Career Advice for Electrical Engineering Graduates
Wasim Asghar 
February 8, 2023Obtaining a degree in electronics and electrical engineering is a significant achievement. It opens the door to a prosperous and long-lasting job that can offer you the opportunity to create or improve technical wonders such as solar panels and windmill generators.
However, earning your degree is only one of the initial stages toward obtaining your first relevant professional position in the sector. Therefore, getting career advice for electrical engineering graduates is necessary.
This is precisely why we have written this blog, to cater to the dilemma of electrical engineering jobs for recent graduates and provide them with relevant career advice and top tips to help them.
Let’s explore these proven pieces of advice and tips together to reassure fresh graduates that their career choice is the right one.
Tips for Fresh Electrical Engineering Graduates
Primarily, we will look at the tips and suggestions that fresh electrical engineering graduates must register. This will also help them to understand the different dynamics of career fields in electrical engineering.
- Take the FE exam
- Consider taking courses
- Build a network
- Find an entry-level electrical engineering job
1. Take the FE Exam
While a license as an entry-level electrical engineer is not necessary for the United States of America, you may take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam if you intend to advance your career.
The FE test is the first step in becoming a certified qualified engineer. Clearing the FE test is necessary before taking the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam, which is the next exam required to become a professional engineer. After receiving a bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited university, you can sit for the FE exam.
2. Consider Taking Courses
After receiving your electrical engineering degree, you should enhance your education by completing extra electrical engineering coursework to differentiate yourself from the competition.
However, always keep your career objectives in mind. For example, if you want to be a part of creative programs and research, or if you want to teach electrical engineering, you should consider getting a doctorate.
A Master’s degree in electrical engineering, on the other hand, may be sufficient for leading other engineers on massive projects or taking on the PE exam with a better approach. You can also consider concentrating on a specialized field, such as network systems engineering.
Individual programs or diploma courses might also help you enhance your abilities further. Electrical engineers must also have strong writing, math, and communication skills, so taking classes on sites like Coursera or EdX is a promising idea.
3. Build a Network
Contact your school’s career advisers for electrical engineering careers guidance and ask if there are any particular employment possibilities for electrical engineers at firms where alums work. To get started in the field, look out for an internship. You may also use your school’s career advisory department’s help to develop and refine your CV and enhance your interviewing skills.
Think about joining a professional network, such as your institution’s alum group or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), to interact with other electrical engineers in the sector. You may utilize these specialized networks to identify guides who can provide you with practical electrical engineering professional guidance or direct you to job opportunities.
4. Find an Entry-level Electrical Engineering Job
This may look like the obvious choice, but when it comes to electrical engineering careers, looking for a beginner-level job or position is the ultimate tip and guidance anyone can give you.
Explore alum groups, attend job fairs, and make job posting boards and websites your true friend. Glassdoor and Indeed should become your favorite sites. Also, experts recommend dropping off your resume to potential employers by hand to land an entry-level electrical engineering job.
So please do not be hesitant, be confident and go on and present yourself fiercely to companies for them to recognize and employ the potential you have genuinely.
Expert Advice for Starting a Career in Electrical Engineering
We have researched and talked to electrical engineers, both fresh graduates and experts, and professionals in the industry, including mid-level professionals and experienced seniors. And after interacting with them, we have derived the following expert advice for you for starting your career in electrical engineering.
- When it comes to choosing a professional path and a job opportunity, trust your instincts.
- Get an internship as soon as possible if you are a sophomore or junior. If possible, get one in the sector. This is an equally significant experience as your education. In addition, it demonstrates your ability to operate as a competent employee, which is vital information to businesses.
- Attending a career expo is well worth your time. Examine the internship and employment options to see what is available and where your interests lay.
- Practice interviews are acceptable! They will help you figure out what you want in a job and a profession.
- Know your worth as a potential engineer but do all you can to make yourself desirable as an employee and engineer.
- Technical people like engineers are only sometimes approachable, but you must be open to communication.
- During interviews, maintain eye contact, and be friendly, pleasant, and self-assured. Not arrogant, but certain. Relax instead of fidgeting.
- Stay within your efforts to appear knowledgeable. The extra effort makes you seem strange. Do not try to push it; your intellect will shine through.
- Lastly, never back down. Engineering is complex, and everyone else also knows it—only those who make it till the end know its worth.
Conclusion
Preparation is required for your first employment as an electrical engineer. However, you can land your first professional engineering position with the right plan and guidance.
Please follow the career advice for electrical engineering graduates and the recommendations provided here, and you will be well-directed toward your engineering career objectives.
But following these steps and advice is not 100% of what should be happening. So use these as a framework in the long run and put in your hard work and effort to make it 100%, especially when it comes to searching for job opportunities and working on yourself to make your skillset more employable.
We wish you the best of luck in your electrical engineering career!
Licensed Professional Engineer in Texas (PE), Florida (PE) and Ontario (P. Eng) with consulting experience in design, commissioning and plant engineering for clients in Energy, Mining and Infrastructure.