1. Why change careers?
After graduation, I worked in a state-owned enterprise in Chengdu to do panel semiconductor technology. I said it was a technology, but I had to learn about imported equipment for about half a year, and I had to work night shifts. (Here is a small suggestion for everyone: If you graduate and find a job in a FAB factory, you must be cautious. If you are not a pure R&D post, you usually have to work the night shift when you first go. If you are of average physical fitness, it is recommended to be cautious, because the night shift is really harmful to the body!! !)
About half a year or so, I started to get in touch with the work of technology. I found that most of the work was related to equipment mastery and chemical knowledge. The daily life of engineers is mostly dealing with the production line.
When I am busy, I stay on the production line for more than ten hours to deal with equipment abnormalities. When I am free, I sit there chatting and watching the computer. To be honest, I feel like I am tied to the equipment of the production line. Where do we go from here?
2. How to switch to IC?
I was chatting with my classmates at a party, and he told me that he could turn to IC design. He is now working in a chip company in Chengdu, and his salary is nearly twice as high as mine. That is to say, from here on, I began to gradually understand IC. Designing this industry, I found that the current work is somewhat similar to the IC work, and it can be regarded as slightly detached.
Then check on the relevant websites. The Xin Xuechang website has IC design job matching queries. If you want to know about IC design positions, you can go to the Xin Xuechang website.
After deciding to switch careers and choose IC, it was time to do multiple-choice questions. As far as I know, the IC layout is indeed more suitable for the process, and it is easy to transform. At the same time, I also learned about IC verification. The C language and I have mastered the basics of digital circuits, and after thinking about it again and again, anyway, I usually have a lot of spare time, so I learn two related knowledge on station b, and install the virtual machine for actual operation.
After doing this for a month, I finally chose digital verification for two reasons. One is that the job content is more suitable for me, and the other is that there is a shortage of this position at present, and the later development is relatively better.
3. Start to study hard on your own
From online inquiries, I learned that we need to start with digital circuits. For a person with a background in materials, dealing with electricity is first high school physics, and second is "A Concise Course of Electrical Engineering" for undergraduates. I am very ashamed. I didn't know until I dug out this book that there is actually knowledge of digital circuits in it. Unfortunately, I've always been terrified of electricity.
During that time, I learned digital circuits and watched video tutorials after get off work every day. It took a lot of time to find those video tutorials and distinguish the good from the bad. Sometimes I watch it at work, but I always feel that my boss will find out, and I feel uneasy when I watch it. At that time, my schoolbag often contained the book Digital Circuits. My colleagues only knew that I had memorized this book, but they didn't know what it was about. My colleagues even made fun of me, saying that I was just pretending to memorize it, but I just laughed and said nothing.
I recommend the "Basics of Digital Electronics Technology" taught by Mr. Yang Congkun of Xi'an University of Technology on the Chinese University MOOC Online, and Bilibili who attended the mathematics and electronics class taught by Mr. Wang Hong of Tsinghua University. They are very good. I'm looking at the former, because it's more concise, I have too little time, I'm eager to see Verilog, and want to get out of the pit early.
Many people ask me which textbook on digital circuits I use. I use this textbook by Yan Shi from Tsinghua University. It is very classic. Teacher Wang Hong is also one of the authors of this book, so if you need it, you can buy a book to match it. Watch the video together. In addition, if you don't mind, you can also buy a second-hand book (I recommend you to buy a second-hand book), hahahaha
4. Prepare for systematic learning
In fact, I have also had C++ learning experience before. There is a complete set of learning resources for C++ on a certain website, and the learning system is relatively clear. You know what you need to learn at the beginning, what to learn next, and how to learn it.
But IC is completely different. **With the deepening of my study, I found that the content of IC is too much and too complicated-digital circuit foundation, Verilog hardware language, **SystemVerilog language, UVM practical methodology, and there are also projects Experience...
A few months have passed, I only learned the basics of digital circuits and Verilog hardware language, and I feel that the progress is too slow. And learning by myself, I was very active at the beginning. I turned on the computer every day after work to read the class and take notes, but gradually I might just lie down and not want to move when I came back from overtime work too late, so I finally decided to enroll in a training class
. I was quite nervous, but my heart was hardened, so I paid the money directly. Fortunately, after I signed up, everything was normal. After paying the money, I resigned and concentrated on my studies. Fortunately, I had a plan for my studies.
Because it was a naked resignation, many friends persuaded me at that time, and the company also proposed salary increases and vacations to persuade me to stay, but I thought that since I had already signed up for the class and paid the money, I made up my mind and there was no need to turn back. After handing over the work at hand, I became a free man (I still give you a solemn suggestion: bare words are risky, so choose carefully)
5. Job hunting stage
After I learned Uart and FIFO project, I started looking for a job. In the process of finding a job, the most important thing is persistence. Here are three aspects that require special attention:
First, maintain a positive attitude.
In the process of looking for a job, you will encounter various frustrators, such as not being able to find a suitable job, failing an interview, and so on. However, remember to face these difficulties positively, and don't give up your efforts and persistence. I often tell myself that there is nothing to be afraid of, only imaginary obstacles.
Second, persist + practice.
Finding a job is not an overnight process, it requires continuous effort and practice. I believe that as long as you work hard enough, you will be able to find the job you want. The process of continuous preparation and practice is actually a process of benefiting. After I interviewed, I found that the technical questions asked by the company were similar.
Third, don't be afraid of failure.
It's normal to hit a wall in the job search process. But every opportunity is rare, and every opportunity will be carefully prepared for a long time. There is always a way to move forward. No matter how discouraged you are, you still have to find out the reasons for your failures, sum up your experience and lessons, and earnestly prepare for the next opportunity.
Finally, after a period of hard work, I found a job. The company is located in Zhangjiang, Shanghai. The company is not big, but I am quite satisfied. This process was not easy, and the various difficulties and setbacks I encountered made me feel that it is not easy to find a job.
Finally, I hope that the FAB factory workers who feel that they are stuck in the quagmire can bravely jump out and achieve a better self.