Re: What do you do in real life?

[Don <coach41@pacbell.net>]

On Jan 4, 6:57 pm, Boot Zero <ap...@bidlink.net> wrote:

>
> I bet many of us have landed in interesting positions in technology.
>
> Eight bit computing is a nice escape from modern computing.  So I ask
> readers of c.s.apple2 -- what do you do in the real  life?  What do you
> do for a living?
>
> -BZ

I haven't dropped by CSA2 in a few weeks, so a little late to this
thread.

My parents got our Apple IIe somewhere around 1983/1984 which means I
was around 9/10 years old.  Along with my Atari 5200 during those
days, I used my Apple IIe to play games in the early days.  Unlike
some I never had an inclination to program.  I did some classes in
school for Logo and Basic, but it was never something I had a major
interest in.  I was a little on the practical side.  Beside guys, I
loved using the Print Shop (later Print Magic from Epyx) to create
greeting cards and the like. Two years into college, I started
learning more about productivity programs on PC's (Word Perfect,
Lotus, etc).  That is when I really learned to use Appleworks 2.0 to
the fullest.  Like someone else in the thread, I kept using my Apple
IIe through at least the late 90's when I was deep into college.   I
had to get a PC around 1996 because my COBOL (yes, COBOL) programming
class had software that needed to run on a PC.

I graduated from college in 1998 with a double major in Computer
Information Systems and Office Systems (both under the Business
Administration umbrella).

Despite the start up craziness around that time, I didn't land a full
time job (I was working a part time gig in the meantime) until the
year after as a "Technical Analyst" at a call center for a major Dial
Up (and later DSL) ISP out here in the Bay Area.   That was the start
of a 7 year run at the ISP.  In those year years, I worked five total
years as a Customer Care / Technical Support guy supporting Dial Up,
ISDN, DSL, Web Hosting, T1/Frame Relay services.   This was the time I
learned a lot about basic networking, IP addresses, the WAN/LAN, Cisco
Routers and other things.  I got my CCNA around 2004 as well but I let
it expire.

My final job at the ISP was as a "Process Manager".  In essence, i
worked with two of the last call centers I had been in and update/
wrote new processes for the call center folks to follow.  Besides
writing, I spent a lot of time sitting in meetings, offering input and
doing some software User Acceptance testing.

After 7 years at the ISP (and with a merger looming), I was offered a
opportunity as a start up in 2006 which I accepted.  The start up
manufactured and sold Powerline Networking equipment.  We've all heard
of Ethernet and Wireless.  Powerline (or PLC) was trying to become
another standard which complimented Ethernet / Wireless by using the
power lines to carry signals around.  It's a great technology and
works quite well (at least for me) at home.  It does have some
practical applications.

I was supposed to be brought on as a Product Support Specialist (fancy
term for tech support).   However, I helped out with doing some pre-
sales support early on as well.  As with most startups, I ended up
wearing multiple hats.  I wrote some manuals and later ended
coordinated some of the manuals to be written when the work was
outsourced.  I did some software QA testing as well.  All in all, it
was an interesting time.  The start up got VC funding in mid 2007
after being privately held for 5 years.  Things were looking up and I
even gained a new title when new management took over ("Inside Sales
Engineer").  Alas, it was not to be.  While I don't know the exact
reasons, the expected sales growth for our products never took off.
In June of 2008, I was given notice that I would be laid off.  I got a
week's notice plus a few weeks of severance.

The time off was good and I tried to take stock of my future plans.
Fortunately, a recruiter called me in early July and we talked about a
Sales Engineer position.  My initial impression was that I wasn't
interested.   While I had a fancy title, I hadn't done much Sales
Engineering work.  Also, I was supposed to be selling "Domain Name
Services" (DNS).  While I conceptually understood DNS, I didn't think
I knew enough to try to sell it.

The recruiter (a great guy) had to convince me to consider the
position.  After some thinking, I decided to go ahead with
interviewing.  As it turned out, the hiring manager was in town that
week.  I interviewed a few days later and was told by the recruiter
that I probably would be a favorite for the position.  Alas, it took a
while (due to a hiring freeze) to get me my offer letter.  But it
finally came and I started my new Sales Engineer job at a major
Managed DNS provider in mid-August.

It's been an interesting 5 months and I think I found my career
calling (at least for the next few years).  I have the ability to
grasp technology pretty quickly and with my practical side, I have
found ways to test the extra services (besides DNS) that we offer.  I
have a pretty good personality and so that helps with customers.
However, I need to improve my Sales skills.

What's next?  I'll let you know in a few years!

Don