We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sheldon Davis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sheldon below.
Sheldon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?
What I think Information Technology gets wrong is that it takes a 4 yr degree and certifications to have a successful career. I’ve worked at NASA (contractor) as well as USPS (contractor/software dev.) having only a G.E.D. and a A.A.S. from a defunct institution ( ITT-Tech). All of my counter parts touted 4+ yr degrees and at least 2 IT certifications. USPS I faced discrimination due to fact I was the youngest member on the team and the only minority (black). At NASA all my counter parts questioned the employment procedures and requirements due to my hiring. There I specialized in Unix/Linux ( configuration/ management/ administration). Before graduating ITT Tech I obtained my business license specializing in mobile computer repair and residential services.
Sheldon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into IT around age 15 after receiving my G.E.D. from Madison career center (Norfolk VA), and attending T.C.C. (Norfolk) for their A.A.S program in Database Administration. My first two IT classes were computer hardware and software, I fell in love with the Linux command prompt! After those courses I was able to land a work study for campus IT. I would prep all the computer labs for instruction ( replacing parts , installing systems, troubleshooting intranet/internet issues), college life was cut short due to 911 happening. That Dec. I turned 18 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps were my contract length was 8 years ( 4 active/4 inactive). After serving I worked as a maintenance man for Hilton and an Apartment complex. My family needed more $ so I used my GI Bill to go back to school but instead of a 4 yr I chose a technical school because I needed a faster path to better employment. 4 months after starting school I lost my job as maintenance due to work schedule not working out with school times (after written permission given by company). On a family stroll we stopped by a flea market and ran across a pc repair shop that was hiring, my interview process was simple I was giving a screw driver and tasked with taken a laptop completely apart and putting back together. After a couple months there I was hired by another repair company out of VA Beach that had two sides residential / commercial. I
By then I’m hosting a pod cast studying for the LPI / Linux Plus certs , going to IT conferences, and attending local meetings. I tried taken a cert test and failed, frustrated because gibill $ was now gone done but I still had classes to take to graduate. The IT company in VA Beach shut down and I was back to doing security at night and random help desk jobs that didn’t require certs / degrees. Since time was not on my side and children still in diapers I started my company doing residential work fixing desktops/laptops and setting up home network after initial internet set up. That paid the bills but I didn’t know how to land a Corporate IT position , a recruiter liked my resume (Unix/Linux centric) I got hired as a contractor to work at NASA managing and upgrading Linux/Unix systems, the company hired me as a Corp/Corp. that’s when I learned about business back ins and Net30s, after that contract I still wanted to work using Linux so I moved to NC but lost job I got hired for 1 wk after I arrived. Disparate I answered ad on Craigslist to work at a data center over night. I didn’t meet all the hiring requirements but after correcting serval questions on my interview test I beat everyone else for the role, after 6 months I was hired by another company to work as a Software Developer for USPS. I spent the first 4 months just setting at my desk reading, I wasn’t given any task to do so I just studied (C#/Network Infrastructure ) after month 5 I spoke up and was giving the task of documenting code ( explaining portions of code to other devs ) a month in and finding a solution to a standing problem we went into a code freeze so I changed my hrs so I could work remotely (6am-3pm) and start back doing field work (Commercial Telecom and Residential break fix), this time training people who looked like me to do just what I do and in turn when I got project work I’d either bring them along or give them job all together only taken 5-10% profit from them until they felt comfy enough to work solo, then I’d show them how to stand up a business ( license, ein, address, web,email, 800# and Insurance). After my contact ended with USPS I went to contact field work 100% training all walks of life on how to get into IT with no formal degree and certs.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Customer service and Mission completion. When a Company’s internet goes down (hardware / software) those mins and hrs equal commas of $ being lost, bout time We ( me or company tech) enter a site we are the Life Savers, the Subject matter experts with a goal of getting that company back online at all costs. Once DETRONICS arrives onsite the customer could be mad, confused or just looking to point fingers but great Customer Service will turn around the most angriest manager, owner, and employee.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Just because you don’t meet 100% of the requirements but still know the task apply, and if you still can’t make it thru their door. Build your own, then share the knowledge, start local, join communities, be the change you want!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Detronics.io
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davis-s-l-a0888044
