I just had my first date – oops, I meant my first job interview. Now what?!!!

     "A job interview is very much like going out on a first date.  It can be awkward and strange at times.  You work so hard prepping for your job interview and it can be so nerve racking but what’s even worse is the old waiting game.  As you leave the interview and begin to walk to your car, you can’t stop but wonder what your chances are of getting a second interview or even a job offer.  The more you wait the more your mind begins to play games speculating what kind of impression you left behind or if the company likes you.  Here are some questions that may cross your mind:
     Did I nail the interview?  Did I do as well as I could have?  Did I make a good impression?  Could I have answered my interview questions better?  What are they really thinking about me now that the interview is over?  Would I ever hear from them again?  Will they call me back?
     Questions sound familiar?  To keep your sanity and emotions in check, here are some suggestions that can help you cope through the waiting period and continue to boost your candidacy during the selection interview process:

Don’t leave without it:  As you meet with interviewers, make it a habit to collect their business cards so that you have their direct contact information with everyone who interviewed you.  If there wasn’t an opportunity for an exchange of business cards, then ask the recruiter or staffing coordinator for a copy of the interview schedule so that you have the correct spelling of the interviewer’s names.


Act fast:  Within 24 hours of the interview, you should be prepared to send out a personal “thank you” email to everyone who interviewed you while you remain fresh in their minds.  If you can, try to reinforce and make the case why you think you are the candidate for the job.  Especially if you wish you had said something during the face-to-face interview.  Draw a connection with something significant or memorable they said during the interview or follow up with further expansion of a question or a problem.  Consider creating a proposal or offer insight on how you would address a problem area on a topic that was discussed.  This will demonstrate that you have the knowledge and skill-set to make a contribution.  Try to continue the dialogue, showcase that you are qualified for the opening or express your interest in the job and the company.

Stay in Touch:  Nothing is wrong with calling the recruiter and getting a sense on how you did or what’s the next step, if any.  Recruiting is all about establishing relationship between you and the employer.  It started before the actual interview and it continues even after the interview.  Being open and transparent during the process can help but be sure to keep a good balance so that you do not appearing desperate or try to force a decision.  Keep in mind, that time may be needed to get the candidate evaluations from the interviewers or time may be needed to allow the company to interview other candidates – respect their time and their selection process.

Accept the fact:  Like many relationships, fit and “chemistry” are important attributes.  It has to work out both ways.  You need to accept the fact that the interview may not have gone well or it just is not a good fit.  If that is the case, don’t get upset or feel rejected that the company has decided to hire someone else for the position.  Dust yourself off.  It is time to move on and continue your job search elsewhere or pursue a new date with another company.  But before you do, send another “thank you” note for consideration for the position.  You will stand out from the other candidates and you will never know if a different position may come available which may be better suited and you may be called back again.
Like many first dates, the waiting period can be very difficult.  By taking some initiative, you maintain contact with potential employers after an interview and it helps you stay in the loop.   Have patience and show your enthusiasm for the position.

Do you have any stories to share about a first date, errr, I meant first job interview gone bad?  Let us know, we’d love to hear from you.
Good luck and happy job hunting!"

Credit: November 27, 2011

by Edward Avila

Mixed Signal Verification Position

Immediate need for Austin, TX.

Mixed Signal verification using Cadence Ultrasim and AMS simulation tools.  Development of Verilog models and behavioral models a plus.  Experience with Memory verification a plus.  Basic circuit design skills, especially related to memory necessary. Please contact me directly for more information: Ross@hightechnh.com

RF CMOS Design Engineer in MA

I have a position with a very exciting, cutting edge start up company here in MA. They are currently seeking an RF CMOS Design Engineer with good device physics and circuit analysis skills.

Required Qualifications

• MSEE or PhD in electrical engineering

• Experience with design, simulation and layout of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits

• Solid understanding of CMOS device physics and circuit analysis

• High level of analytical sophistication

• Proven track record of successful product development

• Good written and verbal communications skill

• Solid problem-solving and trouble-shooting skills

• Highly motivated and be able to work both independently and as a team member

• Proficiency with Cadence and Mentor Graphics tools

Desired Qualifications

• 5 or more years of professional experience

• Experience with Verilog-AMS modeling

• Familiar with Cadence SKILL language

• Experience in MATLAB, C/C++ and Java languages

• Experience in scripting language like Perl and Tcl

• Experience working in a start-up environment

• US citizenship or permanent resident

For more information or if you are interested, please send your resume to Ross@hightechnh.com

Memory Circuit Designer for DDR Interface and Control Block Circuitry (AUSTIN)

Memory Designer for DDR Interface and Control Block Circuitry

Ross Cooper is searching for exceptional candidates to fill a Member of the Technical Staff position in MRAM circuit design (Austin, TX.) Please e-mail me directly, ross@hightechnh.com

Scope of Responsibility/Expectations
Work closely with other members of a small, focused, team with responsibility for designing both the pads and the control circuitry associated with a DDR interface. Design at the transistor level circuitry in the control block sitting between the DDR pads and the standard memory signals going to and from the array. This control block decodes the instructions from the bus, lines up input and output signals with the high frequency clock using DLLs or PLLs, and converts input signals to array commands and takes array output signals, such as, data, and sends them to the pads following the DDR standard protocol. Work under the supervision of a senior project leader. Design, simulate, and supervise layout of blocks of circuitry. Work with product and test engineers evaluating and debugging circuit performance after silicon processing.

Specific Required Knowledge
• Circuit theory
• PLL/DLL design techniques
• Probability and statistics
• Logic design
• Impact of layout parasitic capacitance and resistance on signal integrity, speed, and power dissipation, along with layout techniques to minimize these effects
Useful Skills
• Transistor level simulation
• Parasitic extraction
• Critical path modeling
• Physical design, i. e., layout
• Logic verification
• Mixed-mode Verilog

Education and Experience
Masters or equivalent in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or related fields. A track record of placing memory chips into production is required. Experience designing DDR pads that meet JEDEC electrical specifications and that have industry standard ESD tolerance is desired. Experience with DRAMs or with DRAM Controller s and PHYs is applicable. Demonstration of innovation and leading-edge expertise through publications and patents is desired.

Send resume to: Ross@hightechnh.com

Tech companies desperate for "rockstarninja engineers"

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- With launch costs low and valuations soaring, startups are multiplying like rabbits in tech hot zones like New York and Silicon Valley.

That has sparked a talent war over the industry's scarcest resource: skilled engineers and developers.

"There are a lot of ideas, but to actually do it you need someone to build it," says Daniel Gruneberg, who co-founded Zozi in San Francisco last year. The daily-deal site sells discounted activities like bicycling tours and wine-tasting trips. As an added lure for employees, Zozi offers some of its deals up for free to its staff -- and to the people who refer them.

"There is definitely a strain on engineering and developer hiring, especially mobile developers," says Gowalla founder Josh Williams, who relies on mobile coding gurus to enhance his company's location-based check-in application.

"The boom in app development has left a big need here all around," he says. "Those positions still take us the longest to fill."

Everyone is in the hunt. On any given day, Twitter is filled with tweets advertising open spots for "rockstar" developers. IPhone app developer Bump went one better, soliciting by tweet for "rockstarninja" engineers and designers.

Entrepreneur Francisco Hui even launched a business venture to cater to the constant recruiters: His Interactees shirts let those who are hiring literally wear their job ad. Need a UI designer? There's a t-shirt for that.

The battlefield

The startups are competing for talent not just with each other, but also against established companies with much deeper pockets. A study by consulting firm BDO found that 46% of top U.S. technology companies plan to increase their employee headcount in 2011.

Google (GOOG, Fortune 500), which recently gave its workers an across-the-board 10% pay raise, often starts new computer-science college grads off at salaries that top $100,000 -- and it's willing to pay more if there's a competing offer from rivals like Facebook or Twitter. It's also on a hiring tear, looking to add at least 6,000 workers to its ranks this year.

At SEOmoz, a Seattle startup that sells SEO tools, engineers are so prized that the company offers a $12,000 reward for referrals that lead to a hire.

"Things have gotten harder," says CEO Rand Fishkin. "Prices are going up, competition is heating up and there's a much lower supply of engineers on the market."

With the job market so fierce, companies often find themselves covetously eying their neighbors' engineers. Poaching is a time-honored tech industry practice -- one that some businesses go to extremes to fend off. A full 15% of Facebook's staff previously worked at Google.

"Good talent is always employed," says Shannon Callahan, who recruits for companies backed by venture capital firm Andreessen-Horowitz.

That can lead to some sticky situations. "As CEO, one generally doesn't have many true friends in business and raiding your friend's company is a sure way to lose one," Andreessen-Horowitz partner Ben Horowitz wrote last month in a blog post on the ethics of poaching.

As one New York entrepreneur recently put it, right after wrapping up a $1 million funding round: "Hide your designers, hide your developers, because we're recruiting everybody out there."

Top 5 reasons NOT to get an Iphone 4 from Verizon!

Very cool video on why you should NOT buy a Verizon Iphone 4.

URGENT NEED for a company in Nashua, NH

I am in need of an algorithm developer with color and video processing experience for my client in Nashua, NH. For a full job description, please click here.