Disclosure: I’ve been blogging for just over a year; what has changed?
By Stefan Constantinescu on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 at 11:53 AM PST In Blog Updates
I completely forgot about my one year anniversary last week! On November 19, 2006 I started Ring Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and since then a lot has happened. I went to Spain for the first time in my life, the UK and now I’m living in Finland of all places.
In that one year a lot of my goals have changed as well. At first I wanted to be the number one Nokia blogger, the source that aggregated what awesome things people around the world were doing with their devices. That drive only lasted a few weeks; it quickly became obvious that I wanted to change things. The S60 operating system wasn’t what I thought it would be; devices were not what I was expecting them to be.
Meeting more and more Nokia people around the Dallas Campus and at various trade shows let me express the ideas floating around in my head to people, these ideas sparked conversations, and after a year these conversations have lead to several new friendships.
My goal now is to break through, to get into the company, to connect each and every one of you guys with the people inside who can change things. I’ve been applying for jobs at breakneck speeds, my friends and long time readers who follow me on Jaiku know this, but I want to tell all of you as well.
I successfully managed to get a short term, 1 month contract job at Nokia. It has nothing to do with devices, nor software, nor services. Simply put, it is my task to do a few edits to some videos internally and get them out on to the net. These videos are highly similar to Google’s Tech Talks or TED, by that I mean influential people talking to Nokia employees in an auditorium. The speeches given inside that room were only beneficial to the guys who could attend that meeting; it is now my responsibility to make those lectures and words of wisdom accessible to the world.
This means that there is money currently in my bank account that has come from Nokia. It is important that you know this because it affects our relationship of writer to reader. My goal, to repeat, is to get inside Nokia. I can tell you that the dream I have has not impacted my writing, but that is for you to decide.
The N82, N95, E61i, these are all just devices. When you get the chance to meet some of the people I have, who get the internet, get hardware, understand the future, then you realize that the energy and philosophy of the employees within a company are what impacts the devices that get released to the market. Without those people there is no Nokia and I want to be a part of that team. I hope you can understand why I have this dream.
I’m actively interviewing, I just got turned down from a job today actually, but I’m not a quitter. I made it this far and I’m not going home with my tail between my legs.
If any of this information makes you uncomfortable, then I can highly recommend to you these bloggers who have been, and still are, my personal inspiration and who have been on the net much longer than I have:
- Ewan, Rafe and Steve from All About Symbian
- Darla Mack
- Eldar from Mobile-Review
- Eric from Phone Scoop
- Michael from Mobile Burn
- Michael from My-Symbian
- The team at Bright Hand
Most importantly I want to thank my team at IntoMobile. Without them I wouldn’t be able to be in Finland and do what I’m doing now. They’ve given me an opportunity that has completely changed my life and for that they commend my respect and praise.
[About the picture: I don't know who Justin is, but his parents rock!]
Stefan ! Great work and keep it up !
You guys at intomobile are an inspiration for guys like me
Usually your texts are good but this one is a bit pathetic.
If you want job@Nokia, why don’t you finish your studies? Do you think you’ll have ANY chance without college? Sorry…but this is the truth,think about it.
Well they do say Bill Gates is the biggest ray of hope for all us college dropouts.
I plan on finishing one of these days, I’ve made a promise to myself to do that.
Please finish your studies,it is very important to do that!
PS. I was asked about you by a senior Nokia manager, sometime in august. His first question was: Who the hell is this S.C. and what college does he have finished? When he found out you didn’t the guy cut it short: nah I am not interested.
My advice is(if you care about it, even it cames from a 40 years old Romanian guy:-)): go back to the States, finish school and then the world MUST be yours. Believe me.
Grats Stefan! Hopefully you get there.
Dude, congrats. You’ve most certainly come a long way, not only just in the things you’ve accomplished, but your writing style and mind about it has changed for the better.
You and I both started our sites at roughly the same time and look at us. Both full-time bloggers, with tons of ambitions. I have no doubts that you’ll get into Nokia eventually.
You say it lightly, but I know that we both know that this seemingly small contract job is only your first step, my friend.
I for one simply cannot wait to hang out again in Amsterdam. Keep up the killer work, Stefan.
Stefan, the most talked about man in the known Nokia Universe, surely even Rafe and Ricky haven’t been the subject of so many conversations this last year?
I think I probably speak for thousands, when I say ‘thank you’ for providing us with many long hours of entertainment, inspiration and scrolling through those endless blog posts on Ring Nokia! I think you had about 100 posts on the homepage at one point!!!
Congratulations on your first official Nokia assignment – if you need any help whatsoever in regards to video editing, just ask. It would be a pleasure to assist!
I asked you Stefan a couple of days ago for saying some words about you and your past. Now,I thank you for your sincerity and I wish you good luck.
Congrats on your one year of Nokia blogging Stephan. As for your career with/around Nokia, its bound to get even better as you are more entrenched in the climate and culture that is Nokia/Symbian. Keep working, and being a good example to all of us in terms of being an honest fan of mobile tech.
Great stuff you are providing here at intomobile to the folks! I’ve been following it for about a year now and really love it, but I also have to say that I agree with “no matter’s” comment; complete your studies first!
I’m currently working in a company just next door to Nokia premises in Hervanta (which is btw about 7 km from Tampere and you can take the busses 13, 20, 23, 30 and 39) and I can see people leaving our company for Nokia on monthly basis. I suppose you are aware that Nokia only hires the crème de la crème with lot of experiences and high university degrees and believe me: Finland is known as the county of engineers.
Good luck to you anyways! I’m sure you’ll be doing a kick-ass job!
Congrats on your current achievements and I wish you good luck on your future ones.
However, I agree with above that you need to go back to college! If you really want to compare yourself with some successful dropouts, you should at least compare yourself with Larry Page and Sergey Brin because there are “more recents” dropouts…and they at least finished college
congrats! looking forward to even more from the heart stuff in the coming years!
Hey Stefan, awesome news. IMHO, you’re the right guy to be working on a project like this. Looking forward to seeing the results. That you’re getting paid doesn’t change the way I’ll view your posts.
thank you everyone for the kind words, it really means a lot!
<3
Steak!!!!!
Believe it or not you have been an inspiration to me as well. You have drive and determination on achieving your goals… and regardless of what “no matter” commented, sometimes those 2 attributes alone will get you to where you need to be!!!
I’m always glad to meet and chill with you at events. Thank you for your kind words and congrats on your short term job!!
Lol see ya in a few days!!!!
Congrats on your milestone dude.
Makes me think about going back and finding my first blog post…
I’m going for a drink tonight with my ex-colleagues from Mippin/Mobizines/Eyemags…
I’ll make sure we raise a beer to you.
i work at nokia, and have heard about you and read your stuff. listen to the others that say finish school, its one thing to write about nokia but another one to know it. your posts are ok but you basically recycle alot and w\ out a degree that is all you are going to do. nokia much like google only hires the best out there. best of luck
according to your IP you work at current technologies, but i understand your point either way.