Gaining experience without the given opportunity?

Go AB and AD for now

Yes Siemens is in demand but so are AB and AD programmers and troubleshooters. Get more time in with someone who uses them and you may not want to go to Siemens.

You may want to think about CODESYS instead the last three machine we bought have them controlling the motion. You can learn and test them cheap.

Good luck
Cowboy
 
I’ll definitely look at my local distributor and see if I can get in on a class and a kit. Having one on standby helps a lot...

Send this member a PM http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/member.php?u=467

His name is Jay and he should be able to help with connecting you to the correct upstate distributor

Im in the Midlands but I try and go to the Siemens classes when they have them... free food and great products (can't beat it)
 
Are you an independant contractor? I could understand companies turning down a contractor who doesnot check all the required skills....


Or is the South Carolina market saturated? Where I work you would get hired on your experience on other PLCs and start right away... Maybe get a 2 days training if you feel the need.
 
I'm betting that TL140 has been interviewing with recruiters and head hunters that are looking for a specific skillset for their client; the client says I need X number of years with Siemens and because that requirement isn't satisfied, they lose interest.
 
If this is a specification of the client it's logical. But I think he wrote that he was turned down for more junior jobs. Most companies do several brand of PLC to be able to attract more customers.
 
I'm betting that TL140 has been interviewing with recruiters and head hunters that are looking for a specific skillset for their client; the client says I need X number of years with Siemens and because that requirement isn't satisfied, they lose interest.

I think that’s the case too. For the past few months I’ve been busy and just updating my resume and putting it out there. I only have applied to a select few roles. But I get contacted multiple times a week by these recruiters with that being the case.

And no, not an independent contractor.

Thanks geniusintraining, I’ll shoot them a message when I get a chance

I’ve been looking at TwinCat and codesys. Interesting stuff. I’ll have to look more into it
 
Have you considered creating a proof of concept system with Siemens? I don't mean actually buying hardware, but if you have the software and PLCSim, you can create an awful lot and run it off of PLCSim. Additionally you can create the logic that simulates the real world.

If it's any consolation, I had a brief moment last year where I wouldn't even make it to interviews because I didn't have enough knowledge with Rockwell (I've been working with Siemens stuff for over 10 years now and had some encounters with Rockwell stuff, but never really developing).
This was because the people looking at the resumes are blindly following what someone wrote and can't compromise because I didn't have the knowledge they needed on Rockwell. And it's not like there are plenty of people around either.

Word of mouth is probably a good way, so getting with the Siemens rep will probably be of great value as they travel all around and know when companies are looking for someone.
 
I agree. These recruiters don't know anything about the job requirements other than what the client wrote .. and that you would actually be a great candidate given the choice. Keep on keeping on but I agree you need to get into that interview to show the actual client this.
 
Lie to get past the recruiters. They are following a script while their clients are always much more open minded and appreciate a candidate's personal traits and ability to achieve. I would also advise of not applying for entry level positions and the reason is some will think you want join just for the experience and don't have long term plans with them.
 
Ask more detailed information from the recruiters. When they cannot answer questions and need to ask for more information from the company, this is a good thing. Remember that you are also interviewing them.

Regards,
 
The world of automation is so huge, that noone will ever be able to qualify for everything.
So an employer looking for hiring an automation engineer must accept having to set aside time for the new employee to get into the topics for which there are holes in his qualifications.
The last person I participated in hiring was chosen not because of specific qualifications, but for having basic qualifications plus a good mindset for finishing the assigned task. This has worked out perfectly. That person is a top performer, and the holes in his qualifications (which we knew about) have been filled in over time.
 
TL140, bypass the recruiters, browse Indeed.com and submit to the jobs that look like a good fit. You might stumble across something.

Do you know anything about Siemens PCS7? I know a firm that may be looking for additional plant support, sometime next spring or sooner.
 
Public hat tip to one of my pals for pointing me to this forum.

Where are you in SC? Have you talked to your Siemens reps? we have some of the best in the World right here in SC (thats called sucking up)

Hey Genius,
Thanks for sucking up. I bought a cable from you a year or two ago, and was very appreciative of the NDA shipping. Cable did great.

So im running into a little bit of a road block when it comes to the job field...

Hey TL140, feel free to contact me either here or on LinkedIn. I guess they would call me your local, friendly Siemens rep. I at least try to be more friendly than the other guy, if it counts for anything.
I have some very choice thoughts for you as you go on this journey as I've 'helped' another guy do exactly this over the past year, with some remarkable results. Trying to program Siemens for someone gives you an astute understanding of how industrial business happens in SC.
We're also almost the same age. Thumbs up for getting after it, brother. Double thumbs up if you're a native.
PS: I had a little more hair when that LinkedIn photo was taken.
 
The recruiters are idiots and you are doing it wrong.

When I explain my experience to recruiters, I get immediately dismissed if it’s a Siemens role.
I never had experience at doing anything the first time except for programming. I learned programming on my own.
I was helping people programming PLCs before I ever touched a PLC. I would draw the the ladder on paper. I thought that PLCs in the 1980s were crude.

PLCs are just tools. Programming IDEs are a little different but not that much different. The basics of ladder are all the same. A recruiter that just looks at the tools is stupid. It is how you solve problems that counts. You need to concentrate on your successes and how you achieved them, not the tools. You need to put emphasis on what you learned quickly.

You could buy a S7-1200 for not much money. Just fir the experience.

The people I/we hire don't have experience at programming PLC but we have managed to write example programs for our products for many different types of PLCs.

One person I/we hired was an ex-nuke. I said we would be crazy to let him slip away. He didn't program, he didn't know hydraulics. It was his accomplishments that got him the job. I am an ex-nuke too so I know what he went through.

Finally, I know it is hard to find good people now. Anybody that is decent in the automation field should be able to find a job. Have faith.
 

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