Verizon, Google duke it out for employees

The wireless industry has been in the midst of a transition over the years, and the pace of change is only hastening as a voice-centric market gives way to one that is driven by data services. Each quarter data claims a larger chunk of wireless operators' revenues compared to the quarter past. Voice isn't going away, but the telecom employee who only understands voice might be.

With the new data-driven world, wireless service providers are seeking employees who have expertise in online-based services and IP networks, not legacy circuit-switched bases. Carriers are looking for individuals who understand this transition not just in their engineering department but also in marketing, sales and everything in between, according to Chetan Sharma, president of Chetan Sharma Consulting. More often than not, this mindset is going to pit them directly against online experts like Google.

"Increasingly the competition will be coming from – and it is already coming from – Google," Sharma said. "Verizon is looking to expand its developer program and so is Google, so they will be going after the same kind of skill sets. From a developer's perspective, developers don't think of Verizon first when they are looking for a job. They'll think of Google first. That is the challenge for carriers to attract the talent they need."

Outside of developers, carriers are seeking employees skilled in launching applications across large networks, conducting congestion planning for data services and detecting any rogue elements that could affect the system, Sharma added. As the information technology world has merged with the telecom world, this skill set is uncommon in the traditional hardcore electrical communications engineers.  Instead, carriers have to find the right mix of Internet savvy and telecom know-how, he said.

According to Verizon's vice president of human resources Martha Delehanty, finding employees that possess this skill set hasn't been a problem for the telco. Six years ago, VZW had to source for people who maybe had an interest in data, but weren't expected to have personal or professional experience. Today, she said, data is embedded in both the personal and professional lives of all VZW employees.

In that respect, VZW is frequently going after the same work force that Google might be. Especially as VZW has opened up its network to other consumer electronic opportunities, as well as apps developers and gamers, its business has expanded from network-focused to apps and services. To translate its customers into a broader revenue stream, Delehanty said it is also focusing on key customer verticals, such as healthcare, manufacturing and utility.

"We are maintaining our focus on building the best network, and network is absolutely our king, but as we go to market ensuring we have the very most exciting, best products and services to ride on that network, that will help us continue to beat the competition," Delehanty said. "Product marketing, video music – that space is frankly something we didn't look at five to eight years ago, but we are absolutely looking at it today."