Electronics Assembler Required for Printed Circuit Board" Blacktown/Norwest area

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I've been an electronics enthusiast ever since I was 8 and it has been a lifetime hobby.  I entered Uni for a degree in Electrical Engineering - but I was seduced by the dark side and ended up with a career in IT, but I still enjoyed my electronics ... and sometimes they overlapped.

When I stumbled upon the EEVBlog, I enjoyed Dave's style - but felt a little intimidated by the gear he has on his bench.  That was, until I recognised the Altronics bench supply that sits in the background of many of his videos.  I have the same one.  Bewdy!  Feeling a bit more comfortable.

BUT - why I'm here...

I came across this job - on Gumtree of all places - and after a couple of emails where I've outlined my relevant skills, I've been asked to provide my resume, but I have a problem with that.

I have absolutely no idea with whom I am communicating.  Concerns over privacy are foremost and there is always that niggle in regards to identity theft.  I'm not about to divulge my corporate work history to an anonymised email address.

I've asked them for some assurance that it is a legitimate offer and I am waiting on a reply - but I was wondering if Dave might have any ideas, since he is in the same neck of the woods? .... or are the potential candidates like fleas on a dog?  Small and numerous.


Or are there other jobs in the area where a long standing hobby might serve well?

(As an indication of my soldering skills, as a personal challenge, I hand soldered some 0804 and 0603 LEDs to a piece of matrix board with a fixed 30W iron.  It's not pretty (to me at least), but they work.  I'll be sticking to paste and reflow for future efforts.)

[fivefish]

Do you do TH components too?
Where are you located?
Do you have photos of your work?
Do you have a blog, website, youtube, facebook, or twitter page?

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Please realise that I'm a hobbyist that has never really looked at marketing my skills - and I am well aware that being essentially self-taught, raised on EA and ETI, I might need some refining for commercial work.

As such, my foray into the world of SMD is only recent (less than a year) but I started with through-hole over 30 years ago.

I'm located in the Blacktown area - not far from Dave.  (I could meet him for coffee at Norwest with 15 minutes notice.)

I haven't even thought of taking photos of my work - but it would seem a rather obvious step to take.  Might have to take a look at that.

I don't have a blog, website of twitter page.  I only joined Facebook to follow the Mars Curiosity rover and the only video I have on Youtube that even comes close to 'on topic' is one of a problem I had with a soldering/rework station which I made to demonstrate it to the supplier.

Also, I'm not one who is keen on "Selling" themselves, so that makes this exercise fun.

[EEVblog]

I came across this job - on Gumtree of all places - and after a couple of emails where I've outlined my relevant skills, I've been asked to provide my resume, but I have a problem with that.

I have absolutely no idea with whom I am communicating.  Concerns over privacy are foremost and there is always that niggle in regards to identity theft.  I'm not about to divulge my corporate work history to an anonymised email address.

Sounds dodgy.

Or are there other jobs in the area where a long standing hobby might serve well?

Most people do not care where you got your skills, so long as you can show what you can do.

[EEVblog]

Also, I'm not one who is keen on "Selling" themselves, so that makes this exercise fun.

No one is going to do it for you I'm afraid.
If you have no experience in the field to show on a resume, and you are unwilling to show your work, be it physically, or via photos/blog etc, then I'm afraid that the odds of  getting a job in the field are practically zero. You have to do some hard yards to show people what you can do.

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Yes, I realise I have to make the effort.

As for showing my work - it's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that I haven't taken the opportunity to put together a portfolio.  It's been a hobby.  I just put projects together without even thinking of photos.

I just opened up my Altronics kit PSU and took a couple of shots.  Can't say I'm overly impressed with myself - but the joints are all sound and the unit worked at first switch-on.  I'm not a real fan of the PCB pin for off-board connection, especially for larger gauge wire.  The 240V section isn't as pretty as I would like, but it is quite well protected.  I'll put up some pics in a bit...

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Here are some shots of the inside of the kit PSU.  Not a showpiece and not particularly challenging, but as honest as it gets.  I consider this 'average'.  Also, I did not have the benefit of my flush cutting side cutters.  (Some idiot "borrowed" them to cut some steel wire ... and butchered them. NHJ)
It was fun to take a couple of the shots due to power lead restrictions, so I was holding the board with one hand and the camera with the other.

These are sights that were never meant to see the light of day, let alone published to the world....

[fivefish]

Okay, I thought you were local here in US and I was going to give you a shot at doing some assembly work (just populating some TH resistors, diodes, caps). Didn't know you're in Australia. Oh well.

Do you have photos of your work?
Of course, I (and others) will want to see first the quality of solder work, so I know what I'll be getting. I don't want to subcontract to someone and then retouch all their work when I get the boards back.

Do you have a blog, website, youtube, facebook, or twitter page?
The reason for this questioning is if I'm going to be sending someone boards and parts worth at minimum a couple hundred dollars, I'd like to have an idea of who he is... so it will be helpful seeing their blog/FB/website or youtube page. I know it's superficial judging, does he look trustworthy, dependable... or is his FB page full of drunk/passed out shots?  It also helps to know it's a real person, and they are who they say they are.

Good luck on your endeavor!

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No argument with the interest in photos ... it's a given.
No argument with the "personal assessment" either.

I have no problems with both of those.  I would be just as concerned on such matters if I were in your shoes.

As for the drunken thing - that's never been even close to a subject of discussion with me ... I don't like beer and, in fact, I have never tasted anything alcoholic that appeals to me.  If there's been after work drinks, I'll be the guy ordering a lemon squash.  Once a boss of mine at the time was buying a round and asked me what I'd like.  When I said "a lemon squash" he repeated my request with incredulity and an expression that looked like he had just eaten a raw onion, so I replied: "I'm here to enjoy a drink with friends.  I'll enjoy a lemon squash."  He got used to it.

Just call me that weird Aussie.

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As for quality of soldering ... I'm still trying to un-see that Esinomed Tablet.  Thanks Dave.

[RobertBG]

These are sights that were never meant to see the light of day, let alone published to the world....

I just stumbled onto this thread but I was always told that while you're working on something to always pretend that it will be on display someplace.I tell my employees the same and  to expect the unexpected when a customer is inspecting something and to put their pride into things all the same even if they think they'll never see the light of day.

Please dont take this the wrong way as I just saw the post and figured I'd throw my .02$ out there.I figured you might be working on something for a portfolio of some kind in the near future and as a employer that looks at prospective employees work during the hiring process I usually dig in and look at the workmanship beneath the surface.I'd much rather see a consistent level from start to finish even if the final product isnt the best over a well finished piece that had very little effort put in at the beginning.

Anyways good luck with your endeavor and always be cautious about including personal information early in the process.If they are a legitimate company they will respect someone who has enough sense  to be cautious.