Bill McDonald lands at AMD in Boxboro after 1.5 years! You could be next!

From ActonNetworkers@yahoogroups.com

William McDonald <mcdonald.fpga@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
> 
> After 1.5 years looking, just about to the day, I have landed a position in the
> semiconductor design industry at AMD in Boxboro.  Many of you knew
> me as the FPGA guy.
> 
> Thank you to the people in this networking group for the volunteering you did
> to make the meetings run and to talk with me before and after meetings.  I
> learned much from you and hope you learned from me.  My attendance was
> on-and-off...it depended on priorities.  I always looked forward to meeting
> with you when I went.
> 
> How I got here:  I submitted an email cover letter and resume to a manager
> friend I worked with 15 years ago where I had a great reputation.  I never
> worked directly for this manager, but worked with his team and utilized his
> team's services.  My submission was simple and short.  There were no
> advertised jobs for experienced engineers at the time, only for internships.
> I explained in my cover letter what I was looking for; that I was too experienced
> for the internships.  4 months went by, then I was contacted by an engineer in
> the organization, had an interview with the team, and was hired.  I begin on
> June 1st.  The question of how long I was out looking never came up.  I
> did have a brief part-time contract position in the middle, which didn't help
> financially, but was the right thing to do for experience and to demonstrate
> I want to work.  Exhibiting confidence during the interview was probably
> the most important factor, even more than how I answered all those questions.
> After 1.5 years, with practice along the way, I learned how to be
> confident in an interview.  I learned that mistakes really don't matter that
> much.  Exhibit belief in yourself.
> 
> Over the 1.5 years I often changed things up.  I rewrote my resume many
> times.  I got help from professionals and help from AN & WJS meetings
> with resume proof-readings.  I decided to search out of state, had some
> discussions with companies, then decided my family needed to be here.
> One company was in London, the first one I had an interview with on the
> phone -- I had to wait 5 months even to get this interview, but it was
> experience I badly needed then.  Back then, I actually couldn't get an
> interview unless I looked outside the country!  Later, local interviewing
> slowly happened and the experience was already there.  Recently, I moved
> to a new home to establish lower living expenses, which was a major complexity
> for the family.  With good engineering of this process (my kids stayed in their
> high schools with their friends even though we changed towns), I demonstrated
> it can be done while still seeking work successfully.  With each change event,
> I learned more about myself, produced a shorter resume, or used another
> method to get the word out about my career campaign.  If things got stuck,
> and it was often, I'd regroup and think of something new.  The networking
> groups usually helped me find something new.  I tried to give back by
> sharing what I was doing.
> In the end, it is clear that I had to wait for opportunity to become available.
> There really was a lack of opportunity in my area for my experience and
> my skill.  If opportunity didn't just come along, my plan was to begin something
> else, but keep myself open to going back.  I would fully commit to the new
> career once I was making it work, though.  By moving my home, money
> stopped being a trap.  I'm very happy to have this AMD opportunity now,
> having no financial traps, a new deleveraged lifestyle, and no short-term
> need to change careers.  I can't help but think, though, that with so many
> people not getting back to work, and with so many unfilled positions, that
> doing a career change (and help with doing that from the system) would be a
> good option for some.  Probably necessary, actually.  I recommend using
> it as plan B or C, if you can manage it.
> 
> I'd also like to say thanks to the many HR people who join and read the
> networking groups and post jobs.  I have spoken with some well
> connected HR people on this board who were encouraging and thoughtful,
> and who understand what we are going through.  I appreciate that many
> of you made an effort to help me.
> 
> I know I will see many of you again.
> 
> Cheers,
>   Bill