In its most recent annual Job Outlook Survey, the National Association of Colleges and Employers confirms that 2002 has been a difficult year for college grads seeking employment, but not a dismal one.

Career opportunities are still available for talented and motivated EE students. It's just a matter setting yourself apart from the other graduates by having the key skills, experience and past performance that large semiconductor companies want.

Making the grade

What are semiconductor companies looking for in new college graduates? First and foremost, the larger companies value academic achievement and typically look for students who graduated from schools or universities ranked at the top of the Gourman Report list with grade point averages (GPAs) around 3.5 out of 4.0.

Often, a company's business groups will place significant emphasis on applicants who graduated from targeted schools that have integrated the company's methodologies or processes into the engineering curriculum. Student advisers or professors usually can provide details on how this information applies to a specific university.

Graduate degrees also go a long way in helping grads stand out in the applicant crowd. Master's and PhD degrees offer upper-level course experience that large semiconductor companies view as extremely valuable. Attending a Gourman Report-credentialed or targeted school is not as critical for graduate students.

While a solid education from a recognized university develops many of the skills employers want and an impressive GPA reflects a high level of material mastery, real-world skills and experience can make a recent college graduate stand out from the crowd.

Most large semiconductor companies look for candidates whose work experience, volunteer efforts and past projects reflect strong leadership skills, the ability to work effectively as part of a team and a high level of initiative. Working as a summer intern in a related industry, performing research projects for technology firms and serving as part of a volunteer effort go far in proving an ability to effectively apply what you've learned in school to the real world.

This point is most easily seen by posing the following scenario. A recruiter from a large semiconductor company has two resumes side-by-side. She can invite only one of the two candidates to the company for an interview. Which one will she select and why?

Who will be survivor?

Candidate A: Recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from a Gourman-credentialed university with a 3.75 GPA. During the summers, he coached a soccer team of boys ranging in age from 11 to 13. Under his leadership, the team advanced to the regional semifinals and came very close to winning the championship. During his senior year, Candidate A served as a professor's assistant in the EE department and also worked part-time throughout college at a retail store in a neighborhood mall.

Candidate B: Recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the same Gourman-credentialed university. He too earned a 3.75 GPA. During his freshman and sophomore years, Candidate B worked as a junior engineer at a small, local engineering firm. He served as a college intern for a large semiconductor company during the summer of his junior year and also frequently worked as a lead framing volunteer for the city's Habitat for Humanity program.

Since only one of the two candidates could be invited for an interview, our recruiter selected Candidate B. Because the educational backgrounds and GPAs of the candidates were identical, the recruiter based her decision on past experience and leadership qualities. Candidate B's resume revealed progressive growth. The candidate had gained practical engineering experience as a freshman and sophomore working at the small engineering firm, and he applied that experience to earn an internship at a large semiconductor company. He also exhibited leadership qualities working as a lead framer for Habitat for Humanity.

While Candidate A's coaching background and work experience as a professor's assistant did reflect relevant experience, leadership and initiative, Candidate B won out in the end because his resume reflected direct semiconductor industry experience.

Bone up for interview

The interview process gives top candidates the opportunity to shine. Once you advance to the interview, it's important to be well-prepared and ready to make a strong, positive impression. Before going to any job interview, top candidates research the company to learn more about its products and services, along with facts about the culture and business philosophies. Obtaining this kind of information from company employees, professors or those who have formed business relationships with the company can prove extremely beneficial.

During the interview, skilled recruiters and hiring managers work to assess a candidate's level of passion, energy and commitment. At Texas Instruments, we also look for a candidate's sense of accountability, urgency and desire to win. As a company driven by teams, we search for people who thrive in a teamwork-oriented environment but who also work well as individual contributors.

Getting a career position in today's downturned semiconductor economy may be more difficult for new college grads than it has been in recent years, but it's not impossible. Emphasizing your education, skills and experience in your resume, and being prepared to shine in the interview, can provide a direct path to success. If you find yourself lacking in some of these areas, it's never too late to build those skills through internships, volunteer activities or even returning to school to earn a graduate-level degree.

Mike Hames is senior vice president and worldwide DSP manager at Texas Instruments Inc. (Dallas).