I've recently graduated and I'm now on the lookout for a good job and I'm after any insight anyone can offer.
There seems to be few jobs in the area I'm interested in working and the 'good' jobs all usually require 5+ years of experience, so while I know maybe I won't be doing the job I really want quite yet I need to get a job in the right area so gain this experience to then get into the better jobs. I think perhaps my main issue is looking in the wrong areas, many of the graduate job sites lump all engineering disciplines into one section which doesn't help and means when you filter it down you go from a list of >1000 to <10 electronic engineering jobs. I've been told that I should be sending off maybe 100 applications and be look at receiving 1 or 2 interviews, the problem is I can't find 100 jobs I want to apply for, both because I want the experience in the right area or a lot of jobs I haven't studied the necessary modules.
The area I'm interested in is microcontrollers / FPGAs in a job where I can, ideally, go from design to PCB design and writing the firmware. Whilst I don't have vast experience in the whole chain of event's I made sure in my masters project I took the project from concept to PCB with firmware written and tested (with 101 errors and issues on the way, but how else do I learn
).
I'm also looking at working in other countries, mainly Canada, Aus and US (the only languages I know are English and C), I figure it's easier to up and move while I've no hard ties here in the UK.
Does anyone have any experience working in other countries in terms of application process, visas, moving, I keep hearing a Canadian resume is different to a UK CV, are there things that should be included maybe you wouldn't include here, etc etc etc?
I've found most jobs don't specify if they will take international applicants or if they do they usually require visas/permits to be in place before hand.
I've read many (mainly Canadian) websites about visas/immigration/temporary work and it's slowly sinking in but I haven't managed to clarify what order I should I tackle things, do I need a visa before anyone will consider me as a serious candidate or do I need a employment offer to get the correct visa etc etc, if anyone has any experience in the area it would be a great help, I seem to be going round in circles here.
I've read about the Washington Accord regarding qualifications, both my undergrad (MEng) and postgrad (MSc) courses are IET accredited so I'm hoping I shouldn't have a problem having my qualifications recognised but will be a case again of experience?
I keep reading about the 'hidden job market', not so much on UK sites but others, I understand the need for networking and that sort of thing but as most of the people I know in engineering are either students or recent graduates there's not much in the terms of job opportunities there and the majority are UK and India so no Cad/Aus/US links there...
I'm thinking perhaps I would be in a better position if I worked in the UK for a few years so I have some money and experience under my belt but then once I have a home, car, mortgage etc will I want to uproot that to start all over again?
If anyone has an experience or advise on any of the areas or perhaps know of any jobs going, I'd be very appreciative.
Hopefully this will be the first step into a long, enjoyable/hair-rippingly-stressful, career in electronics