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NETCOM began in 1988 when Robert Rieger tapped into a collegiate demand for an off-campus alternative for network access to university computer facilities. While he was continuing his education with night classes, the Lockheed information services engineer charged his classmates a nominal fee in exchange for the service. The subsequent earnings bought Rieger's fledgling company more equipment. In 1991 Rieger left Lockheed and focused on building a business, which he incorporated in 1992. The company sparked the interest of venture capitalists who financed NETCOM's expansion throughout California and other cities in the United States. By 1994, NETCOM and its mission to allow anyone with a computer and modem to pop in a disk and "surf the net" went public. Today, as a subsidiary of Earthlink, NETCOM supplies direct Internet access to more than 500,000 subscribers, and its NetCruiser web browser software is the company's most popular product, allowing its users to access the World Wide Web and e-mail. In 1994, NETCOM forged a path as a leading Internet service provider by implementing a $19.95 flat-rate pricing policy, which increased the company's popularity. In 1996, however, the company rescinded its flat-rate pricing and increased its rates. NETCOM claims that this decision was based on the feedback of more than 20,000 of its customers, who felt constricted by the limited, "one size fits all" approach. The company also expanded its services to the UK in 1996. In 1997, Robert Rieger turned the presidency of NETCOM over to David Garrison of Skytel, and its subscriber growth skyrocketed soon after. In early 1999 it was acquired by MindSpring (now Earthlink) and now functions as a subsidiary, allowing it access to MindSpring's vast resources. Today, NETCOM's mission is to focus on "bundled solutions" - packages that feature high-speed, high-security, connectivity, web-hosting and productivity tools.
NETCOM recruits MBA students for summer internships as marketing or strategic analysts in operations or finance. These positions are also likely entry points for MBAs. The interviewing process for MBAs consists of one round of interviews, and an offer is extended within three days of meeting with David Garrison, the CEO. The interviewing style is informal; Garrison gears the interviews toward testing for cultural fit, the candidate's ability to think clearly and act decisively, and the applicant's desire to quickly grasp the technology and willingness to work independently. Job openings in other departments of NETCOM are listed on the company's web site, www.netcom.com, as well as the contact name for each department.
There is "minimal training" for new hires at NETCOM, and training programs are "practically nonexistent," due to the fact that NETCOM is a small, "rapidly-growing firm." Entry-level employees are reviewed "on a weekly basis, with David (Garrison) with informal feedback from other senior managers." There is "complete exposure" to "all levels of management within the organization" and employees are given "highly specialized projects with an enormous amount of responsibility," which accounts for the "extraordinarily entrepreneurial culture" at NETCOM. The pay is "cushy" even summer MBA interns earn "about $1400 a week." The employees who responded said that, given the chance, they would "not hesitate a minute to choose NETCOM." The strongest aspects of the company, according to its MBAs, are "an aggressive management team and forward-looking management approach." To succeed at NETCOM, one must be "willing to work independently, have a high tolerance for ambiguity, and be a team player."
Human Resources
Internet access for home and business users
America Online;AT&T;CompuServe;EarthLink;GTE;IBM;MindSpring;Netscape; Prodigy;WorldCom More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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