Gregory Szorc's blog

Tellme My Future

My post graduation plans are set: I will be working for Tellme Networks beginning in January 2007! I finally made the committment last night, after somehow resisting the offer which was extended near the end of my summer internship. Those close to me knew this decision was inevitable, for I fell in love with Tellme and California over the summer. Nearly everything about the company and the area are perfect for me at this point in my life (there is one person who constitutes the majority of the exceptions to this statement).

I don't want to sound like I am falling back on Tellme, but I really don't think I could have found a better opportunity (and I certainly looked, like any rational individual would do). After hearing what I perceived to be horror stories from friends about experiences at their summer internships, I realized how unique of a workplace Tellme is. This is being further driven into me by the traditional corporate engineering teachings in my senior project courses (not that I am saying the teachings aren't valuable, just that the application is much different at Tellme). Finally, today, when I saw everything going on with the Career Fair, I knew I had made the right decision. I feel that if I were to work for a large company, I would just be turned into a corporate drone. At a few hundred employees, Tellme is a perfect size for me. It is small enough I can have an identity and a voice to be heard, yet large and dynamic enough to present new, exciting, and challenging problems.

Tellme's work environment is definitely unique, even for Silicon Valley. As I write this, I am thinking about what toys to bring with me to the workplace. Since shooting foam missiles at fellow employees is a favorite work break for many, I'm thinking of acquiring an automatic missile launcher, perhaps like ThinkGeek's USG Missile Launcher. However, the 8 foot range is rather pathetic. I would want something that can reliable hit a target at 50+ feet. The USB interface is a definite requirement, as I want to be able to be able to hook it into my computer and write a web service so a VXML application can control the launcher. Just think, picking up the phone on my desk and saying "Attack Richard Newman," and watch as the unit acquires its target and fires off a missile across the office. Already, the engineering challenges associated with this have been bothering me more than the essay which is due tomorrow. Should I use compressed air? Spring firing action? So many questions...

Anyway, I can't wait to start working outside of college. There will be so much for me to do. I can't wait to enjoy the bicycle-friendly culture of California full time (after purchasing a brand new road bike, of course). I can't wait to build a home theater system (I knew I was in a special place this summer when my fellow employees shared my audiophile and videophile tendencies). I can't wait to buy groceries from Whole Foods Market (better than any grocery store in Cleveland). I can't wait to be done with the seemingly endless drudgery that is college school work. I just hope I am able to fend off the Senioritis.

You can ping this entry by using http://blog.case.edu/gps10/mt-tb.cgi/10114 .

Godspeed

Congrats on the job offer!

I agree that for many people, a small company is a better place than a big one to start a career.

Best wishes with what is left of your final semester!