Comcast Hiring Trends - Interview with Cherie Cremer, Vice President of Planning and Operations

We think of Comcast Corp. as a media and entertainment company but if you stop for a minute and really think about what goes into getting you the content you want, when and how you want it, you’ll see that it’s a technology company as well. And it’s evolving, using emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning as it grows its consumer and business offerings. If the idea of working in the future of news and entertainment delivery sounds exciting to you, here’s the inside scoop on what it takes to land a job there from Cherie Cremer, Vice President, Planning and Operations at Comcast Cable.

How is Comcast evolving as a telecommunications company? 

Comcast is a media and technology company, but on the technology side, what we really are is a software company. If you look at our flagship products like X1, our class-defining premium video experience, and xFi, our home WiFi management technology, these are software products, developed by technologists leveraging Agile and DevOps development models, and drawing heavily from open-source technology.

As you build for the future, how are you incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Voice technology into your services?

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are essential components of virtually all of the products and services we’re building today. We have an applied AI team that is on the leading edge of new technology, and products like our X1 Voice Remote – along with the homegrown Natural Language Processing platform that powers it – are prime examples of how AI delivers real value to customers. Today we process about 2 billion voice commands every quarter. One of the other great things about building out AI and machine learning capabilities is that that the science and skillsets we develop for one product – such as the voice remote – are highly applicable across other domains. Today we are also leveraging AI to make our network more reliable, to make our home security cameras smarter, and to resolve customer concerns faster.

How has that changed your hiring - what types of engineering roles do you hire for now? 

If you can name a mainstream technology job, it’s a virtual certainty that we have hired for it, and a really good bet that we are actively hiring that role now. We are continuously searching for the very best talent, including software developers, AI and data scientists, cloud and network engineers, UX designers, data architects, cybersecurity experts and a host of other roles. And those “other roles” are critical. If you overlook the vital importance of having great people in key support functions, you miss a critical element of how successful technology teams are built. In all of those roles, our objective is to find people who are great culture fits, and who are entrepreneurial and flexible.

Between mobile, Internet and advances in voice technology, how much of your hiring is devoted to emerging technologies? 

It’s an interesting question, because in many ways, all of the technologies we’re developing are defined as “emerging”, which is to say that in today’s technology environment even the most mature products are changing so fast, that they barely resemble what they were five years ago. So, to stay highly responsive to that constant change, we focus on hiring folks that fit our dynamic culture and mesh well with our agile, dynamic teams. Of course, they have to have the right skill sets, but getting the right type of people is critical.  When you find a top-rate technologist who can work in an agile environment, and who has experience with open-source tools and cloud-native development, you want to hire that person as soon as you can, because we know we will have work for them to do.

What specific skills do candidates need to have/know in order to work for you? 

Specific skill demands differ from one position to another, based on what we’re hiring for, but I go back to a general need for candidates to be well rounded, and suited to working in a fast-paced environment where their job description or product focus may change. We expect it to change. We are actively looking for great problem solvers who know how to fail gracefully and improve from mistakes. As managers, I think one of the best things we can do is celebrate failure and create an environment where it’s ok for people to take risks and try things that might not work.

What do candidates need to know/understand to be successful on your team?

In a word: flexibility. This is a fast-paced environment and our jobs are evolving. I’ve been fortunate to hire people with tremendously strong professional toolkits, who are savvy enough to know what tool to use for the job at any given time. On any given day, everyone on my team may have to drop what they are doing and pivot to something new. When I meet people who are excited by that prospect, rather than daunted by it, I know I’m on the right track.

How do you find or attract potential candidates?

Our current talent attracts new candidates to us.  Smart, entrepreneurial people want to work with folks who share their passion and drive. The opportunity for prospects to meet and interact with the people we have here, makes the job easy.  Candidates want to work with wicked smart people. A software developer at Comcast can take a piece of code that lives on their desktop today and deliver it as a life-improving experience to 20 million people tomorrow. That’s really exciting.

What’s your interview process like?

No two interviews are the same as no two people are the same. For interviews with developers and other highly technical roles, we have a number of ways to dive deep on technical expertise and assess skills into action. I want to get candidates immersed in our technology right from the start. I host interviews in our experience labs, where candidates interact with the technology and products they are going to be using. In all cases, we are interested in two things: the first being culture, and fit, as I’ve said before, and the second being how candidates think and approach problems. I’m less concerned with the solution but rather how they got there, and how they applied their skillsets to the unique challenges of our technology.

Any advice for candidates looking to get into the field?

Jump in with both feet. Read as much as you can. Immerse yourself, Attend events. Go to meetups. Get involved with open-source communities. In cities across the country there are so many free opportunities to participate in technology and networking communities.  Find a mentor, or two, or three. Mentorship doesn’t need to be a formal relationship but can just mean having coffee with people who have walked the path you want to tread. Getting engaged with the community and your peers not only helps you build your skills, but they also start to provide you with the network that can really help match your interests and skillset to the right position.