IEEE ELECTRON DEVICES SOCIETY WEBINAR SERIES
Thursday, October 17, 2013 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT Working Successfully in the Semiconductor Industry
Presented by Doug Verret IEEE Fellow TI Fellow Emeritus
2 Working Successfully in the SemiconductorIndustry Verret experienced but may not have reflected upon nor may internalized.butnot have reflected experienced hear you engineerswill aboutthingsthat you have probably environment. For experiencedunique this to flourishin need as traitscharacteristics andyou will as well of noviceengineers learncommon aboutand misconceptions pitfalls Youwill engineer. industryasof a a andtypicalaffectswork lifewholethe howit of the hearcharacteristics about the and Youwill ahalfdecades. industry three for theof someone who in has workedperspective workplace,rathersemiconductorindustrybut apersonal or studyof arigoroussociologicalonthe resultsanthropological the experienceculturenot hearshock.webinarIn this you about will Some many nottold.of you that youwere will more things byyour professors,many arethings therevaluabletaught but you have Ingeneralbeenthan expectations. different quitebe intern,semiconductorin theexperienceof working the industrycan Abstract:For thosehave notfortunateas an enoughworked to
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12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 3 VIII. Summary VIII. What VII. Takes It to Succeed VI. V. IV. III. II. I. Outline Verret
What Companies Expect of Their Engineers of Their What CompaniesExpect Common Misconceptionsabout theWorkplace YourGetting Foot Door the in Semiconductor Company Environments Semiconductor Environment Industry What Talk This andNot Is Is B. A.
Established Companies Established Start - ups
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12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 4 Verret companies, consortia, foundries, customers, suppliers, alllevels of the company and with people incompetitor based, international semiconductor company interacting at learning from three and half decades of work in a large US It It and environments that exist inthe industry It anthropological study It continents except Antarctica and Africa professional organizations and business partners in all
is not is is not is not What This Talk Is and What ThisTalkIs Not
a summary of what one individualhas learned and is a personal perspective personal a about how to survive in this industry necessarily generalizableto allsituations, cultures the result of an academic sociologicalor 10/17/2013
-
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 5 The Semiconductor Industry Today Verret and tablets smartphonesespecially devices, demandgrowing for mobile the during 2013 7.6%RNCOS' analysts of a CAGR forecastedOutlook 2017",to researchlatest study, In their Semiconductor "Global Market of theUS economyrest industry and number this three growingtimes fasterthan is the US alone in theare employedpeople semiconductor by the 250K Semiconductor totheAccording Industry Association (SIA) nearly IC’sworld’sof the 10% represent w/ an avg GDP growth 13.1% of wasMoreAsia than50%the in (World to US $319B Semiconductor TradeStatistics) From mid
- year to mid 2012
- 2017. Therobustgrowth in revenue drivenis being by2017. 10/17/2013
-
yearindustrythe grewby2013 ~8% - Pacific region
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 6
10/17/2013 Two
- year Snapshot of Semiconductor Sales Semiconductor of yearSnapshot
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 7 The Industry The Industry tomorrow… Verret This reality has profound implicationsfor the workplace Hence the total market is inherently unpredictable phase with demand results in the deliverysystems being continually out That, when added to the inevitablemacro market cycles and product design cycles are much longer than product The fundamental reason is that the manufacturing tooling there are no indications that that willchange in the future extraordinarily volatile,fractured and undisciplined and Historicallythe industry has been highly competitive,
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-
economic cycles,
- of -
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 8 Start Verret Start – – – –
emphasis on emphasisinnovation and creativity on emphasisconformity andmore“rules” and enforcementof Attractive owners oflow becauseto bothengineers and Attractive promotes to owners becauseefficiency it andstructure minimal Attractivehours flexible because of casual attitude, to engineers profile Attractive to investors because of scalability high risk and - up’s (including internal start -
up Company Environment 10/17/2013
- up’s)
- reward
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 9 Start Start Ups Verret Start – – –
company failure rate chaotic, very enticing to young engineers, but with a high It is a heady, dynamic, exciting environment, often Employees span a relativelynarrow range of disciplines environment technical enterprise tasks rather than on the company Allows engineers to focus on problemsolution and the - up’s (includinginternalstart
continued… 10/17/2013
- up’s)
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 10 EstablishedCompany Environment Verret up’s) Established Companies (Excluding Internal Start – – – –
comparatively incremental small steps averse); innovation via occurs partand large thruacquisitions in Favor overresults business venturespredictable risk high (risk Conformity emphasized processesprocedures and businessinternal Established environment, Stabile structuredhighly
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- -
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 11 EstablishedCompanies Verret Start Established Companies (Excluding Internal – – –
Comparatively high business success rate integration with time test, software, etc) chemical engineering, physics, finance, sales, marketing, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, power, Employees span a broad range of disciplines(materials, and complex product delivery system Robust technical infrastructure suited to complex products - up’s)
10/17/2013 but trending toward less vertical
continued…
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 12 Common Environments to All Verret yrs) half knowledge engineering Diminishing level(embedded multi software,analog, systemMore integration at the chip done being choices architecture software ofand importance Increasing complexity system and product Increasing specialization Increasing Fast
-
changing markets changing 10/17/2013
- - life (≈< (≈< 5 life
cores)
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 13 Getting Your Foot in the DoorGetting YourFootinthe Verret Mistake by recruits: not selling themselvesMistake by recruits: not selling companyMistakethe by recruiters: not selling Informal processestendto pay than offbetter formal processes anadvantage Geographicis flexibility GPA notsufficient is right university the from right the Having with degreeright the advantageover graduateshavewho had nointernship(s) one or atmorewho Interns companiesperform have well an huge Beforeyou can thrive acompanyin you havefirst gethired to
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12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 14 SellingYourself Verret Interviewing wellis critical Get some help with your resume Timingof your job applicationis critical
– – – – – – – – –
Followup the company Know factors three wanttoassess Interviewers Youryouresumegets thetheinterview;gets you interview thejob effective or efficient not particularlyis resumeswith bombing”“Saturation resumeyourwitha cover letteralong Alwayssend cycle?theis recruitingWhat openings? actualthere Are graduationor after before shortly necessarilytimeisnotoptimumThe
a) competency,
b) motivation
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c) compatibility
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 15 Misconceptions and MisconceptionsMistakes
Verret communication skills Vastly underestimatingthe importanceskills ofsoft that: Thinking understandingNot importancethe ofrelationships and networking acumenbusinessof possessing necessitythe Dismissing – – – – – –
data speak for itself for speak data educationyouyour havefinished are unique problems tobusiness solutions trainingformal filledvia willbe knowledge in your gaps all job,or the best technical solution to a problem is the best business solution businessbesttheis toa problem solutiontechnicalthe best you know most or all of the technical information you need to do thetodo needyou informationtechnical the of allor most know you
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esp.
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 16 Verret Project ownership Project valuable=> Software Total (cross Advancedand(competency relevance) degrees Personal Qualities Survey Employer Cost sensitivity valueCreation of customer – – –
Flexibility Creativity Open What Tomorrow’s Companies Tomorrow’s What - mindedness
skills combined with lab experience ( experience lab with combined skills
Want of Their Engineers Their of Want - discipline) solutions discipline)
Computer Engineer
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Integrity Tenacity Initiative
Ability toInfluence Ability Adaptability hardware
) —
very very
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 17 What It Will Take to Succeed TakeWhat ItWill 3. 2. 1. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. Verret
fundamentals Staying up Acquiring Having and integritya senseof ethics strong professionals, planners, attorneys, etc) organization (managers, finance engineers,technicians, to able Being to work able Being in a team environment on others’ work Learning (it’s tobuild world) a complex skills portableAcquiring Having an effective
gender - to
- communicate date combined with being grounded in in grounded being with datecombined
and sensitivity culture mentor
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(write and speak) at all levels ofthe andspeak)at all (write
(especiallyheterogeneous teams)
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 18 17. Being honest Being 17. stakeholdersthe Cultivating all 16. working relationships with delivery of theproductprocess piecesthe all Knowing 15. acumenbusinessAcquiring 14. awork Establishing 13. Establishing 12. 11. 10. 9. to Succeed… TakeWhat ItWill Verret
(networking) Learning howto innovative Being and creative Having ability the clearly to think about complex problems
credibility
“schmooze” - life life balance 10/17/2013
continued
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 19 Verret – – –
communication skills, business acumen, understanding understanding acumen, creativity) (networking, business Value processes, networking, skills, skills) skills, internal Customer honesty) Create teaming communication to integrity, (communication Ability sensitivity, ethics, Influence cultural to (competence, Ability Credibility Top of the Pyramid the of Top Summary 10/17/2013
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 20 A Little Light Reading A Little Verret Star Engineer)Star http://vlsicad.ucsd.edu/Research/Advice/star_engineer.pdf http://www.todaysengineer.org/2013/jan/career Careers) Theirin Advancing http://engineeringmomentum.com/?p=385 3 game/?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=08291 only http://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/computing/it/an 1994. 9 to5 from Talking http://www.gsvc.org/docs/MentoringTips.pdf Four Communication)Stylesof http://serenityonlinetherapy.com/assertiveness.htm
- a
- young - persons
, Deborah Tannen,, Deborah Co.,and Morrow William York, New - 10/17/2013
(What Keeps(What from Engineers
- focus.asp
- (Assertiveness and the (Assertiveness engineering
(How to Be a toBe (How - career -
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 21 Verret
Supplementary Material 10/17/2013
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 22 What IsComputer a Engineer?
set:Skill picture. larger integratetheyhow the into alsobut work, themselvessystems computer on how focuses only not engineeringof field This design. tocircuit computers and boards, circuit microprocessors, individualof the design from computing, involvedare engineersComputerof and software aspectshardwaremanyin engineering.electronic hardware 3) and design, software2) engineering), electrical(or engineering haveusually traininginengineers Computer software. and hardwaretocomputer developrequiredscience computerengineeringand engineeringComputer – – – – – Software including embedded software Microprocessor / microcontroller architectures Applications Applications understanding and system limitations System design with emphasis on HW and SW integration Real - time time operating systems
- software integration software
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discipline that integratesthatseveral discipline electricalof fields
instead of only software engineering or or engineeringsoftware only of instead
1) electronic 1) Slide courtesy of Don Shaver ofDon courtesy Slide
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 23
synthesis followed by circuit IP and backend and by circuitIP followedsynthesis Architecture development, design, and design, Architecturedevelopment, or Design or Design Compiler Precision Precision RTL ASICor FPGA VHDL/Ver SystemC Methods Vendor Manual Document UML/XML/ ilog Manual Manual or Matlab C/C++ SPW
10/17/2013 AlgorithmFunctional SoC Requirements Communications RTLArea/Timing Floating Floating Point Place & RoutePlace Specification Optimization Description FixedPoint Architecture ASIC/FPGA Standard Synthesis Definition Hardware Model Model Micro Design RTL RTL
-
Engineers Computer
Slide courtesy of Don Shaver ofDon courtesy Slide
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 24 Communication Verret Examples Learn torecognize& whom with you are communicating basics: learn use theandStart with business,preventing misstepssupport, winning directions, gaining andbusiness technical influencing schedules, your for explaining “must” An absolute coordinating results,
– – – –
figures, figures, talk about key andpeople their goals, be supportive support intentions & ideals, avoid being short or reserved, avoid too many charts & Communicating w/ deliberative, people organized, minimize small talk & speculation, be comprehensive Communicating w/ assertive, goal Influencing: deliberative vs. assertive Relating: people orientation vs. goal orientation
adapt 10/17/2013
to different communication communication styles to different
- oriented oriented people (e.g. managers): prepared, be
- oriented oriented people (e.g. PR professionals):
vocabulary etc
of the people of the
— no loose ends
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 25 Gender Verret sine qua non quasine workplace importancemastering communication as a the The of in investigatingliterature the ongender from benefit Nevertheless, both men and would both women characteristic ofa particular gender communication that arestyles anduniquely purely distill to difficult (ethnicity) thatinteracts is such thatit genderwith a national In aninternational overlaycontext,is culture large there toward US the aheavy with contextcultures bias western of the in is Most ofit communication bystyles gender Therehasa hugeamount been of literatureon published
for successcannot beover
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- based communication communication styles based - stated
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 26 Mentoring Verret Random about musings mentors/mentees/mentoring: weakness kind of this can mitigate relationship An effective mentoring ratherculture results technical in to failures thandue to integrate failure more company todowith smoothly into the Thereason engineersor experiencefail careersthat languish has – – – – –
discovery An effective mentor is not so much a teacher as a coach who facilitates self The key ingredient that goes into making a successful relationship is (American Society for Training and Development) Seventy maximizing effectiveness and facilitating professional growth Mentoring is not about remediation or managing or sponsorship. It is about relationship between two individuals Mentoring is not something that happens to you. It is a sustained , - five percent of executives say mentoring played a key role in their career
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reciprocal reciprocal trust
-
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 27 Mentoring… Verret More random musings about mentors/mentees/mentoring: – – – – – – –
A mentor is not the same as a sponsor mentor, but the two mentoring processes are distinct Overlap is not uncommon. One person can be both a technical and organizational command mentee’s organizational effectiveness and can be in the mentee’s chain Technical mentors are focused on optimum technical solutions as distinct from the Technical mentors are a different kind of mentor than an organizational mentor mentors over time Some people have multiple mentors. I have had numerous and changing technical mentee (trust) to commit to a sustained relationship and is not in the chain An effective mentor is one who has achieved success in the organization, is willing Great technologists do not necessarily make great mentors
continued 10/17/2013
- of - command of the - of
-
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 28 Schmoozing Verret Schmoozing oneof “leadership”is ofthe qualities themselves? tonodirector to that hasbenefitimmediate little (internal and and external) have of a habit naturally who to thosehave invested a in professional and engineers,comesof successful skills top oneofthe is It information or someof benefitservice deliver to them whom you have noauthority of for purposeinfluencing the In mymeaning,informal is communicationit over individuals with – – – How does one go about influencing others to deliver others something to goHow aboutdoesone influencing
Cash in your chits (favors you have done for others in your network) Appeal to corporate or department priorities Appeal to shared values (patriotism, loyalty, teamwork, ethics, friendship, etc)
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communicating
network
well
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013 29 Employer Survey Verret capacity for continued new learning demonstrate About 95 percent will help them contribute to Even more important think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems Nearly all employers surveyed economy. they know in order to prepare for long would recommend a twenty the survey reveals that 74 percent of business and nonprofit leaders say they findings of a national survey of business and nonprofit leaders. Among other things, Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success Universities (AAC&U) released today a report, Washington, DC
(95 percent) (95 percent) than [a candidate’s] undergraduate major. ethical judgment and integrity; intercultural skills; and the — April April 10, 2013
of those surveyed also say it is important that those they hire say they prioritize hiring college graduates with skills that 10/17/2013 innovationin the workplace (93 percent - first century liberal education — The Association of American Colleges and
- term professional success in today’s global
.
) say that “a demonstrated capacity to It Takes More Than aMajor: . ”
to a young person , , summarizing the is is more
12-CRS-0106 REVISED 8 FEB 2013