Former Googler changing the way the government recruits talent

After spending a lot of his time keeping Google’s servers running smoothly, Mikey Dickerson is officially a government employee. After resolving launch issues with HealthCare.gov last year, the White House asked the former Googler to be its deputy chief information officer of the federal government and administrator of the United States Digital Services Team.

In addition to his lengthy new job title, Dickerson is adjusting to occasionally wearing a suit and tie — that is when his new boss, President Obama is around. Otherwise the laid-back and often casually dressed (check out that smartwatch!) engineer is changing the way the government recruits talent.

In a new video from the White House outlining Dickerson’s new role, the government’s new digital services lead says he’s been asked one question again and again.

People who “want to know if I’m wearing a suit to work every day,” Dickerson explains during the video. “Because that’s just the quickest shorthand way of asking: ‘Is this just the same old business as usual or are they actually going to listen?’”

Dickerson says that he encountered this question a lot when recruiting people to work on HealthCare.gov. The idea behind this video is to show the world and other potential prospects that government is getting with the times and doing away with outdate traditions. The addition of Dickerson probably won’t result in the White House having a casual Googleplex-like feel, however it might be a decision that attracts a new generation of talent.

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l-7vmArLJY&w=854&h=510]