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ON CAMPUS INTERVIEWS-FRIDAY,
for Systems Engineers
Systems Service Representatives
Marketing Representatives
Sales Engineers
SYSTEMS ENGINEER
If you are of above-average intelligent
and have an analytical mind . . .
consider IBM Data Processing Systems
Engineering. As modern as the missile
age, as up-to-ciate as tomorrow, IBM
Systems Engineering is a new kind of
business career with an unlimited future.
What dot an IBM
Systems Engineer do?
A Systems Engineer's activities can best
bt described as surveying, analyzing and
defining the data processing problems of
IBM's customers, and integrating ma
chines, people and procedures into work
ing systems that solve these problems.
What qualifications do you need?
You must . possess an analytical mind
capable of performing disciplined think
ing at a high level In this regard,
- courses in engineering, the physical
sciences, mathematics and philosophy
re c valuable background. In addition,
knowledge of business administration
and econoimcs are strong factors in the
development of competent IBM Systems
Engineers. But above all, IBM needs
keen minds who, while diligent with de
tails, are capable of the abstract think
ing required to produce definitive solu
tions to complex problems.
How you trained?
Tour college specialization is the foun
dation on which IBM will build your
knowldege of the company's data pro
cessing products and'applications. IBM's
Systems Engineering training program
is a combination of formal classes and
practical field experience. You will re
ceive an excellent salary while learning,
and will undergo approximately
eighteen months of formal and on-the-job
training in programming and use of
IMS equipment.
What kind of people does
Systems Engineering attract?
To answer this question, and st the
same time to further acquaint you with
Systems Engineering, let's trace the ca
reers of two talented young IBMers who
art engaged in this stimulating new pro
fession. Meet Bob Folk of Lincoln, Nebraska. A
graduate of the University of Nebraska,
Bob wes awarded a B.S. in Business Ad
ministration and Joined the IBM organi
zation in 1936.
Bob's first few weeks with the company
were spent at the IBM Education Center
- in Minneapolis where he learned the
basic operating principles of IBM equip
ment After completing Introductory
training, be was assigned to the Lincoln
.tles office where he worked with other
Systems Engineers in a variety of situa
tions. Further study in methods of using
IBM equipment to handle accounting
Bad record-keeping problems and ad-
vasced courses in the IBM 1400 series
computing systems concluded Bob's pre
feretory training.
After serving two years ia the Armed
Form, bis first field assignment was
working on a total systems study for a
national mail order firm. Upon comple
tion of this first field assignment, Bob ,
was called upon to coordinate the instal
lation of two I&ftl 1401 Systems tor a
nationally known firm which was con
verting from punched cards to the more
powerful 1401.
' Upon completion of this assignment, Bob
was selected to assist another Lincoln
Uni customer in installing c 1401 and
11.3 system.
.b credits bis strong background ia
t;
usisess ana economics wun oetng in
vs'ssstbie, to him in the pursuit of Ma
ffjstems Engineering career. Working
liiinarlZy with business firms, ha oca
mm
found a thorough knowledge of business
principles essential to the development
of practicable system concepts.
, Now let's meet Bob Melone of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. Bob, recently of Omaha,
is now IBM Systems Engineering Man
ager in Cedar Rapids. A graduate of the
University of Nebraska, Bob also holds
, a B.S. in Business Administration.
Bob joined IBM in 1956 and has just
completed the curriculum of specialized
training offered by the IBM Systems Re
search Institute in New York City.
After receiving instruction in the basic
principles of IBM equipment, Bob began
his career in Omaha where he acquired
considerable practical experience work
ing with Senior Systems Engineers on
the solution of customer's data process
ing methods and equipment
Upon completion of these advanced
courses, he helped install the second
IBM 705 in Nebraska at a large railroad
account. This important IBM user will
also be the first to install the more pow
erful IBM 708 data processing system
incorporating solid state circuits. x
Bob has found his background to be
extremely helpful in Systems Engineer
ing work. At the Omaha office, for ex
ample, he has also been responsible for
assisting customers engaged in scientific
work to develop the full potential of the
IBM data processing systems. In addi
tion to working on the 705 and 7080 in
stallations, Bob also has conducted sci
entific seminars and programming and
machine operations classes for IBM's
customers.
Bobs outstanding work singled him out
for admission to the IBM Systems Re
search Institute, the company's new
graduate level educational facility which
has been created for the advanced study
of the application of data processing
systms to the solution of business and
scientific problems.
What Lies Ahead
For Our Two Bobs?
The Systems Engineer's potential for ad
vancement within the IBM company is
almost limitless. Qualified systems per
sonnel can advance into such specialized
positions as Advisory Systems Engineer
or Senior Systems Engineer. In addition
to those professional specialties, other
Systems Engineers can move into ad
ministrative and managerial capacities
at headquarters or in the branch office
and regional offices. Additionally, many
opportunities exist in other IBM di
visions for men with a Systems Engi
neering background. The importance of
the systems area of IBM's business is
undesreored by the ever-increasing de
mand for qualified systems people. The
new IBM Systems Research Institute
further attests to this need. The data
processing industry is one of the fastest
growing fields in the U.S. today and ha
yet to approach its full potential. Ameri
can industry is relying more and more
on data processing equipment to handle
its paperwork load. IBM itself is con
stantly growing. These growth factor
alone add up to reel opportunities for
advancement.
Systems Service
Representative
A Stimulating and Exciting Job !
Three years ago, Sonia Stovers gradu
ated from the University of Nebraska.
Today, as an IBM Systems Service Rep
resentative, she helps business manage
irtent apply IBM equipment to their ae
counting and record keeping functions.
"When a company needs assistance on a
new installation of equipment or wants
help in improving one, I work closely
with the sales representative to accomp
lih whatever is required.
"As pert, of my Job, I meet everybody
from bankers to engineers from com
pany presidents to switchboard oper
ators. I find myself working ia every
; .
; The Daily Nebraskan
FEB. 16
kind of business advertising agencies,
insurance companies, trucking firms-',
nearly anything you can name. The va
riety of my assignments makes tnis a
very stimulating and exciting job."
Training Program
Whet background did .Sonia Sievers
have for system service work? "Before
I joined the company, I had no technical
training', she recalls. "I came to IBM di
rectly from college where I received a
B.S. degree, with the usual exposure to
the physical sciences. All the technical
knowledge required was secured through
the company's comprehensive training
program."
The training begins in one of seventeen
Education Centers located in the larger
cities of the country. The first eight
weeks are devoted to the operating prin
ciples, capacities and functions of such
equipment as calculators and accounting
machines. The second phase of training
consists of approximately four months
of actual assignments in customer's of
fices under the guidance of more experi
enced systems people. The remainder of
the training program is spent learning
about more advanced equipment, along
with additional practical experience in
customer's offices.
A Wida Variary of Assignments
"I've been st Systems Service Represen
tative for nearly two years now," Sonia
says, "and I still find the work as inter
esting and challenging as when I first
started. This is one of the wonderful
things about my job."
How does she go about performing an
assignment? "First of all," she explains,
"I study the company's operations end
system objectives. How can the company
achieve the degree of efficiency it is
seeking -by extending the application of
its present equipment or by installing
newer, more advanced equipment?"
After determining the 'how', she assists
the salesman in drafting a proposal, then
she follows through and shows the cus
tomer how to make more effective use
of his new system. This may involve r
many things setting up new methods to
handle the flow of paperwork, changing
procedures for more efficient machine
processing, or teaching machine opera
tions to customer personnel.
Important In IBM Solas Service
System Service Representatives iare im
portant members of the IBM sales group.
Their assignment is to apply IBM's vast
resources of systems knowledge to the
operations of business, industry, science,
and government. Their goal is to keep
the customer advised of the most profit
able use of IBM methods and equipment.
Systems Service Representatives work
with all types of IBM equipment rang
ing from simple punched card system
to large scale electronic data processing
systems. A leader in the electronic com
puter field, IBM supports its customer
service group with the latest, most up-to-date
products created in IBM's world
wide network of research and develop
ment facilities.
Excellent training programs are continu
ously in operation to Sack up these pro
ducts with the methods and systems
know-how to insure their most effective
se.
A Career With Greet Potential
Ionia's future presents varied and inter
esting opportunities. She could become
an instructor at an IBM Education
Center or even a Manager of an Educa
tion Center. Many System Service Rep
resentatives hold responsible positions .
in the company's headquarters in vari- ,
ous aruas such as Personnel, Advertis
mg. Market Research and Analysis,
Product Planning, end Methods and Pro
cedures. "The electronics computer field -is
one of the fastest-expanding area in
America today," she says, "and there's
Sign-up now on interview schedule on second floor Social
Sciences building or call
E. J. McCUBREY JR., Branch Manager
IBM, 601 South 12th Srreet,Lincoln
HE 5-3266
no telling how far a person can go In
it. I can't visualize a career that holds
more potential for the college graduate."
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE
& SALES ENGINEER
"Selling More Efficient Data
Processing Methods"
- When you ask IBM Marketing Repre
sentative, Joe Smith, what he sells, he
tells you: "More efficient data process
ing methods. Whether I'm talking to a
small manufacturer about a simple
punched card system or to a huge insur
ance company about a large-scale elec
tronic data processing system," he ex
plains, "I'm still talking about the same
thing: Better ways of managing a busi
ness. My goal is to give management
timely information with which to oper
ate its business.
- "This is tremendously interesting and
'challenging work. You find yourself
dealing with top management of both
large and small organizations. Your
assignments take you deep into the
operational control of business, indus
try, government, and science. You
become vitally concerned with every
thing from payrolls, inventory control,
and operating statements to advanced
engineering projects. Whenever I tackle
a job, I have the confidence that we can
provide the proper methods and equip
ment to complete the assignment suc
cessfully. This is why I find my work
so satisfying."
IBM Will Train You
"I knew nothing at all about data pro
cessing electronic or otherwise before
joining IBM," Jo recalls, I came to
IBM directly from the Army after grad
uating from the University of Nebraska
with a business degree. While there are
, no hard and fast college course pre-requisites
for' IBM sales, if you were to
prescribe the most useful background it
would probably be a broad liberal arts
background with exposure to math or
the physical sciences.
"Of course, the job does require consid
erable technical knowledge. But IBM
has a first-rate program that will give
you all the technical information you
need. This training continues through
out your IBM career."
In IBM's marketing training program,
Joe combined formal class work with
tours of duty in the field. After a sound
orientation in equipment and its appli
cations, he began an extended period
- of practical, one-the-job training as a
contributing member of an IBM mar
keting team. Under the supervision of
experienced marketing representatives,
he worked on a variety of problems in
volving several different customers. As
an assistant to senior men, he helped
write methods and equipment proposals,
programmed new dcta processing sys
tems, and taught procedures to cus
tomer classes. The final step in his
comprehensive and interesting training
program was attendance at IBM's well
knpwn marketing school.
Operation: Sales
Exactly how does the Marketing Repre
sentative go about making a sale? The
first thing to do," Joe Smith says, "ie
to analyze the problem of the customer
or prospect involved. You find out what
he wants. What are his present operat
ing procedures? In what respect 'art
they inadequate or too costly in terms
of time or money? How can be achieve
top operating efficiency by extending
the application of his present data pro
cessing system or by installing newer,
more advanced IBM methods and equip
ment? In short, you make stJdy ia .
depth, cost the study and determine
the advantages to the customer.
"Of course, you get plenty of support
from IBM. A task force of specialists
scientists, engineers, instructors, and
technicians is available to lend a help
ing hand when you need it
Monday, February 12, 1962
"When you've analyzed the problem
and determined what's needed, you'll
find as I have that IBM has the
equipment and methods that are applic
able. Somewhere in the vast range of
products and methods know-how will
be a solution to your customer's or pros
pect's problem.
"In IBM sales, however, your responsi
bilities don't end with the order," he
points out. "It's up to you to assist the
customer in making the installation. In
this way, you become an important and
valued advisor to his organization:
helping hhn to apply his equipment to
further advantage and keeping .him
informed about new product develop
ments and methods."
Personal Qualifications
"You don't bave to be a scientist or an
engineer to be successful in IBM sales,"
Joe Smith says. "Anyone who is inter
ested and has the capacity to absorb
instruction can soon understand the
operations of the most advanced and
powerful electronic data processing
equipment that IBM produces."
What personal qualities should an IBM
marketing representative have? "You
need an inquiring mind, the ability to
think objectively and to act with good
judgment. You have to be a self-starter,
operate on your own, show initiative.
Not only must you be able to operate
alone and independently, but you must
also be able to operate effectively as a
member of a team more often than not
as the controlling member of that team
a spot which calls for leadership and,
at the same time, the capacity to recog
nize, accept, and adopt the good ideas
of others.
"One of the most stimulating aspects of
this work is the fact that I constantly
find myself in new and interesting
situations- involving a variety of work
ing relationships with, many different
management people whose responsibili
ties run the gamut from operations to
top-staff policy making. No other job I
can think of offers the recent college
graduate such an opportunity to become
acquainted with all phases of commer
cial, business, industrial, and govern
mental activity. This kind of experience
Is excellent preparation for the manv
management positions available in this
fa art-growing company."
Advantages of IBM
Joe Smith reports that IBM's reputa
tion for leadership and service in data
processing methods and equipment
makes his selling job easier than he had
anticipated. "It's an advantage that you
don't fully appreciate until you are out
in the field. '
What other IBM advantages can he
point to? "In, planning a business ca
reer", Joe Smith says, "I looked for
three major satisfactions: an interesting
Job, one with promotional opportunity,
one that offers financial reward.
"Advancement opportunities in IBM,"
Joe Smith says, ''are excellent Ahead
of me on the marketing management
advancement road are over 200 branch
or assistant managerships, special repre
sentative to an Industry, and numerous
district, regional, and headquarters
poettiona ia five different IBM divi
sions." An Unlimited Future
I spite' of its phenomenal growth,
the electronic computer systems field is
Ml ia its infancy " says Joe Smith,
"We are going to witness a host of new
applications and uses of electronic com
puting and 'memory devices. That's
why I feel that I am in on the ground
S" 5-r.utVar ' 1BM? Unlimited!
Many of IBM's top executives started
My next step will be to more
Important responsibility to the sales
eventration. I feel that opportunities
tor the future era excellent and up to
me.
"TT- '.'v-; -7
