CUNA Mutual Group Hiring On Managers, Analysts And Developers

Company Name: CUNA Mutual Group Company Focus: The CUNA Mutual Group is a provider of financial services to credit unions and their members worldwide, offering lending, protection, financial, employee and member solutions through strategic partnerships, technological innovations and multiple service channels. The mutual insurers of the CUNA Mutual Group are owned by their policyholders and operate to serve their best interests. Headquarters: Madison, Wisconsin Office Locations: Corporate headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin; other major offices in Waverly, Iowa and Fort Worth, Texas. CUMIS of Canada, CUNA Mutual Group's majority-owned Canadian affiliate, is located in Burlington, Ontario. Web Site: www.cunamutual.com Founded: 1935 Number Of IT Employees: 550 Hiring Leaders: Mary Bates, IT Director, Human Performance; Jennifer Ilk, IT Manager, Strategic Sourcing; Tammy Lubick, IT Manager, IT PMO. Are you looking to hire on more IT staff this year? Yes, we are looking to hire 20 to 30 candidates across IT in the following areas:

• Technical Project Managers
• IT Managers
• Technical Solution Architects/Integrators
• Business System Analysts
• .Net and SQL developers

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Given all the news about the talent crunch, have you or are you finding it more difficult to find qualified IT professionals? Yes, our biggest gap is in this area: Experienced IT managers with background in application development, people leadership and architecture integration skills. What are your primary recruiting strategies? Do you work with recruiters, post jobs online, etc.

• First item
• Second item
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We work with a sourcing firm to search for candidates regionally before looking nationwide. Post jobs online with 3-4 key sites. Local newspaper ads occasionally. Leverage our college internship program to draw talent from regional universities. What is the hiring process? For management candidates:

• Resume screen by HR.
• Initial phone screen by HR to determine potential fit with our IT culture.
• Behavioral based phone interview with team of 2 IT leaders to determine fit and possible placement.
• Recommendation to proceed with on-site interview forwarded to potential hiring manager.
• On-site interviews with two teams of IT managers including direct hiring manager and member of senior IT leadership team.
• Debrief session facilitated by HR to determine next steps with candidate.

For staff level candidates:

• Resume screen.
• Initial phone screen to determine potential fit with our IT culture.
• Behavioral based interviews with 2 teams of IT leaders.
• Debrief session facilitated by HR to determine next steps with candidate.

What should candidates know before they interview at your company? We expect all candidates to understand CUNA Mutual's business. What makes for an outstanding potential hire? For managers:

• Adaptable
• Results focused
• Large organization experience
• Potential to progress to higher levels of leadership within the organization

What are red flags you look for when reviewing resumes, doing interviews?

• Gaps in employment
• More than two position specific eliminations from prior employers
• No career progression
• Lack of both breadth and depth of experiences

What kind of non-IT skills do your IT team members need, if any?

• Project management
• Business relationship management and acumen
• Communication skills
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities
• Change leadership
• Innovation and creativity

How important is the cover letter in job queries ? This is a lower priority and doesn't weigh in to our decision to move the candidate through the process. Is the IT organization looking for certified skills, is that a must have or is there any other qualification that is a must have? These are a factor to consider but aren't required. Does the organization hire 'newbies' and invest in training and how well does that work, and if not, why not? Yes, we have a Leadership Development Program and a new IT developer program where we provide training and mentoring to get candidates up to speed. What characteristics or personality traits do you want in a hire, and don't want?

• Demonstrated ability to work with business and technical team members
• Adaptability
• Innovative thinking
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Customer service skills

What does your company offer IT specialists as an employer? CUNA Mutual's benefits philosophy is that a sound benefits program is of vital importance, along with working conditions and career opportunities. Employees make their own decisions as to what benefits would fit their personal needs. Depending on the choice that is made, there is some cost sharing for benefits with the company. Other recent articles from TechCareers Modulant Hiring On Java, .Net Developers And Data Management Experts Career Profile: VP CIO/Northrop Grumman Corp.

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