While some are seemingly born into life with an unyielding vision for what they want to do for a living, a majority of us face the endless possibilities with uncertainty, burnout and sharp turns — trying on different hats in different seasons of our lives.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Jonathan Zamora found himself in this time of transition — tired of his work repairing hardware and eager to dip his toes in something new.
In an interview with Broadband Nation, he recalled one day finally deciding to surf Indeed for new entry-level options, where he found a contract position at GeoLinks as a low-voltage technician — which services the physical infrastructure delivering internet connection to homes, businesses and municipal buildings.
What started as a six-moth contract led to a full-time position as an in-house technician.
“Being in this field is a blessing,” he explained. “It’s opened my doors up to a bunch of new opportunity and growth as a person. It’s rewarded me a lot. I’m really grateful for ever coming across that Indeed post.”
From Indeed to in-demand
Zamora largely works across California where — from Crescent City to San Diego — demand across the state for skilled technicians like him is high.
And with federal funding being poured into the industry, many communities are upgrading their internet — if not connecting for the first time.
“It’s really rewarding in this industry because we have so many customers,” he detailed. “The infrastructure for a lot of fiber isn’t really built or provided in a lot of these rural, remote areas. We're able to come in and provide them fast internet access. It feels good making an impact on these smaller communities in the outskirts.”
Hospitals, schools, local businesses, residential homes — in every new project he helps provide them internet. He, in turn, learns how they operate and what they struggle with, said Zamora. It’s provided a unique way to “get to see the world.”
In these rural areas especially, he has found it eye opening to help workers like local farmers who are relying on the connectivity for their livelihood.
“They're just as important as everyone else, but because of their location, they're left in the dust with no internet," he described. "But that's when we come in and we're able to help them out.”
Trade tips: travel, overtime and teamwork
Now a few years into the trade, Zamora provided some tips for people who might be in the same boat he was a few years ago. By and large, his insights boiled down to three areas: be ready for travel, overtime and draw from the strength of working on a team.
“It’s never boring. It’s always going somewhere new every day,” he said regarding travel. “You could be in San Diego one day, you could be in LA the next or up in San Francisco,” an aspect he sees as a real bonus, but also one newcomers should also be ready for.
The travel can also mean longer hours. "I’m not gonna lie, there’s a lot of overtime in this field.”
For Zamora personally, he hasn’t found it hard to balance with his personal life — though he acknowledged that as someone who isn’t married or taking care of children, there are other homelife situations that would be more strained by the schedule.
His work structure is a typical Monday through Friday with weekends off. There is also a team rotation on call for emergency weekend scenarios — another aspect he doesn’t mind because, called in or not, you get paid.
Like most jobs, Zamora says the work flows between steady and strenuous. But when it’s the latter, the particular combination of physical, hands-on work and critical problem-solving skills centered around technology can make things “overwhelming at times.”
This is where he has learned the combination of patience and working with your team is critical, and it makes for the most rewarding moments in the field. When he has been overwhelmed, Zamora takes a breath to assess the issue, and make sure to lean on coworkers in the process of problem solving.
“No mind is greater than two minds,” he voiced. “At the end of the day here, you’re not on your own. You have a team to back you up, and they’re always on your side. Everyone’s trying to go home at the end of the day.”
Zamora is especially grateful for the familial aspect of working on a crew. "They’ve really helped me out... made me a better tech,” he said.
That help is key when learning the equipment involved with being a technician. While having a good team will quickly make you better, Zamora still suggested trying to learn early on about the types of tech you’ll likely be working with.
“Honestly, I really have nothing bad to say, I love this field,” he concluded. “It's a good industry to get into, especially if you want to make more money. It's rewarding... The wide range of people I get to meet while out in the field, I’ve had my eyes opened up to a variety of opportunities I never thought would exist.”