Periodically, we like to shine a spotlight on our indispensable Corporate Partners to learn more about what makes them tick as organizations. We recently caught up with Tanya Jones, director of corporate recruiting for HomeAdvisor, who told us how the company helps homeowners, why it chose to partner with Daniels and how exposure to industry gives students an edge when entering the workplace.
Q: What is HomeAdvisor’s vision and mission?
A: HomeAdvisor recently merged with Angie’s List to create the largest digital marketplace of skilled service professionals, connecting millions of homeowners with home services on demand. At HomeAdvisor, we strive to provide the ultimate experience in convenience, quality and expediency, so whether homeowners need us in a pinch for unexpected repairs, or they need to find the most talented professionals for home renovation, we deliver.
Q: Why did you decide to become a Corporate Partner with Daniels and what value do you find in this collaboration?
A: When Daniels first approached HomeAdvisor about the opportunity to partner, we had already been exploring several avenues to get in front of university students and build our employer brand. The Corporate Partnership with Daniels presented us with the opportunity to do just that, and we’ve had the additional opportunity to work with professors to help shape their curricula. Ultimately, we’ve been able to coach students through interviewing, interact with them at career fairs and hiring events, bring them to our campus for projects and presentations, and hire them as interns. Having the ability to work closely with students, and having them recognize our brand and seek us out, is the ultimate value we’ve seen from this collaboration.
Q: You’re among Daniels’ most engaged Corporate Partners. How do students benefit from your engagement with the College?
A: When students have more exposure to outside industry partners, I think they are better able to interact with businesses when interviewing. They’re better able to apply their schoolwork to the business world and showcase their accomplishments concisely. If they are interviewing with HomeAdvisor specifically, they will already have insight into what our business does, how our processes work and what we think is important – giving them the leg-up in conversations over their peers from other schools. Additionally, students who have more exposure to industry partners seem to be more successful in the workplace because they have had past professional interactions and understand how to conduct themselves in business.
Q: What are a few of the most exciting Daniels events or opportunities for engagement in which you’ve participated and why?
A: Our favorite events are always student-centered. We’ve had the opportunity for two groups of students to work on fairly large analytical projects in conjunction with our Finance and Sales teams. We hosted them on our campus in Golden as they presented their findings, and it was awesome to be able to engage with the students on real business problems away from the DU campus.
Q: You’re in the middle of a large merger and will be relocating your headquarters to Denver. Why is this an exciting time for Daniels students to look for careers at HomeAdvisor?
A: HomeAdvisor has grown exponentially in the last five years and we are not done yet. Positions are opening every day that did not exist in the business three years ago. This means that even at a company of our size, there is room here to direct your career path. This is a brand and organization you can grow with and be proud to work for.