I just finished my first week with my new job. I’m sure you’ll skip down to the bottom to read all about that, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
In January of 2011 I met with my pastor to ask his advice on when it is appropriate for a grown man with a family of 4 to ask for financial help from his church or his family. I was a Barista with a new part time gig at AT&T but the commission checks had not arrived and I was panicking.
A large tax “return” coupled with an instant promotion to full time at Ma Bell was enough to render the point moot. I had a real job.
AT&T retail, as entry level jobs go, is phenomenal. Thorough training, free top-of-the-line phone, and a commission structure that makes it easy (with the right effort and focus) to make a great living.
In June of 2011 my benefits kicked in and I was able to quit Starbucks and reduce the amount of time standing up each week from 70 hours to 55.
Retail hours plus the fact that I took over as music guy at my church were the catalyst for beginning a job search in earnest in the spring of 2012.
All along Jacqueline would remind me that she was praying very specifically for a new job on November 1st. I thought it was a bit of a pipe dream, but I kept it to myself.
After a couple of “not a fit” job interviews and even an offer from another company, November was on the horizon. I had interviewed at a company named “Wingswept” in early October, but hadn’t heard much back from them. But a bit of persistence and roughly 5 assessments later, my hiring manager made what turned out to be the deciding gesture by driving 30 minutes to hand deliver the offer letter, on November 2nd.
I just finished my first week as an Account Manager (fancy way to describe telesales) for Wingswept, in their Vertical Markets division. I sell websites to Auto Repair Shops. This company is the real deal. They take care of employees and customers like they are family.
I love it.
Thanks, AT&T, for a great two years. I’ll be a mobile phone customer for a long time. And if you get UVerse in my neighborhood, call me.
Congrats Ben! Glad to hear it!