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Cox Communications seeks
techies who are ready to go
Whether they come from the military, corporate life
or college, the important thing for them is
“understanding how to apply the technology”
 Cox Communications welcomes telecom engineers and other technical people ready to hit the ground running. Cox is finding them through partnerships with the military as well as scouring other industries for talent.
“There are times when it’s a benefit to bring in someone from outside the industry,” says Monica Johnson, manager of corporate and executive recruiting. “The new person may bring a different perspective: the ability to look at a challenge with a twist.” After all, she believes, “It’s not so much knowing the industry as understanding how to apply the technology.”
The company’s Arizona field location, for example, is developing a relationship with enlisted personnel and reservists. “There’s great talent in the military and we are working hard to get to know those people,” Johnson explains.
Techies who join Cox may be started in a field office or at corporate HQ. The company has a strong presence in California, Arizona, Virginia and the Southeast in general, the Las Vegas, NV area, and in Midwest cities like Omaha, NE, Oklahoma City, OK and Wichita, KS.
Technical employees support Cox telecom, video, voice and data products and services for internal customers as well as end users. About a third of the openings at Cox are filled internally, sign of good opportunities for advancement. Employees can also transfer between HQ and field locations.
Cox offers its employees technical training courses in many areas. All employees participate in regular “ethics training and the building blocks for understanding diversity and why it matters,” Johnson says.
A broad formal mentoring program helps Cox folks throughout their careers. Some departments and locations have their own mentoring programs as well: a program at Atlanta HQ, for example, focuses on work/life balance.
“The idea is to help specific employees with additional guidance, or partnering with a senior employee as appropriate,” says Johnson.
 Cox welcomes new grads, with career-building help to keep them growing. Students at HBCUs in the Atlanta area can participate in the company’s co-op and internship programs there.
The company partners with SWE, SHPE, BDPA, the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, the National Black MBAs, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the Urban League and others to identify talented candidates. This past summer Cox and the Urban League sponsored a leadership day for 136 college students in the Atlanta area.
“Our effort may be different with different organizations, but our intent is always to develop a partnership rather than attend an event,” Johnson explains. “It’s important to us to connect and be represented in our communities by relevant organizations.”
Employees are encouraged to participate in worthwhile local activities. “Every location feels its own special commitment,” Johnson says. In Atlanta, and at field locations around the country, Cox sponsors “cable in the classroom” by sending out techies to support schools’ technology needs on site.
Diversity councils helped Cox develop policies like flexible work schedules and working from home. Plus, the company now offers enhanced domestic partner benefits.
“We modified the domestic partner benefits as part of our commitment to diversity and all that that means,” Johnson says. “It was a big deal and, I think, an important step.”
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