Will a home electronics lab help me find a job?

[kosgian90]

First time post here so hello all. If this is not a suitable subforum to post my question feel free to move it.

I'm an Electrical Engineering student.

I'm thinking of setting up a home electronics lab. My reasoning is that by doing electronics work and not just theory, I acquire some useful practical experience plus I can gradually create a portfolio of projects that I can show off at job interviews. I also really like it as a hobby. What do you guys think? Should I go for it? Will it have an impact on finding a job or will it just be another hobby?

[tom66]

I think it will prove useful.  The few times I've done Teams interviews,  showing an interest in the profession enough to have my own equipment and lab, has been received positively.

[daqq]

Definitely if you are talking with engineers, show off your home lab/gear, personal projects, soldering skills... A photo of a lab will definitely make more of an impression than a line in a CV.

[RoGeorge]

Yes, having some personal projects to show at an interview will weight in your favor as much as a diploma.

The lab at home is not crucial, I mean you can do your projects for example at a maker's club or similar, and it will be the same, as long as you post your work online.  Doesn't has to be a stellar online presence either, I mean a few pictures from your projects, hosted on any free platform will be just fine.

[voltsandjolts]

Focus on your studies, beer and chasing pretty nursing students*.
Get a good grade and socialise, make memories now while you are young.

Electronics hobby you can start anytime. Life, not so much.

* Edit:
Not implying promiscuity here, just saying you might meet the love of your life in your academic years
But maybe you already have, in which case ignore me.

[AndyC_772]

I also really like it as a hobby.

*This* is the reason to do it. For fun. That's it.

If you do happen to make stuff that reflects well on your skills and interests, then certainly do mention them on your CV and bring them to interviews. It does look good. But make sure the cause & effect are the right way round.

[Brumby]

Focus on your studies, beer and chasing pretty nursing students.
Get a good grade and socialise, make memories now while you are young.

Regarding the studies and grades - I totally agree.   The rest ... not so much.  By all means take those opportunities as they present themselves, but not to the detriment of the reason you're there.

Electronics hobby you can start anytime. Life, not so much.

Sounds like the OP is someone who has an interest in extra-curricular extensions supporting his studies and prospective career path.  Starting into that earlier than later would make more sense.  Running it in parallel to his studies would be logical - being careful to observe priorities.

As for the previous respondents ... I agree 100%.  Having practical examples to back up your formal learning will get the attention of prospective employers (once you get past the HR droids).

Case in point: I applied for a couple of positions with the company I am now employed with - and it was only after I tweaked my CV with a photo of a product I had designed and sold that I got an interview ... and then a job offer.


It has been my firm belief that schooling is only meant to give you the tools.  It is up to the individual to learn how to apply those tools to "real life" situations and challenges.  You know, practical stuff ... useful stuff.  Otherwise, you just end up with a box of tools that sit in the corner, gathering dust.

[tggzzz]

Brumby has pretty much nailed it, but I'll add a couple of points.

Completing some relevant task that is not part of your curriculum demonstrates that you are interested in the subject and not just a money-grabbing time server.

So, pick a challenging project, design it, implement it, and be able to say what you would do differently if you were to do it again - and why. That demonstrates you can choose realistic goals, think, learn and improve. All that is valuable in any job that is worth having.

You don't necessarily need your own lab to do that. I designed and built a 6800-based Altair-8080 computer with 128bytes(!) of RAM with only a multimeter, switches and LEDs - and carefully structuring the implementation and testing.

But do make sure you get good exam results; you can always do projects later, but you can't re-do poor exam results.

[tszaboo]

You are a student, and you don't make money. The university has electronics lab, and you have access to it.
Just turn to any of the profs that you like (and who teaches electronics, or microcontrollers or anything related), and ask them if they have extra projects for you. They will have or they will forward you to someone who will have projects. You gain access to them in their "free time", they will teach you useful stuff other than the rubbish that is in the textbooks, get to spend time in the lab, and meet other students who are also motivated.

Or you can spend your tiny amount of excess money on some basic tools. Once you earn money, after the first month, you will be able to afford much better ones and it will feel like a waste.

[Brumby]

Or you can spend your tiny amount of excess money on some basic tools. Once you earn money, after the first month, you will be able to afford much better ones and it will feel like a waste.

Buying some basic tools is not really a waste, IMHO .... well, not completely.

By starting with limited capability, you will come to understand those limitations.  This will bring you to look at what other features you might like - but, more importantly, why you would invest in them.  Buying tools from specifications only runs a risk of looking at numbers but missing out on capabilities.  Familiarity and experience are precious in that regard.  It's a bit like learning things "from first principles".


However, certainly look at the facilities to which you have access.  No point starting to spending money unless you really need to.

[Shock]

Might not help you find a job, but showcasing projects and some evidence of equipment familiarization can lead to a more successful application or interview outcome.

Having a computer system, work space, tools, internet and phone setup is also worthwhile as it highlights you can work remotely if needed with minimal assistance. Just make sure if you include photos it looks clean but shows work being done.

In the corporate world it's not uncommon to work from home or do a few hours in the office then head off if you are feeling unwell (with something not communicable). Most employers are accommodating enough for you to manage your own well being and prefer if you can remote work when able. The alternative is just vanishing and not being contactable.

[Stray Electron]

You are a student, and you don't make money. The university has electronics lab, and you have access to it.
Just turn to any of the profs that you like (and who teaches electronics, or microcontrollers or anything related), and ask them if they have extra projects for you. They will have or they will forward you to someone who will have projects. You gain access to them in their "free time", they will teach you useful stuff other than the rubbish that is in the textbooks, get to spend time in the lab, and meet other students who are also motivated.

Or you can spend your tiny amount of excess money on some basic tools. Once you earn money, after the first month, you will be able to afford much better ones and it will feel like a waste.

   This!  And try to get a job working in one of the labs or assisting one of the professors. It will look just as good (or better) on a resume and it will put a little bit of money in your pocket instead of costing you money.  Real hands on experience in any related capacity is a big plus when job hunting. Also employers are impressed with people that can go to school AND hold a technical job at the same time.

   Some of the jobs that I did as a student are still opening doors for me 35 years later.

[NiHaoMike]

Focus on your studies, beer and chasing pretty nursing students*.
Get a good grade and socialise, make memories now while you are young.

Electronics hobby you can start anytime. Life, not so much.

Skip the beer, Dave Jones and Jim Williams showed that it's not at all necessary.

Back when I was in college, they had a tech club called "Cepheid Variable" (it's actually mostly for software engineering, but hardware engineering is also welcome as long as you bring the tools yourself) that's a great place for engineers to hang out.

Then there are IEEE meetings, I got to be friends with some IEEE models. (I think that's specific to some colleges including Texas A&M.) Pretty girls who like to talk about engineering are a lot more interesting than pretty girls who don't know engineering.

[tggzzz]

Or you can spend your tiny amount of excess money on some basic tools. Once you earn money, after the first month, you will be able to afford much better ones and it will feel like a waste.

Buying some basic tools is not really a waste, IMHO .... well, not completely.

By starting with limited capability, you will come to understand those limitations.  This will bring you to look at what other features you might like - but, more importantly, why you would invest in them.  Buying tools from specifications only runs a risk of looking at numbers but missing out on capabilities.  Familiarity and experience are precious in that regard.  It's a bit like learning things "from first principles".

However, certainly look at the facilities to which you have access.  No point starting to spending money unless you really need to.

Agreed.

Add that it looks good to carefully and imaginatively use whatever tool is available to its fullest capabilities. (See the aphorism in my .sig)

That's beneficial in an interesting job where you will be pushing boundaries, e.g. if you are designing the world's fastest oscilloscope, what scope should you buy when testing it?

[mansaxel]

But do make sure you get good exam results; you can always do projects later, but you can't re-do poor exam results.

Over here the saying is that there are always retries on exams, but there are no retries on parties. 

Engineering students here not seldom flunk a few papers over the course of a year, and then have to study for one of the catch-up exam opportunities to get their results. As long as they maintain a rate of about 75% of the courses completed during the year, the student loans system will pay out for continued studies.  I have a few friends who are perhaps 2 papers or tests short of the M.Sc but they're too busy working, and don't want to try writing the Numerical Methods or Mathematical Statistics tests again. And again, and so forth.

[SmallCog]

Having a home lab isn’t super essential, but having a portfolio is a great idea.

If you have the space and money then a home lab can be a place to build a portfolio. It can start out as simply as a multimeter, old computer (so you don’t blow up your homework) and some basic hand tools. Lab gear like scopes can be scrounged or purchased later.

If you don’t have space or money for a lab there may be other ways to build that portfolio, using school facilities or club facilities. It’s the portfolio that matters.

Something I came across in a portfolio that impressed me was a guy who’d assisted with the electronics aspects of a larger project in a volunteer situation. In this case it wasn’t just the electronics that was impressive but he demonstrated the ability to work effectively with others.

In his case it was an interactive interpretative display in a museum

[basinstreetdesign]

I'm an Electrical Engineering student.

I'm thinking of setting up a home electronics lab. My reasoning is that by doing electronics work and not just theory, I acquire some useful practical experience plus I can gradually create a portfolio of projects that I can show off at job interviews. I also really like it as a hobby. What do you guys think? Should I go for it? Will it have an impact on finding a job or will it just be another hobby?

A home lab before graduation and as a tool to impress interviewers...  It's a two-edged sword and can greatly depend on the culture of the specific company that you are applying to.

On the one hand, it may be viewed as a valuable asset to learning; as proof that you have a passion for the subject; and therefore you may be a self-starter, self-teacher, highly motivated to make your understanding of your subject better.  All of the guys named above fall into that catagory, Jim W., Dave J, Bob W., etc. and I am sure it has served them well.

OTOH, it may be viewed suspiciously as evidence of someone who, sooner or later, will leave said company to:

• start an unrelated venture after you have made them spend lots of time and money to train you
• compete with them in their own market after you have made them spend lots of time and money to train you
• steal their secret info
• leave them when they need you most

I have worked for both and for those who never gave those subjects a second thought.
The first group are/were exemplified by companies such as HP of the olden days.  They actually allowed employees to raid their inventory for home projects because they knew that the employees involved were improving themselves.
The latter group may very well ask you to sign something to prevent you from doing any of that.  Avoid them at all costs.

Right now the market seems to be favouring the applicants very much so my advice is to be careful and not jump at the first outfit that makes an offer.  In any case you probably wont have much time for anything like that until after you graduate, anyway.

[Miyuki]

Having your own projects/portfolio is a great thing. A lab can help with it.
Also, you can work as a contractor/freelance in your lab or take smaller projects to the "home office" (is home lab a thing?)

I'm planning to expand my lab as I work from home. So I get paid for doing my hobby    But it can be a hustle to convince a company to do this work in your own lab. They are scared of you stealing the precious designs you developed and they send them to manufacture in Asia 

[tggzzz]

OTOH, it may be viewed suspiciously as evidence of someone who, sooner or later, will leave said company to:

• start an unrelated venture after you have made them spend lots of time and money to train you
• compete with them in their own market after you have made them spend lots of time and money to train you
• steal their secret info
• leave them when they need you most

I have worked for both and for those who never gave those subjects a second thought.
The first group are/were exemplified by companies such as HP of the olden days.  They actually allowed employees to raid their inventory for home projects because they knew that the employees involved were improving themselves.

HP used a "Bill and Dave" story to encourage employees to use the lab inventory for home projects. Hewlett was working in the lab on a weekend and found the lab stock locked. He used bolt cutters to gain access, and left a note asking that it not be locked in future.

HP had good interviewing practices, and trusted their employees - and the employees trusted the company.

The latter group may very well ask you to sign something to prevent you from doing any of that.  Avoid them at all costs.

Yes.

Doing many interviews at different companies is an excellent way of uncovering the work ethos, working out what you don't want - and hence being confident about what you do want.

[jonpaul]

As a retired EE I can testify to how valuable your own hobbyist lab can be....

it was 1967, in my senior year of a BSEE, in my apartment lab did experiments with  Photomultipliers I found at surplus stores in Manhattan. At a job fair, interviews by a national laboratory in California....
Mentioned the Photomultipliers......they were so impressed, I was introduced to the laboratory director!!
He invited me to work as a Summer technician as a prélude to hiring.

I spent a halcyon Summertime in Berkeley on the hill. an unforgettable experience!

bon courage

Jon

[hugjior]

Having your own projects/portfolio is a great thing. A lab can help with it.
Also, you can work as a contractor/freelance in your lab or take smaller projects to the "home office" (is home lab a thing?)

I'm planning to expand my lab as I work from home. So I get paid for doing my hobby    But it can be a hustle to convince a company to do this work in your own lab. They are scared of you stealing the precious designs you developed and they send them to manufacture in Asia 

I would say that having a portfolio is a must. If you are thinking about starting practicing, not only learning theory - you're definitely on the right way. You need to try doing something by yourself, just gonig to college and getting a degree is not enough. The educational system nowadays works really bad, so you should be prepared that studying at college may be useless. I went 3 years to college, and was always buying my homeworks, essays and stuff from sites like https://studymoose.com/essay-types/satire-essays and I don't regret it at all. I didn't lose any important knowledge. I was working instead of it, and it was a correct choice.

[El Rubio]

I’m an RF Engineer and work in wireless communications and have always had a workbench ( you guys like the term “lab”). That, and an amateur radio license helped me be more of an RF guru on some topics. Not just having the license, but a practicing operator. I made all of my antennas and worked on some local repeaters as well as other projects. The engineers I work with mostly push statistics and let the computer design their installations. Having a parallel hobby has given me troubleshooting skills as well as real-world experience with things like Intermodulation Distortion and spurious emissions, propagation issues, etc.  The engineers I speak of are not slouches, but work in an environment where the machines do all of the work. Some don’t have practical experience because it isn’t required. They are smart guys that see it as a job with no passion for it. I get selected for projects and hands-on applications often and it is partly because of the basic skills and knowledge that those hobbies add.
I say chase your hobby and like others have said here, it will open doors that may surprise you.

[free_electron]

when hiring for the interesting jobs , companies are looking for something that sets you apart from the rest.
passing academics, while it can be hard, creates cookie cutter people. have 10 people that passed the same class , from the same professor, from the same school, with top score  , and they all are roughly the same. same skill, knowledge and mentality. so which one to hire ?  The one that has done the most interesting other stuff and shown his abilities.

so from that perspective , tinkering with stuff and showing it can be a differentiator.

on the other hand , of they are only looking for someone to click a button blindly it doesn't matter.

[CatalinaWOW]

Having a home lab is not important, though it can be useful.  Putting the theories you learn in school and elsewhere to practical use, learning their limitations and all of the myriad realities of real devices is both important and useful.   

[free_electron]

Putting the theories you learn in school and elsewhere to practical use, learning their limitations and all of the myriad realities of real devices is both important and useful.

and where do you do that ? hint : three letter word ... begins with l , ends with b and has first letter  of alphabet in middle.