After 31 years in the telecommunications industry, I never thought I would be at a point where I would seriously consider walking away from it entirely.
Over the last several months, I’ve submitted applications, had conversations, followed up professionally, and in many cases received little to no response at all. Not even the courtesy of a conversation.
This industry was built by people who learned it in the field — long days, overnight outages, storm restoration, tower climbs, deployments, logistics, project recovery, and solving problems when there was no manual to follow. Experience used to matter.
I’ve spent three decades building operations, leading teams, supporting carriers, managing logistics, and helping projects succeed in some of the most demanding environments in telecommunications. Apparently that experience no longer carries the value it once did.
So rather than continue forcing my way into an industry that no longer seems interested in seasoned professionals, I’ve decided to move in a different direction and take that experience with me.
To the people who have supported me throughout my career — thank you. The relationships and lessons are what I’ll value most.
And to the younger professionals still in the industry: learn everything you can, build real relationships, and never underestimate the value of operational knowledge and integrity. Those things still matter, even if the hiring process sometimes suggests otherwise.
