Looking Back at Sprint: The Job That Raised Me

Every now and then, I get hit with a wave of nostalgia so strong it practically knocks me off my chair. Today’s wave? Sprint. Yes… that Sprint. The one with the pin‑drop commercials, the long‑distance plans, and the customer service reps who could troubleshoot a customer issue while eating a breakfast burrito from the daily "roach coach" food truck.

My time at Sprint was one of the most defining chapters of my life. I didn’t just work there — I grew up there.

I was 26 years old when I was hired full‑time in July of 1987 in Atlanta. Before that, I’d spent a year as a temp in telemarketing, which I absolutely hated with the fire of a thousand suns. But full‑time? That felt different. That felt like a door opening.

I started in the correspondence department, typing up customer updates and replying to questions and concerns. A few months later, they moved me to the phones — live calls, real people, real problems. It was trial by fire, but I learned fast.

And this was a wild time to join the company. When I walked in the door in 1986, we were still US Telecom. Then came the merger with GTE Sprint. Within my first year, we became US Sprint. New name, new logo, same Ray trying to figure out how to work the phone system.

I spent two years in customer service before transferring from Atlanta to Sacramento in October of 1988. Originally, I was supposed to go to Burlingame, but that center gradually shutting down, and Sacramento said, “Hey, we’ll take him.” So off I went — 27 years old, cross‑country move, new city, new life.

My job was to help set up a brand‑new shift: Saturday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. I was the team lead for a group of freshly graduated customer service reps who were still trying to remember their login passwords. It was chaotic, hilarious, and one of the best experiences of my early career.

Eight months after moving to Sacramento, I was named a winner in the annual Achiever’s Club. They flew us to Scottsdale, Arizona for a week of celebration. I learned to drink tequila poppers from one of our managers (a skill I have rarely used since, for the safety of everyone involved). I even ran into folks from Atlanta — a little reunion in the desert.

The next month, I was promoted to QA analyst. I spent two years there before moving into Billing Services in 1991. And that… that was home. I spent the next 14 years in that organization, and I loved it. I made lifelong friends. I learned how to lead, how to collaborate, how to survive office politics, and how to laugh through the chaos.

Then I made the mistake of leaving for MCI for a couple of months. Let me tell you: worst experience of my entire career. When that company went out of business, I nearly threw a kegger. I’m not proud… but I’m also not sorry.

In October of 2004, Sprint told me my job was being eliminated. I had three months to train my replacement in Kansas City. I even offered to move, but they said no. So I trained a young guy fresh out of college. He lasted less than six months after I left before he quit. January 31st, 2005 was my last day...21 years ago from the date of this post.

It was sad — but also, the company had changed so much in those last few years that I was ready to go. And the severance package? Generous. I took almost a year off. I went to Disneyland ten times for their 50th anniversary celebration. Took a cruise to Mexico. Visited my family in North Carolina. And in November of that year… I met my husband. Not a bad trade‑off.

The old adage “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” is painfully true. I honestly grew up at Sprint. I learned about life, friendship, responsibility, and the “real world” there. I still have relationships with those people — group texts, reunion lunches, birthday dinners, memorial services for those we’ve lost. No other job has ever come close to being as meaningful or as magical.

I miss it terribly.

And if you’re wondering, “But Ray… what about your time in Christian music?”

Ah, my friend. That’s a story for another day.