Near future job interview

[madalin1990]

HI! I'm a last year student in Electronics and in the last year I specialized in digital design using Verilog/VHDL.I did some projects using this languages: Digital Stopwatch, MIPS processor, EPP interface, VGA decoder.
I like this kind of work and I want to become a valuable person in this area,this is why I ask for your advice.


What do you think I should start learning now to have a good chance to be hired in this domain?:idea:

 

[BradtheRad]

Power conversion and distribution is at the top of the list. Any better method to generate electricity cheaper, make it more portable, smaller, etc.
Also including devices which use electric power.

An interviewer will look for indications that you can make money for the company. He will try to get an idea whether you will be a good employee.

It is good that you worked on a variety of programming projects.
Did you make these into functioning hardware?
Do your programs cooperate with the limitations of real (non-ideal) components?

It will impress an interviewer if you show you know something about his company that most people would not normally be aware of.

 

[madalin1990]

Yes,these project's functionality has been tested using FPGA implementation.
Also, can you give me some examples regarding power conversion and distribution?

 

[BradtheRad]

A large segment of the industry consists of companies that generate or convert or distribute electric power. Electricity is forever in greater demand. Efficient use of power is always a major concern.

So by knowing about ways to extract the best efficiency, it gives you that much more value to any company you want to work for.

Since you wish to use your programming ability, figure out how that could interact with the greatest number of companies where you apply for employment.

If the company makes power supplies, then learn a lot about their product. Learn about ways to reduce size, cost, etc. Also the codes and regulations and standards.

If the company is an electric power station, then learn about grid operations. And the regulations, standards, etc.

If they make automotive electronics, then learn about powering items from a 12V system (or in larger vehicles it might be a 24V system), etc.

If they make batteries, etc.
If they make generators, alternators, etc.

Show the interviewer you know some details about what the company does, and show why you would be a good employee to have on their team.

 

[madalin1990]

Thank you for your advices, but what i wanted to know are the skills required for digital design and/or functional verification of digital circuits.

 

[BradtheRad]

Your skills come out in the projects you have done.

And the interviewer will say 'that's great'. Then he will also want to make sure you have skills that are of particular value to the company. (Hence my advice above.)

If you wish to focus on programming, then you need to know the program inside and out.
Know the command set. Study the reference guides.
Add component libraries to your parts list.
Find out about modules that expand and enhance the program's usability.

Know how to get around bottlenecks, error messages, slow execution, etc.

Know how to cope with limitations of the program. The more you know about computers and programming, the better.

Know which parameters of a component can be simulated, and which cannot.

Be aware as to what safeguards, static protection, overcurrent protection, etc., are needed in real-life circuitry.

Someday you will compose a very large program which consists of many routines interacting. It will give you errors that you cannot solve. Sometimes I have had to remove a routine and test it as its own separate program, so that it is not prone to the problems that come with a very large program. Finally I can get it working so it will cooperate with the complete program.

 

[madalin1990]

Thank you very much for your time and good advices,sir.
I will like a last piece of advice if i may: I am trying to decide on what should i start learning now: i have a good background in HDL(verilog and VHDL), and some expertise in C programming. What would you recommend on learning next: C++ or System Verilog. I know both of them have their uses and in time I'll learn them both, but which should be first(meaning which one is more highly appreciated)?:|

 

[BradtheRad]

Thank you very much for your time and good advices,sir.
I will like a last piece of advice if i may: I am trying to decide on what should i start learning now: i have a good background in HDL(verilog and VHDL), and some expertise in C programming. What would you recommend on learning next: C++ or System Verilog. I know both of them have their uses and in time I'll learn them both, but which should be first(meaning which one is more highly appreciated)?:|

Perhaps an expert here will reply. This question is outside my range of experience.

Both languages are popular now. One factor to look at is whether one language can be run through a translator to convert it into the other language.