IT Employees Find Unique Paths to Becoming Blue Cross Employees
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| 2 min read
For many career seekers, the path to employment seems straightforward – apply for a job, perform well at an interview, secure the position. But for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network employees, becoming a part of the quickly expanding Information Technology team comes in many forms. Blue Cross has a diverse approach to hiring and IT team members find their place in a variety of ways, coming from a range of professional backgrounds, as well as traveling from countries across the world. From Contractor to Full-Time For Courtney Bishop, who now works as a business analyst in the IT department, finding a spot with Blue Cross took an untraditional route. Working as a contract employee prior to joining Blue Cross full-time, Bishop always had the hope of securing a permanent position with the IT team. “The conversion process was really exciting. When they approached me for the opportunity to become an employee, I was ready to go and excited to accept that opportunity,” Bishop said. “I’ve always wanted that blue badge, it just means a lot to become an employee. It offers a lot of opportunities and professional development. I was really excited.” Bishop’s unique pathway to employment is an example of the number of ways Blue Cross IT employees find their role on the innovative team. Intern to Lifer Before Blue Cross’ internship program spanned 60 different departments, IT Manager Steve Johns “interned” for a couple of summers while earning his degree at Michigan State University. After graduation, Johns returned to Blue Cross with a career plan that has taken a turn he did not expect. “I originally thought I’d be a five-year-and-out guy, but as you get to know the people, you get to learn that there are a lot of people who are called 'lifers' here. That’s probably what I will be,” Johns said. With interns now playing an active role in many of Blue Cross’ departments, the IT team takes on more than 50 total interns throughout the year to hone their skills. Some even find full-time opportunities after the program is completed. Interested in bringing your unique skillset to Blue Cross’ IT department? Available positions can be found at the MI Blue Talent career portal. Photo credit: Calsidyrose
