Odd Jobs to Career/First Tattoo − 25 August, 1997
Today was the day I went from working odd jobs to starting a career.
My friend Brian was working at CorNet International (Since bought out by Dendrite International) as a software tester in Stroudsburg, Pa. I got tired of working at a Sports Outfitter and applied at CorNet to work on the helpdesk. I got the job based on my 8 years of experience with computers, plus the fact that anyone could get a job there.
In working here, I met Steve Birrell. Steve is one of those people that you meet that motivates you to think more of yourself. He was awesome at helping me adjust to career work. He was an ex Army-Navy guy as well. We used to talk about the military all the time. Steve was married to Lisa (They met in the Navy) and they have a beautiful daughter named Caitlin. I got to know Steve well enough that Caitlin started calling me Uncle Brian. Steve used to tell me all these crazy steriods he used to take. I used to get pissed because he would get all these accolades for stuff and he admittedly, "Didn't do shit."
I remember what he said one day to me after I was shot down for a raise, "Zimmerman, it's not what you do in the corporate world that counts, it's what you make people think you do that's more important." I carry that philosphy in a way, to this day. Steve is the guy that got me the job at Integra and got me to join the National Guard after talking for 3 hours about it while working out at the YMCA before our work shift. He's also the guy that gave me the motivation to drop everything and move to NYC. I'm so glad I did.
Anyway, I met alot of other people at CorNet too. Alot of people there thought they were God's gift to computing. I learned later that it was a very small operation trying to be a big dog in the industry. The locals in the Poconos interested in technology either worked there or commuted to Jersey. While working there, Brian and I played on the soccer team, I played Goalie and went from crappy wannabe to only allowing 2 goals in my final two games. I was pretty proud of myself actually since I hadn't played soccer since I was a small boy. I worked there for a year and Steve approached me about Integra Business Center in Allentown, where I would work for 2 years after leaving CorNet. Steve left Integra before me and moved to Maryland, but we stayed in touch and I even visited him and we went to a Raider/Raven game.
Here's how I left CorNet:
My boss Eric Rabenold was supposed to review me. I busted my ass the entire year and even volunteered for a side-job. This should have included a pay increase and it didn't. I was getting nothing but good reviews so I knew my review would include a pay raise. He kept putting it off and putting it off. He then hired a women to take care of administration stuff on the helpdesk. She kept putting it off too. I got the thought that maybe they just didn't want to give me a raise and wanted me to work as long as possible without giving me my earned salary.
The final straw was when I was told I would have my review on a Friday afternoon. at 3 PM, I asked when it would be and Eric's assistant said, "Let me take care of some things and I'll come over to you, 10 minutes?" I said sure and went back to my desk. I had interviewed at Integra and they offered me the position but I wanted that review to see if I would stay. 10 minutes later, I looked over the cubicles and saw her with her coat on and she was literally hunched over sneaking out! I ran after her around the cubes and out the door, I yelled for her and that's when I heard the elevator door shut.
I calmly went back to my desk, and wrote an email to the president of the company, CC'ing my boss, his boss, and his assistant, explaining why I thought yearly reviews were so important and telling him that mine was 5 months overdue and I had repeatedly tried to get them to give me one. I then apologized and asked that they not think less of my character for leaving without a two week notice and taking another job that was offered to me earlier that day. I told my supervisor, he said, "I hate to see you go, but I understand, and good for you man. If I had another job, I'd do it too." and I left before my shift was over.
Did I mention I was the only person with knowledge of "how to do" and doing data analysis of Sales Reps databases against the national Bristol Myers Squibb sales force master database while answering phones on the Helpdesk? I wrote a book on it too, so that anyone taking on the job after me, should something happen, could do the job by following it. (My first foray into Technical Writing actually).
I actually took the book with me that night too. Brian told me a few weeks later, because he still worked there, that they had to hire someone, for twice the amount of money they were paying me, to find out how to do what I did. The guys that told me how to do it, left for higher paying jobs and I was the last one left. :) I knew the president of the company quite well since he played on the soccer team too. He did like the letter and punishment was handed down. Eric no longer ran the helpdesk and the assistant was fired. It was found out later that I was 1 of about 15 people without a review. I was the only one that used my right to ask for one.
It was while working at CorNet that I got my first tattoo - a small Taurus sign on my left shoulder. See picture. Turns out I started developing a crush on a fellow class of '91 East Burg graduate and coworker at CorNet named Leah Stann. We got tattoos together one night and we got along great at work and sometimes afterward. One night, we were at a bar with a bunch of coworkers and I told her how I really felt about her and she seriously laughed at me, right in my face. I felt like the biggest douchebag.
Either she thought I was kidding or she was just a bitch. Either way, I'll never forget the chance I took letting my feelings be known then being looked at like I just told the funniest joke on the face of the planet. I never talked to her again and a month later, the above story happened. If she had thought I was kidding, she had plenty of chances to apologize.
Girls, if a guy ever has the guts to tell you how he feels, do anything but whatever you do, please don't laugh. That night was the last night I was honest with a girl for about 5 years. Leah, if you ever read this - You really didn't have to do that to me, I already had next to zero confidence. If anything, I thought you were my friend.
My friend Brian was working at CorNet International (Since bought out by Dendrite International) as a software tester in Stroudsburg, Pa. I got tired of working at a Sports Outfitter and applied at CorNet to work on the helpdesk. I got the job based on my 8 years of experience with computers, plus the fact that anyone could get a job there.
In working here, I met Steve Birrell. Steve is one of those people that you meet that motivates you to think more of yourself. He was awesome at helping me adjust to career work. He was an ex Army-Navy guy as well. We used to talk about the military all the time. Steve was married to Lisa (They met in the Navy) and they have a beautiful daughter named Caitlin. I got to know Steve well enough that Caitlin started calling me Uncle Brian. Steve used to tell me all these crazy steriods he used to take. I used to get pissed because he would get all these accolades for stuff and he admittedly, "Didn't do shit."
I remember what he said one day to me after I was shot down for a raise, "Zimmerman, it's not what you do in the corporate world that counts, it's what you make people think you do that's more important." I carry that philosphy in a way, to this day. Steve is the guy that got me the job at Integra and got me to join the National Guard after talking for 3 hours about it while working out at the YMCA before our work shift. He's also the guy that gave me the motivation to drop everything and move to NYC. I'm so glad I did.
Anyway, I met alot of other people at CorNet too. Alot of people there thought they were God's gift to computing. I learned later that it was a very small operation trying to be a big dog in the industry. The locals in the Poconos interested in technology either worked there or commuted to Jersey. While working there, Brian and I played on the soccer team, I played Goalie and went from crappy wannabe to only allowing 2 goals in my final two games. I was pretty proud of myself actually since I hadn't played soccer since I was a small boy. I worked there for a year and Steve approached me about Integra Business Center in Allentown, where I would work for 2 years after leaving CorNet. Steve left Integra before me and moved to Maryland, but we stayed in touch and I even visited him and we went to a Raider/Raven game.
Here's how I left CorNet:
My boss Eric Rabenold was supposed to review me. I busted my ass the entire year and even volunteered for a side-job. This should have included a pay increase and it didn't. I was getting nothing but good reviews so I knew my review would include a pay raise. He kept putting it off and putting it off. He then hired a women to take care of administration stuff on the helpdesk. She kept putting it off too. I got the thought that maybe they just didn't want to give me a raise and wanted me to work as long as possible without giving me my earned salary.
The final straw was when I was told I would have my review on a Friday afternoon. at 3 PM, I asked when it would be and Eric's assistant said, "Let me take care of some things and I'll come over to you, 10 minutes?" I said sure and went back to my desk. I had interviewed at Integra and they offered me the position but I wanted that review to see if I would stay. 10 minutes later, I looked over the cubicles and saw her with her coat on and she was literally hunched over sneaking out! I ran after her around the cubes and out the door, I yelled for her and that's when I heard the elevator door shut.
I calmly went back to my desk, and wrote an email to the president of the company, CC'ing my boss, his boss, and his assistant, explaining why I thought yearly reviews were so important and telling him that mine was 5 months overdue and I had repeatedly tried to get them to give me one. I then apologized and asked that they not think less of my character for leaving without a two week notice and taking another job that was offered to me earlier that day. I told my supervisor, he said, "I hate to see you go, but I understand, and good for you man. If I had another job, I'd do it too." and I left before my shift was over.
Did I mention I was the only person with knowledge of "how to do" and doing data analysis of Sales Reps databases against the national Bristol Myers Squibb sales force master database while answering phones on the Helpdesk? I wrote a book on it too, so that anyone taking on the job after me, should something happen, could do the job by following it. (My first foray into Technical Writing actually).
I actually took the book with me that night too. Brian told me a few weeks later, because he still worked there, that they had to hire someone, for twice the amount of money they were paying me, to find out how to do what I did. The guys that told me how to do it, left for higher paying jobs and I was the last one left. :) I knew the president of the company quite well since he played on the soccer team too. He did like the letter and punishment was handed down. Eric no longer ran the helpdesk and the assistant was fired. It was found out later that I was 1 of about 15 people without a review. I was the only one that used my right to ask for one.
It was while working at CorNet that I got my first tattoo - a small Taurus sign on my left shoulder. See picture. Turns out I started developing a crush on a fellow class of '91 East Burg graduate and coworker at CorNet named Leah Stann. We got tattoos together one night and we got along great at work and sometimes afterward. One night, we were at a bar with a bunch of coworkers and I told her how I really felt about her and she seriously laughed at me, right in my face. I felt like the biggest douchebag.
Either she thought I was kidding or she was just a bitch. Either way, I'll never forget the chance I took letting my feelings be known then being looked at like I just told the funniest joke on the face of the planet. I never talked to her again and a month later, the above story happened. If she had thought I was kidding, she had plenty of chances to apologize.
Girls, if a guy ever has the guts to tell you how he feels, do anything but whatever you do, please don't laugh. That night was the last night I was honest with a girl for about 5 years. Leah, if you ever read this - You really didn't have to do that to me, I already had next to zero confidence. If anything, I thought you were my friend.
