMU has Microsoft offices on campus. Being at target school means it's much easier to make those connections and gives a person a huge advantage. Intel recruits regularly every year from the computer engineering class before they even graduate at Cornell.

 

[PurduEE]

I'd love to give you better advice, but basically, take advantage of every opportunity, do as much as you can, always ask for more, and do all of the above with a positive attitude.

I went to Purdue, but your undergrad only really helps you get your first job - after that, it's what you've done. I had the good fortune of taking a development job with Compaq right out of school - partially because I was willing to relocate to Houston from Indiana. That job led me to stints at Dell, Netpliance, Cyrix (a better job than you might imagine) and AMD.

I ended up leaving engineering and pursuing law, but I always loved the work. If my opinion was valued anywhere near as much as an engineer as it is now as a lawyer, I'd have stayed around.

 

[matt_to_the_max]

Very Large Scale Integration!

you know the census these days is that VLSI is somewhere between just 100,000 and 1,000,000 transistors right? Were now on to Megascale and Gigascale integration

anyways, Co-op?

Yea, that's what I thought, but I'm just saying I'm into that kind of study. I need to get more involved in school, I will try to get an internship later on too. -=Antimatter=-, I'm not sure if my school has a 5 year program for a masters degree. I'll find out soon. Thanks again for all the replys.

 

[beyonddc]

Definitely do couple of co-op or internship during undergrad. Try applying to big companies such as Intel, AMD and etc. Most companies offer undergrad. co-op/intern program.

Would be even better if you've some networking in those companies.

 

[-=Antimatter=-]

How is it horrible advice? I simply said he should look for a job/internships elsewhere first to get enough work experience.

And you also just restated my point. People go to a school not just for the education but also for the connections you would make there. MIT is the number one engineering school, Cornell has the best Computer Science/Engineering department in the Ivy League, and CMU has Microsoft offices on campus. Being at target school means it's much easier to make those connections and gives a person a huge advantage. Intel recruits regularly every year from the computer engineering class before they even graduate at Cornell.

You implied that "major companies" only hire at Tier-1 schools, which is false. MIT is a place where opportunities are thrown at students constantly, but that's not always a good thing. I went to WPI, a place where you need to be proactive to get jobs and research positions after graduation. Companies know that people they hire from such schools are capable of being proactive when it comes to their careers and performance on the job.

The opportunities are always there, it's just a matter of identifying them when you go to a smaller or lesser-known school. It's nice to have the facilities and support structure of a huge school, but in the end you'll have exactly the same job and salary as the guy who went to a state school and learned how to bust his ass.

 

[Desdichado]

The best way is to get an internship, preferably with a well known company. Most larger companies will give preference to someone who has worked for them in the past. IBM, for example, does hundreds of internships every year; since it costs them roughly $5000 to put someone into their system, they would much rather hire someone who interned with them then someone totally new, so an internship gives you an inroad.

A high GPA is also important. Many major companies only consider someone with a 3.0 or higher. IBM often will ignore your resume completely unless you have at least a 3.5. My company (Optimal Satcom) highly prefers at least a 3.0.

Also, learn how to interview well. How? Apply for jobs you don't really want and get an interview. One of the biggest keys is confidence; if you can convince them that you are confident and intelligent, that gets your foot in the door. Companies doing internships are looking more at type of person and less at current knowledge, because for them an internship is an easy way to see if you are someone they would consider hiring you longterm. They know that you're an undergrad and therefore don't know everything, and are willing to teach you. What they want to see is that you are the kind of person that understands the basics and will make a good employee.

High-tier schools help, but largely because of the opportunities they give you and because they put you in contact with the recruiters. I go to Virginia Tech, and every year we have recruiters from dozens of major companies come by to hire. However most of these opportunities are available to you on the internet through a companies website. Also, don't hesitate to directly contact a hiring manager and ask for help. That shows initiative and drive, which they like, and it sets you apart from a normal web applicant. Antimatter is correct that you don't need a high-end school. You will just have to work a little harder without it.

 

[SouLXIV]

You implied that "major companies" only hire at Tier-1 schools, which is false. MIT is a place where opportunities are thrown at students constantly, but that's not always a good thing. I went to WPI, a place where you need to be proactive to get jobs and research positions after graduation. Companies know that people they hire from such schools are capable of being proactive when it comes to their careers and performance on the job.

The opportunities are always there, it's just a matter of identifying them when you go to a smaller or lesser-known school. It's nice to have the facilities and support structure of a huge school, but in the end you'll have exactly the same job and salary as the guy who went to a state school and learned how to bust his ass.

I don't want to be condescending, but again, you restated what I just said...

"Being at target school means it's much easier to make those connections and gives a person a huge advantage. Intel recruits regularly every year from the computer engineering class before they even graduate at Cornell. "

I "implied" that it's much easier to make connections if you went to a target school, you will just have to work harder if you don't. What you are implying in your own post is that those who go to top tier schools are "pampered" by complimentary opportunities. MIT has the second highest suicide rate after UChicago, and Cornell's known for its beautiful gorges where students jump for "the leap of death". Kids who get into schools have been "busting" their asses off their entire lives, and college has even more competition. Of course everyone has the possibility to succeed, some people just have a head start than others.

 

[DanniBoy]

The job fairs these days are somewhat useless. Most, if not all, of the companies will point you to their website and tell you to apply online, unless your have like a 4.0 GPA and they immediately take your resume and interview you on the spot (I saw this happen). Sure they can ask a few questions, but nothing the internet can answer for you. So I did just that and applied online to each company I was interested in. Even went through Monster.com. I got an internship with a company during the end of my junior year and throughout my senior year. My resume was not all impressive, just a lot of coursework and projects. I did not even put my GPA on there. But I was able to get an interview and answered all their technical questions and of course the HR stuff. This company paid for my college tuition and hired me full time after I graduated. Maybe I just go real lucky, but I hope my experience helps you out.

 

[osrk]

The job fairs these days are somewhat useless. Most, if not all, of the companies will point you to their website and tell you to apply online, unless your have like a 4.0 GPA and they immediately take your resume and interview you on the spot (I saw this happen). Sure they can ask a few questions, but nothing the internet can answer for you. So I did just that and applied online to each company I was interested in. Even went through Monster.com. I got an internship with a company during the end of my junior year and throughout my senior year. My resume was not all impressive, just a lot of coursework and projects. I did not even put my GPA on there. But I was able to get an interview and answered all their technical questions and of course the HR stuff. This company paid for my college tuition and hired me full time after I graduated. Maybe I just go real lucky, but I hope my experience helps you out.

Sadly in this economy a 4.0 gpa doesn't guarantee a job immediately.

I personally went for a balance of experience and gpa. My gpa is 3.4 but I make up for any shortcomings that might incur by having tons of experience. Three internships at three different companies, undergraduate research grants, worked in 3 different laboratories doing different kinds of research. It's not that I wasn't asked to asked to stay at any of those places I just wanted to get "figure out what I want to do in life" part out the way quickly.

This isn't the case for you so look on your school's engineering website and find out who's doing research in the field you want to work in. After that contact them, usually they'll have undergraduate work that you can do. I started working in labs in my second semester in college so even if your a freshmen that shouldn't hold you back.

 

[-=Antimatter=-]

What you are implying in your own post is that those who go to top tier schools are "pampered" by complimentary opportunities.

Because they are.

Of course everyone has the possibility to succeed, some people just have a head start than others.

Going to an Ivy League school doesn't mean you have a head start, you learned exactly the same material as the kid studying in the state school paying 1/8 the tuition. When you're in high school, you don't apply to an Ivy because you like the labs in the engineering department, you apply there because of the prestige associated with the institution's name and its ability to attract smart students and researchers. Knowing that you're part of such a system gives you confidence as a student, a sense of entitlement that some people genuinely need in order to succeed in the classroom. In the end, you'd get the same job as the kid from the state school. Different paths to the same destination. I'm not saying that the Ivy is easier; the academic workload is the same for both schools. To me, it's not worth tens of thousands of extra dollars just to make my job search easier when I'm done my BS.

Where you go for your grad degree matters a lot more. Creating an atmosphere of competition and elitism in an undergrad environment results in way too much stress for students who tell themselves "I got into MIT...why can't I learn this stuff, I'm supposed to be the best!" Without that pressuring elitist atmosphere, the suicide rates wouldn't be so high.

This topic of discussion isn't relevant to the OP's question, which has been answered pretty well. Suffice to say, you and I are both making the same point, that you can get a good job from any school with enough effort. But you said that Tier-1 students have a "head start," which tells me that you've fallen for the bullshit hype that claims Tier-1 schools are automatically better for undergrad degrees; this is wrong. The graduate schools are what sets a Tier-1 head and shoulders above others. The only thing that Tier-1 undergrads have a head start on is their job search, something that is easily rectified.

Sorry for blowing things out of proportion.

 

[SouLXIV]

^that's not always true. The prestige factor is one thing, but it isn't one of the criteria for ranking. Schools are well regarded because of their faculty staff resources, facilities, teaching quality, and endowment. Academic workload is also vastly different because of the amount of compeition each student must face to beat the curve.

My oldest brother attended MIT as a Computer Science major and was recruited by Microsoft at the end of his senior year. With the signing bonus, his first year salary was around $130,000. My other brother went to Cornell as an IS major involving computer and human interaction. He was recruited by Amazon and with the signing bonus his salary right out of college was around $140,000. Neither of them have the intention to go back to grad school to study Computer Science, because there really isnt any need with their increasing income. One of them said they may go back for business school for additional options, but that's it. I will be attending Cornell next year also, and I will pay the same amount my two bros did: less than our state school. State schools simply don't have enough endowment to offer the financial aid scholarships like private schools do.

So in the end, do certain people have a "head start"? You be the judge.

 

[CruisD64]

I have a Computer Science degree and I just graduated from San Jose State in December! $140,000!!!! I can already taste you!

 

[-=Antimatter=-]

^that's not always true. The prestige factor is one thing, but it isn't one of the criteria for ranking. Schools are well regarded because of their faculty staff resources, facilities, teaching quality, and endowment. Academic workload is also vastly different because of the amount of compeition each student must face to beat the curve.

My oldest brother attended MIT as a Computer Science major and was recruited by Microsoft at the end of his senior year. With the signing bonus, his first year salary was around $130,000. My other brother went to Cornell as an IS major involving computer and human interaction. He was recruited by Amazon and with the signing bonus his salary right out of college was around $140,000. Neither of them have the intention to go back to grad school to study Computer Science, because there really isnt any need with their increasing income. One of them said they may go back for business school for additional options, but that's it. I will be attending Cornell next year also, and I will pay the same amount my two bros did: less than our state school. State schools simply don't have enough endowment to offer the financial aid scholarships like private schools do.

So in the end, do certain people have a "head start"? You be the judge.

Your brothers are on the high end of the scale, assuming their signing bonuses weren't a large portion of those numbers. MIT lists the average salary of a graduating engineer as $56k and $59k for the 2004 and 2005 classes, respectively. Cornell lists similar results from their surveys. Compare that to a place like UMaine, where the average salary is about 60k as well.

I do agree that great students like your brothers can find more success at a place like MIT than at a state school in the middle of nowhere. The average students, however, seem to do just about the same everywhere.

I went to a private school because it was cheaper than my local state school too, financial aid helps a lot. I'm not saying that people shouldn't go to big schools like MIT, but they should know what they're getting into before they go. I'm not a competitive person by nature, I'm an average student, so I would've netted the same salary out of MIT than I would have going to UMaine. Different strokes for different folks.

As a side note, my girlfriend went to Cornell for undergrad and grad, and I've spent a lot of time there over the last few years. You'll enjoy it a lot.

 

[PurduEE]

Your brothers are on the high end of the scale, assuming their signing bonuses weren't a large portion of those numbers. MIT lists the average salary of a graduating engineer as $56k and $59k for the 2004 and 2005 classes, respectively. Cornell lists similar results from their surveys.

I'd say they're at the BS level of the scale (and I don't mean bachelors). Without some specific experience or expertise (that you wouldn't have with a BS degree), I can't imagine that you could pull down that kind of dough. What's your value? You have a degree from a great school, but where's the proven track record to support that kind of pay? Pay like that is for people who can contribute at a high level. I worked as a EE for a long time, and I knew very few experienced engineers that pulled down that kind of money (including engineers at MS).

Maybe if you added in a signing bonus, moving allowance, 401k contributions, and current value of any stock options (yet to vest).

 

[SouLXIV]

You have a degree from a great school, but where's the proven track record to support that kind of pay?

Lol, I remember my oldest brother teasing me during his junior year that he was getting paid $60 an hour for an internship. I guess it's important to note again that their majors were not Computer Engineering. One of them was a Comp Sci major and the other was an Info Sci major. However, I remember them telling me that when it was time to look for a job, most of the employers did not care what their majors were (to a certain degree). They realized that recruiters at undergrad target schools simply wanted "smart and distinguished people". In the end when they were hired, they had to be taught almost 100% how to do their jobs, it was just a matter of how fast they learned.

 

[CruisD64]

...In the end when they were hired, they had to be taught almost 100% how to do their jobs, it was just a matter of how fast they learned.

Good, that makes me feel better cause even with a comp sci degree, i feel like i hardly know anything. lol

 

[PurduEE]

Lol, I remember my oldest brother teasing me during his junior year that he was getting paid $60 an hour for an internship. I guess it's important to note again that their majors were not Computer Engineering. One of them was a Comp Sci major and the other was an Info Sci major. However, I remember them telling me that when it was time to look for a job, most of the employers did not care what their majors were (to a certain degree). They realized that recruiters at undergrad target schools simply wanted "smart and distinguished people". In the end when they were hired, they had to be taught almost 100% how to do their jobs, it was just a matter of how fast they learned.

That's true for a first job only - if you don't have any experience, you can't really know how to do something. It's also the reason that salary increases over time - you have more useful skills.

Sure, they don't have CE or EE degrees, but I can tell you that in the years I worked in the computer industry, in a software capacity, that most of the jobs I held were along side CS guys. In fact, I'd venture that most people would rate a prospective EE candidate as prefererable to a CS, as application is more useful than science in product development. I know this market first-hand. I have friends who've been at Microsoft since the day we got out of Purdue (a top-10 to top-5 program). IS generally pays less than either EE or CS.

In short, I reiterate my original claim - I see no reason why your brothers, unless they have some skills or experience you have not disclosed, would merit a salary nearly 200-300% higher than other graduates of their school with the same degree.

Please elaborate.

 

[undertheradar]

SoulXIV's advice is good, dont know why others said otherwise. My father-in-law was a President then CEO for Johnson Controls (his division was in charge of making nukes among other things at Area 51), and in Detroit (Autos) after that, so I have a good amount of 'inside info' about 'corporate life' at least. My other half is president of one of the Divisions at US Bank (something about being the 'big-boss' runs in that family... her sister is a Captain/JAG Lawyer in DC as well... go figure...)

I am an EE grad from UW-Madison, and for a long time I did circuit design, including VLSI, but so much of that is going the route of software control (everything is somewhere between hardware and software level... but as hardware gets more complex and cheaper, more stuff is moving to software design). Anyways, there are alot of EE guys in Computer Engineering... usually EE guys are the ones doing the actual HDL programming instead of Computer Science majors.

Where you go DOES matter alot, not just GPA (heck, how many companies filter from or have contracts/agreements with certain schools?). I would consider the likelyhood of working at Intel, AMD, nVidia, or ATI to be very slim... they have their choice of engineers from MIT, CalTech, as well as the best universities from overseas. The truth is, most top level R&D (computers, autos, etc.) is done by people with Doctorates, and being that the foreign workers work harder and for less... more and more is being done overseas. It is likely that China will become the future of microprocessor design as well. One idea would be to find out which Universities get sponsorships and grant money (for development work) from the companies you are interested in. Get into those grant programs and you already have your foot in the door with those companies.

This isnt a bad thing though. FWIW, Computers and such are not much of an 'added value' industry anymore. There are many competitors, slim margins of profit considering the volume, and not alot of potential. Its like making cars almost... lol.

One of the few added-value industries left is jet-engines and weapons. OR, rather than trying to be a major player, there is considerably more profit from picking a specialty in a smaller industry.

My cousin gradded from MSOE last year... landed a job with a base of $60,000, but with his travel compensation and bonuses, he's well over $100,000 a year. You know what he does? He goes to hospitals and repairs the lasers that are used for things like clearing out fat-man arteries.

On a related note, I know the owner of this company as well: http://www.meadowshplc.com/
He is 32 years old, started that company right out of UC Berkeley. He makes millions by refurbing HPLC's for hospitals and labs. He owns a $5,000,000 home (all to himself), as well as many toys... A Mercedes and BMW for everyday, two RUF Porche's, and two Ferraris. I was joking with him last year that he should trade in his F355 for the F430... and well... guess what his Christmas present to himself was last year? The F430. The lisecnce plate says 'LOSER'...lol.

My suggestion would be to do EE rather than CE for one. I think there is a broader range of work you can do with that, but still VLSI, Controls, Microprocessor design, etc. But in my case, I saw the writing on the wall, so instead of keeping with 'Digital Logic' type stuff, I switched to making custom electric motors, generators, and controllers (electric cars anyone?) since I took those electives. I have since designed multiple electric motors and pumps, some which I own patents for. I work for an Austrian company as their 'design consultant' (much more pay, no benefits) and collect about 5% of their annual profits including 'special deals' that I take a cut of (I made a contract this year with a South American government of which my cut is $50,000 per year for the next 5 years... I 'sold' it, and all I have to do it sit back and collect). You might think larger companies are where the money is at, but that is not the case usually. The more money a company makes, the more people it attracts, and the more bloated the overhead and management gets. You can actually make more with a small company alot of times.

As for work experience... well... thats what internships are for. Many companies count internships towards your work experience. I would start at one after your sophmore year, even if later on you decide to go to grad school. Many places will help pay your way, and back you up as far as your learning goes.

Honestly, most Engineering jobs in the US are going to be in 'Sales' or small scale design (aftermarket, custom applications, etc.). If you really want R&D, get your Doctorate at least, get an internship, oh... and learn a foreign language. I would suggest Chinese, Japanese, or German. And then spend a semester abroad learning at some engineering university. This says ALOT about your aspirations and potential. Another buddy of mine, Oliver, who did his undergrad in the US but spend a semester in Germany. He ended up going to that German University for his Doctorate (not even engineering, but physics), and now makes cars that drive themselves (you know that Lexus that parks itself? Yeah, that is one of many 'fringe advances' from that program). Most EU companies wouldnt consider hiring a wanker from the US, but because he studied there... he can get top jobs in the US as well as EU. Something to consider.

 

[MrWizard6600]

seems to me there's a lot of good but depressing advice here.

I too have/had delusions of an Nvidia signed paycheck. I don't care so much how its for I just care to know that someday I build a comparator used in a caching system. It seems to me to be such a double edged sword you know, If my entire career is spent designing crappy small scale systems with karanah maps and such, I think I'd go insane. On the other hand, my friend who spent 2 months in college learning some basic electrical skills, joined the armed forces and ended up working on (as in repairing) electronic avionics systems on the Apache helicopter (you know that big bulge that sits on top of the rotors? Its made of acrylic to minimize radar signature and, is itself, a radar. This helicopter can hide behind a ledge, raise 1 foot to expose this acrylic radar, and pick up enemies miles and miles away, without ever exposing itself. Cool stuff), I don't know about repairing but getting my name strapped to something like that would be pretty awesome.

But yeah, my best case scenario is a 3.5 GPA from the University of British Columbia, if the Intel, Nvidia and the like are only interested in MIT caliber people, I'm doomed.

 

[matt_to_the_max]

Thanks for all the great replys everyone. undertheradar, I thought CE engineers made more than EE engineers?, is it really necessary to switch to EE? So basically, I need get a good internship and then find a company to work for. Then later on I could get my doctorate later on for R&D?

 

[S3th13]

seems to me there's a lot of good but depressing advice here.

I too have/had delusions of an Nvidia signed paycheck. I don't care so much how its for I just care to know that someday I build a comparator used in a caching system. It seems to me to be such a double edged sword you know, If my entire career is spent designing crappy small scale systems with karanah maps and such, I think I'd go insane. On the other hand, my friend who spent 2 months in college learning some basic electrical skills, joined the armed forces and ended up working on (as in repairing) electronic avionics systems on the Apache helicopter (you know that big bulge that sits on top of the rotors? Its made of acrylic to minimize radar signature and, is itself, a radar. This helicopter can hide behind a ledge, raise 1 foot to expose this acrylic radar, and pick up enemies miles and miles away, without ever exposing itself. Cool stuff), I don't know about repairing but getting my name strapped to something like that would be pretty awesome.

But yeah, my best case scenario is a 3.5 GPA from the University of British Columbia, if the Intel, Nvidia and the like are only interested in MIT caliber people, I'm doomed.

I'm in the same boat with a CS degree from Grand Valley State University.

 

[Imprez04]

seems to me there's a lot of good but depressing advice here.

I too have/had delusions of an Nvidia signed paycheck. I don't care so much how its for I just care to know that someday I build a comparator used in a caching system. It seems to me to be such a double edged sword you know, If my entire career is spent designing crappy small scale systems with karanah maps and such, I think I'd go insane. On the other hand, my friend who spent 2 months in college learning some basic electrical skills, joined the armed forces and ended up working on (as in repairing) electronic avionics systems on the Apache helicopter (you know that big bulge that sits on top of the rotors? Its made of acrylic to minimize radar signature and, is itself, a radar. This helicopter can hide behind a ledge, raise 1 foot to expose this acrylic radar, and pick up enemies miles and miles away, without ever exposing itself. Cool stuff), I don't know about repairing but getting my name strapped to something like that would be pretty awesome.

But yeah, my best case scenario is a 3.5 GPA from the University of British Columbia, if the Intel, Nvidia and the like are only interested in MIT caliber people, I'm doomed.

welcome to CompE, where there are always geniuses that are better than you.

I seriously hated CompE, but the best advice i can give you is like everyone already said, make connections and jobs early. hell, even if they dont pay.

A friend is graduating from my school (Purdue University) with a CompE major and is going straight to intel, so it is possible to do that even if you are not from an Ivy school or the like.

the best thing to do is to get internships. My friend had an internship with IBM for two years, microsoft for another year. and then being very active in communities outside of just class.

I dont mean communities like a bunch of people making a linux distro for fun on the internet, but things like the greek community (if your school has one), because it shows that you have been running a business and can manage yourself in a team (and learn inter-personal skills and communication! which is what companies look at themost). Or student government (for the same reason). or a leadership positions in clubs (like IEEE club, there HAS to be one at your school, and if there isnt, make one).

These companies look for more than just grades (grades are actually ranked 3rd or 4th in what companies look for), experience with internships, and communication rank 1st and 2nd in what they want.

 

[sephex]

I have a Computer Science degree and I just graduated from San Jose State in December! $140,000!!!! I can already taste you!

Funny that you say this because I am working my way to computer engineering right now and I was thinking of transferring to San Jose State after meeting the requirements. So I have a few questions for you. How are the tuition fees over there? How long did it take you to graduate? What advice could you give a student coming from a community college? thanks for reading.

 

[matt_to_the_max]

Hey guys, I just wanted to give an update on my career. I was able to land a great job at one of the largest telco companies in the world as a affiliate (or junior) network engineer. For four months I was applying to jobs and landed three interviews out of countless job applications. I was denied a position at consulting company as a network/computer engineer since I did not have enough experience but I did get an offer at a smaller company yet decided against it. I ended up choosing the large telco company as it seemed to be a better fit for me, offered a great start to my career, and had more opportunities for my career path. It's not exactly what I studied for (I took one networking class in college) but it is in a relevant field to my major. I enjoy the work, learn new things everyday, (I spent seven months training), and I am happy to be in a great group with a cool yet intelligent boss. I didn't have any internship experience and instead put down the only experience I had which was working at a retail job and the computer repair I did for my resume. I worked hard to get the job, practiced interviewing, and didn't have the best grades in the world but I kept persevering. For anyone out there in college or any part of there life, I would say to get an internship if you can like others have mentioned and stay hungry and positive. Do not give up, stay strong, and do all that you can to better yourself in a field you want to get into. There are all sorts of certifications for engineers that will help you land a job too! Also, connections do help! If you're already not involved with relevant clubs for your major, get in them as soon as you can and start networking. You never know who might be able to land you that first interview.

 

[Dayaks]

Lol, I remember my oldest brother teasing me during his junior year that he was getting paid $60 an hour for an internship. I guess it's important to note again that their majors were not Computer Engineering. One of them was a Comp Sci major and the other was an Info Sci major. However, I remember them telling me that when it was time to look for a job, most of the employers did not care what their majors were (to a certain degree). They realized that recruiters at undergrad target schools simply wanted "smart and distinguished people". In the end when they were hired, they had to be taught almost 100% how to do their jobs, it was just a matter of how fast they learned.

He was a male stripper, wasn't he?

I am not in the field you want but my main advice would be look at job postings for the job you want and the requirements. Aim to fill those. Also don't get tunnel vision on a company. That's just stupid. It could be a horrible slave shop for all you know. Seems like you figured it out.