Recently, I have received job offer from both Intel and small local IC design companies. Going to graduate this year.

Both of the company are based in Penang. However, Intel offered only 4k for their Graduate Trainee (GT) program as opposed to small startup company which offered almost 5.5k-6k.

Intel offered basic benefit like AIA insurance but there is no other benefits (like optical, dental...) while the small company does include almost everything, even provide petrol allowance.

I would like to have some opinion from you guys which one is better choice? The small company even have 1-2 month salary as bonus, and annual bonus ranging of 10%+ as well. It may sound like going for small company is the better choice, but Intel is a pretty nice place to work at with work life balance (from my internship experience). The small company customer is mostly based in China, so...

Still young and willing to learn more, I have concerns with small company their income source is mostly concentrated on one or two customers. Intel you can convert to permanent position after 1-2 years with all the benefits (optical/dental ,car loan subsidy,QPB/APB, etc...), but I have seniors that worked in small company that has much more experience than their peers, mainly because you get to work almost the wider design flow instead of concentrating on one small part.

Also noticed the small company had much harder interview and more rounds as well, compared to Intel. They were brutal when it comes to technical details.

Would it be a wiser choice to join the small company as a fresh graduate? All Sifu welcome to give their opinion

This post has been edited by melondance: Jun 17 2024, 01:27 PM

MNC if you are resourceful (outstanding) and put 110% effort, then potential growth is there. But if you are introvert, then slowly grow lor.

Small company maybe you hit jackpot like Nvidia leh 😂🤣😅
Small company do everything (possibility is very high) but learn a lot.

Just a question, why a small company can pay more and give more than an MNC.

I have no idea why they can pay so much, they poached a whole bunch of ex-Intel, Synopsys, MediaTek, Cadence people as well. Supposedly from the LinkedIn profile, they used to hold a good position in MNC (Staff Engineers, Senior Manager, Director...) So I guess they have a pretty good pay across grades.

FYI, the Intel GT program has paid like RM4k since 2020 or 2022? In 2020, I believe GT were paid RM4k if you have first class. But now regardless of first class or not, they pay RM4k eitherway. This GT position has almost no benefit, and I need to rent in penang.

This post has been edited by melondance: Jun 17 2024, 01:51 PM

See how ambitious you are.


big then go small 1st. ( learn from startup to be next startup )

small then go park at MNC.

Currently I have gotten both offers around the same time, and can only choose one. I have intern with Intel since 2022. So total is 1 year of service there already. Only learnt a little but enough to get going for work, not expert la..

This post has been edited by melondance: Jun 17 2024, 02:11 PM

There are too many variables about the "small company". Intel is a safe choice, unless you did your own research and think that the small company has greater potential.

Intel also not safe nowadays...can kena retrench anytime

But if up to me I'll go to the small company assuming TS have done the research and it's legit (not some shady company producing chips for illegal gambling sites). Start with a higher base and easier to go higher next time cause Malaysia employer are cheap skates, they like to offer xx% from last drawn salary.

Ah ya, I mean safe in the context of getting opportunities to network and learn, but yea Intel has quite a few rounds of retrench recently... TS you need to really show that you are an asset if you work in Intel.

It is a legit company with people clocking in and out of the physical office that does IC design.

I’m concerned with the salary too, RM4k after rent, insurance and car maintenance, etc. there isn’t much left.

Actually, those that can complete all the work and the business unit has hiring slots, I think they will just hire you.

The reason it’s a hard choice for me is because… once you convert from GT to permanent in Intel, the benefits are pretty good. However, the salary in small IC design company can increase pretty good as well.

Perhaps I should work in small company for a few years, then go back to MNC like AMD/Intel/etc if I like them more?

But yeah, it’s 1-2 years in GT stuck with RM4k/month before you get converted, this is RM20k difference per year just looking at pay and bonus that you miss out as an GT.

I like Intel and how they work. But it worries me as a young graduate I don’t get to see the breadth of the workflow in Intel even though you get the master it. I’ll be happy in Intel with 4k salary, but I don’t wanna get too comfortable too.

Working at Intel you get peak season that require OT and extra work, but it’s not like everyday non-stop at small company.

This post has been edited by melondance: Jun 18 2024, 10:50 PM

MNC is great for those who specialise in climbing corporate ladder, may not need to be a master but a jack of all trades especially rubbing shoulder with bosses.. if you are a social butterfly, it makes perfect sense.

Which Startup? Effenix? SkyeChip? In either case they're all damn good places to learn. Majority of their staff comprise of ex-Intel folks, so you can learn the same stuff from them as you could from Intel. Obviously Intel being a larger MNC is a more structured work environment. But that structure also means there's hella lot of bureaucracy

If it were any of these 3 companies, I'd go for the 'small' company, because they're not exactly small.

But once you get converted into a permanent role at Intel, you get RSU and benefits when in total is better than small company?

Not true. You dont get RSU until you are grade 6. Other benefits (WiFi subsidy, meal subsidy, toll & mileage subsidy, car interest subsid etc) are miniscule compared to the higher salary that you would receive at other companies. You would be surprised to know that Intel currently has the lowest salary range for most grades among IC design companies in Penang. AMD / Lattice / Skyechip / Oppstar / Efinix / Synapse easily offer 20-30% some even 50% more pay for the same grade as They are all actively poaching from Intel.

Just do some basic math. You get 5.5k starting vs 4k starting. Are all those subsidies and benefit worth the extra RM1.5k monthly?

From a pure monetary perspective, go for smaller company.

In terms of learning and growth, I would say Intel is actually better for fresh grad just because you have access to more resources (Tons of training material, access to all 3 EDA big boys' tools Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens) and a lot of seniors to help you or network with. However, it will be up to you to make use of those resources yourself as within your team, you are likely to be more constrained within one domain / limited exposure to the entire workflow as you say. But that doesnt mean you can't explore the other domains. It would be something that you need to talk to your manager or plan your own time to learn from those resources I mention. If you have your own initiative, you can definitely explore or learn other domains at intel without pressure whereas at small company yes you may work on a broader spectrum of IC design workflow but that will also be part of your deliverables / commitment that needs to meet timeline.

Intel has a pretty relaxed culture from what I have heard from the seniors when you compared to other small company. Do you think that is true?

I see my university senior working as GT in Intel always having time to play during working days, perhaps due to Hybrid mode.

Wonder if it would be good to be exposed to higher stress environment then if I do get back into Intel in the future, which I may since I really do like the company, be beneficial since I have adapted to faster pace?

You’re right that Intel system you can access to any tools from the 3 big EDA company, but it really depends if your department is using them… I don’t see most people even tinker with anything outside their work

This post has been edited by melondance: Jun 21 2024, 12:16 PM

I would say its different from one team to another. Some teams at Intel are high stress as well. Just that GTs are usually more shielded in the sense you are not officially accountable for project deliverables yet.

And yes another advantage of Intel is very flexible working arrangements / hybrid mode. But again this differs from one team/department to another. Some teams only go to office once a week (And goes back home right after lunch because their team meetings are in the morning). Some need to go 3 days a week.

Again as I have said, its your own initiative to learn. Just because your team or your task doesnt use it doesnt mean you cant learn

I cant say for sure whether joining Intel is better or joining small local company is better. The things I mentioned like hybrid mode or work arrangments if important to you, you may want to check with your hiring manager what is the expectation. But as a fresh grad I highly recommend going to the office.

If Intel 1 year, no convert, how nice your team is, also no point they unable to convert you as Perm-BB.

If you gotten offered from Altera/PSG. Better stay away, as already news broke Altera/PSG is going standalone.

Another problem is Intel, you might be working in your bubble too often.
Don't really deal with other teams much unless you are needed to. Eventually you get too comfortable with your job and can't really progress.

If you like me, think already hit rock bottom in terms of learning. I think better you avoid this company.

Also you might need to try to understand what type of Jobs are there in VLSI. Can be verification, pre-Si, post-Si, RTL, Layout, Physical Design, Place and Route, Analog IC Design, Digital IC design, IC Standard Cell library, Board Design, Electrical Validation, etc...


GT (1 year - 2021) - RM 4k
Grade 3 (2 years -2022/23)- GT + 6%
Grade 5 (3 months)- RM 5.2k


Anyhow, see what team you are in, some are good, some are bad, some are really under pressured until you can mentally cracked at times.

Ayam Intel Grade 5 too. Got offers from A, L and O recently for Design Engineer 2 (Grade 5 equivalent). All over 7k. Intel fucking underpaying. If not for the fact I live in Alor Setar and only need to go office once every week or even once every two weeks, I would have jumped lel

wahhh, so many offers.
Well, same as me. I only wanted WFH. So I don't need to go travel to and flo to work, Never knew Penang traffic so horrible like KL. Sibeh tiring stuck in a jam just to travel 8-10km of straight road.

My current office at PG15 which makes it travelling without a car so non-ideal.
If get office in PG 7/8/12/17 I would rather jump offices.

This post has been edited by iSean: Jun 21 2024, 10:41 PM