A casino CIO offers a few tough hiring tips

Sheleen Quish, the CIO of Ameristar Casinos, takes an organized, methodical and pragmatic approach to staffing her IT department. She tells CIO.com that she views every single hire as mission critical and looks for people who will give 100 percent and be team players.

Having a business background and lacking IT training, she said she turns to the experts on her staff when hiring for a highly technical position. But besides good skills, Quish said she wants individuals who will fit into the company culture, have good communication styles, good values and understand how IT fits into the overall business.

"I also want to understand their view of the entertainment and casino business," she said. "If someone is anti-gambling, they are not going to feel good about working here. So we probe. We ask questions."

As for the job seeker, she advises they provide clear, organized resumes, without technical jargon, that states an overall professional objective and what value they can bring to the organization. She also advises job applicants to look the interviewer in the eye, come professionally groomed, be prepared to tell their story in about five to ten minutes," and be ready to explain "what you are passionate about."

For more on the hiring process:
- see this CIO.com article