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Finding IT talent at ASU: A study in adapting search engine logic

Hal Varian of Google search engine fame pointed out as far back as 1999 that: 1) More information helps us make better decisions, 2) The economic value of information equals the value of the best decision we can make with the information minus the value of best decision we can make without the information, and 3) Information is valuable only when it is new. So what is one of the most critical decisions many ASU’s industry stakeholders make? It’s who to hire. But how do they search for and recruit the best ASU candidates who can hit the ground running? Improving that search process is something we’ve been working hard on.

2013-08-29

By Michael Goul, Chairman, Department of Information Systems Hal Varian of Google search engine fame pointed out as far back as 1999 that: 1) More information helps us make better decisions, 2) The economic value of information equals the value of the best decision we can make with the information minus the value of best decision we can make without the information, and 3)Information is valuable only when it is new. So what is one of the most critical decisions many ASU’s industry stakeholders make? It’s who to hire. But how do they search for and recruit the best ASU candidates who can hit the ground running? Improving that search process is something we’ve been working hard on. Several years ago, American Express, one of our regular recruiters, told us they wanted to hold an event where IT students from throughout the university could hear what they had going on and learn about their different internship and full-time hiring opportunities. The company sought a one-stop-shop information session for all students seeking careers in information technology-related fields: business analysts, computer scientists, data scientists, etc. Our student organization, DISC, hosted the event and helped make it a huge success — and we’ve been doing it ever since. Then, early this summer, Robin Hammond, director of the Engineering Career Center at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, wrote to a bunch of us from all throughout ASU. She posed the following: “How often do you hear these questions - ‘How can my company work with ASU to meet our IT needs? What’s the best way to work with ASU? Who should I be contacting for (fill in the blank) purpose?” These were the exact questions that drove American Express to ask for a consolidated information session. So naturally, we bought in to Robin’s ideas from Day 1. The first “Connecting to ASU IT Talent” event Robin initiated, on July 12, was presented in conjunction with the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department. In addition to Robin, the panel included Janice Kleinwort, director of Economic Affairs from ASU Skysong, Brandee Popaden-Smith, assistant director of ASU Career Services and Daniel Mazzola, clinical professor and director of our own Center for Advancing Business through IT. Rose Van Loben Sels from W. P. Carey Graduate Programs and Kevin Burns of the W. P. Carey Business Career Center spoke as well. Karen Stark, student services coordinator for the IS program, joined Mazzola for the events and provided attendees with information about our IS undergraduate and graduate programs, students and curriculum. Lauren Majure and Cher Stevens, industry relations coordinators from the Engineering Career Center, shared information about engineering. More of these events are being planned. “There was no shortage of positive feedback from the company and agency representatives at the two events hosted to date,” Stark said. “Not only was the message well received and long overdue according to the attendees, it was an outstanding opportunity for ASU staff to join together and deliver a unified message about how to connect to ASU, our staff and our students in a meaningful way for recruiting.” A second event was held on July 30, 2013. So what did we learn from search engine logic? Attendees have appreciated Dan Mazzola’s analysis of ASU’s programs as clusters of different educational preparation orientations across the campus. His model positions our W. P. Carey School IS Department as highly focused on commerce-related methodologies and technologies, middle of the road on the spectrum of application orientation and somewhat theoretical. The engineering focus, he contends, is highly focused on the theoretical, middle of the road on the applied spectrum and somewhat focused on commerce-related methodologies and technologies. The focus of the College of Technology and Innovation is highly applied and middle of the road on theoretical and commerce-related methodologies and technologies. While the clusters aren’t perfect, a recruiter can begin to ask the right questions to hone in on where to find the talent they need. Of course, people most certainly are not documents akin to Google, but Robin Hammond’s vision of a new way to connect with IT talent at ASU is certainly in keeping with ASU’s number 5 ranking by the Wall Street Journal as a great place to recruit. Further, these events help recruiters ensure they do not miss out on opportunities to match their needs with the talent ASU has to offer — from all across the campus. In line with what Varian pointed out long ago, the IT talent events provide more information, and that information helps recruiters make better decisions. Further, the economic value of information provided during the events can help improve the fit in hiring as well as decreasing a recruiter’s search costs. The information provided in the event about program updates, new processes for connecting with candidates, etc. ensures recruiters are ready to take the right next steps. By all these measures, this study in an adaptation of search engine logic is a win-win-win for recruiters, students and ASU. Companies interested in learning more about the Department of Information Systems and recruiting may contact Dan Mazzola.

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