In chapter 14 of my book Get Back Up I decide it’s time to get that job in tech. After all, it was the main reason I came to California. The job at Wendy’s almost destroyed my back. I couldn’t go through that again.

One weekend, I came across an ad for device testers. I didn’t know what a device tester was but I was confident that I could do any job in tech if I were just given the chance. The problem, so far, was that no one would give me that chance due to my lack of experience. I decided I would call the number in the ad and try to not allow that detail to become an issue. I thought if I could just get in the door, I’d show them what I could do and then they’d be glad they’d hired me.

So I made the call, and not surprisingly the woman on the other end quickly asked if I had any experience testing devices. I had no idea what she meant by devices but I also knew that the only way to find out was to say yes. A lie, I know, but I wanted to hear more, and a No would have ended the call. The call almost ended anyway when she asked me what devices I had tested. I had to think fast, and I responded by turning the question back on her. Instead of answering, especially since I had no idea what she was talking about, I said, “You and I know there are many kinds of devices. Instead of me listing them all, why don’t you tell me which ones they’re looking to have tested?” It worked. She replied, “Printers, plotters, and cameras.” Now, I knew what printers were, because I used them all the time. I also knew what a camera was, but I had no idea what it had to do with computers. I had absolutely no clue what a plotter was, but for some reason, without hesitation, I repeated what she said, “Printers, plotters, and cameras? Did you say Printers, plotters, and cameras?” She said “Yes, why? I said, “You won’t believe, it but those devices are exactly what I tested in my last job.” A lie for sure, but I was all the way in now.

By now you might be saying that I’m a liar and I guess you’d be correct because I was indeed lying; but I needed this job and I was sure I could do it. If they hired me, I would prove my worth and make them glad they gave me the chance. Am I saying that the end would justify the means? I guess I am, at least in this case. I had no money, bills to pay, and a pregnant wife at home. I could apply for some kind of relief or I could get to work. My back couldn’t handle the only job I could find so far and this was my chance. I had to see where it took me.

After a few more minutes on the phone the woman said she thought I was who her client was looking for. She said they were interviewing tomorrow and asked me to send her my resume. I knew my resume with all the fast food experience and shoe repair work wouldn’t get me the interview, so I had to think fast again. I told her that since the client wanted to interview me so soon it might be easier for me to take my resume directly to them. She agreed and the meeting was set.

The next day I went to Ashton-Tate for my interview. I had no idea what questions they might ask or how they would gauge my “experience,” but I was committed to getting this job. Much to my surprise there wasn’t an interview at all; instead I was given the job right away, due to my “experience”. I was taken to a room filled with tables that had computers and printers on them and told to get to work. The only problem was I had no idea what the work was.

Soon, however, another person came into the room. He already worked at the company in their product support group and earned extra money doing device testing during his time off. Now, I’m one of those people who likes to try and figure things out on his own, but I’ve never been afraid to ask for help when I thought I needed it, and right now I needed it.

So, I asked a very simple question. “What are we supposed to be doing here?” The job was actually very simple. First, you hooked up a device to the computer. In this case the device was a printer, plotter, or camera. I already knew how to connect a printer to a computer and it turned out you hooked the other devices up the same way. Once the device was connected to the computer you used the software product to create a slide. You then printed, plotted, or took a picture of the slide and compared the output to what was on your computer screen. If they matched you moved on to the next device. If they didn’t you had a bug.

It was very simple. In fact, it was pretty boring, but it was a job in tech and I wasn’t on my feet all day putting pressure on my back. The problem, however, was that this was a temporary job. The person I talked to on the phone worked for a temp agency placing contractors at companies on a short-term basis. This job would end in three months. I had to figure out how to turn this job into a permanent position at Ashton-Tate.

So, I had two problems to attack. One was how to break up the monotony of this job and the other was to turn it into a permanent position. I could attack both of these problems at once. The way they were testing the devices was very task-oriented. They would create a slide, print it out, compare the output, enter a bug, and then move on to the next device. I learned a long time ago that just because something has always been done a certain way, it doesn’t mean you have to continue to do it that way; especially if there’s a more efficient way to do it.

It occurred to me that when you sent a slide to the printer, it took some time to print. Rather than sit there and wait for it, why not move to the next computer and start the next print job while you waited. I turned this into a game. I removed all the chairs from the room except one. I sat on the chair in front of the first computer and started a print job. I then rolled to the next computer and did the same thing. I rolled around the whole room until I came to the last computer. I then went back to the first computer and checked the output. I turned it into a personal challenge. I tried to set new records for the number of devices I could get through in a day and how many bugs I could find. This was fun, and my boss noticed it too, and when my contract was up, they asked me to stay on. My hard work and ingenuity had paid off, as soon thereafter I was offered a permanent position at Ashton-Tate. During my time as a contractor I’d asked many times if I could apply for a permanent role. Each time I was told to ask later. In the end, however, it wasn’t the asking that got me the job, it was the effort.

Lessons:

  1. Sometimes the end does justify the means.
  2. We can also use a hand up sometimes. Never be afraid to ask for help.
  3. Just because something has been done the same way for a long time is no reason to keep doing it that way.
  4. When you want something, don’t just ask for it; prove that it should be yours.

George A. Santino helps people who want to break down barriers, including self-imposed barriers, to success. Check out his Amazon bestselling book, Get Back Up: From the Streets to Microsoft Suites.