企业越来越挑剔，工程师求职如何应对？

Employers getting more picky hiring engineers

by Karen Field

A top recruiter says engineering positions are getting more specialized, which doesn't bode well for job seekers

Mike Delaney, an EE and founder of the recruitment firm Global Network Recruiting (GNR), which specializes in the high-tech industry, recalls what the engineering job market was like when he first got into the business in the early 1990s: "We were going through this tech bubble and things were just exploding. There was a ton of money and a ton of engineers. Everybody was changing jobs--I was taking engineers from the defense industry who were doing chips and embedded software and putting them into telecom jobs and vice versa."

Not anymore.

And that doesn't bode well for engineers who've been caught up in a lay-off or are simply looking for a change, as their skill sets alone (with the exception of analog power management, which is in huge demand) may no longer be enough to impress hiring managers. Delaney does note that individuals fluent in embedded software, C, and core processors are likely to have better luck, as these skills are more transferable and in demand.

But with seemingly their pick of qualified candidates, Delany says that companies are increasingly less willing to cross individuals into industries. "There's a learning curve with anyone starting a new position, and it's exaggerated when that person is also moving into a new industry," says Delaney. "Ideally, hiring managers want to hire people from the same sector.

Delaney says that some hiring managers think that because of the high unemployment rate, the ideal candidate will be more easily found. Not so. "Everybody with that specific skill set is currently employed in the industry and valued and making a competitive salary," says Delaney.

So what's an engineer to do?

While not always of interest to engineers, moving into a non-design engineering position may be one option.

At Texas Instruments, for example, Manager of Staffing Brian Rankin says that field application and systems engineers are more in demand than designers. Currently, he says, TI has 60 to 70 open positions in these two areas. "We're looking for engineers who have worked for our customers, as they have a unique perspective on what our customers need and how we can support their revenue growth," says Rankin.

Delaney suggests that to boost their marketability engineers might consider taking additional coursework to update their skills or even earn another degree, which he says is going to carry some significant weight.

As for the future, Delaney says he sees no reversal in this trend, pointing to the fact that technology is getting more complex. "We talk about the wireless world. In the past we had a bag phone, and now we have PDA devices that stream video across your phone. Like it or not, engineering jobs are getting more niched. "