Tech Recruiting at Networking Events

Networking events are hugely important to the success of a corporate recruiting team. Here at 2U, I handle recruiting efforts for our Technology group in New York City. With so many different associations and events going on, it can be challenging to filter through the abundance of event offerings to uncover which ones prove worthwhile. How does one choose wisely?

Do your research.

In New York City and quite a few other metropolitan areas, user groups are widely popular. User groups are online communities of people with a shared interest in various localities. In NYC, the majority of user groups appear in the form of Meetups. Each event on Meetup.com displays useful information about the event such as how many people are going, a breakdown of the event, location, and sponsors. There’s no foolproof recipe to it all, but if the presentation content seems intriguing and the event is hosted by a credible company with over a hundred attendees who have RSVP’ed, it’s a very good sign that the event is worth attending. As a Recruiter, I choose my events based off the aforementioned reasons, but I also look at the current position openings on our team. For example, if there are several job openings that require strong Salesforce.com knowledge, I’ll search for a Meetup with a Salesforce focus.

Understanding niches within the industry for which you recruit makes you a better recruiter.

Each event provides a different experience, but in some way, shape, or form, there’s a value add to be gleaned from attending. Most groups within the tech space coordinate presentation-focused events with esoteric content that can prove challenging to comprehend. As Recruiters, it’s nearly impossible to entirely decipher the content of these presentations without having the context that someone in that profession would have, but there’s still a learning experience to be had. It’s best to take as many notes as possible and write down questions to ask your colleagues later on. Understanding niches within the industry for which you recruit makes you a better recruiter.

Talk to people.

The majority of these events also include a networking component that typically bookend the presentation. This time serves as a great opportunity to meet others and introduce yourself, your place of work, and your profession and/or aspirations. It’s during these instances where the real networking happens.

You’ve found an event, what next?

Bring along coworkers, ideally folks within the applicable niche. For example, when I attend a NY Linux user group, the Linux Systems Engineers accompany me. They know the subject matter and often fellow attendees. Make sure your colleagues have a general understanding of the current position openings, so they can speak intelligently should they come across a job seeker. They should also be able to give your company’s elevator pitch, which should include a synopsis of business services as well as why it’s an exciting place to work. Don’t forget to bring business cards! Here at 2U we also have a customized postcard with links to our careers page and a summary of 2U that we hand out.

After the event.

Once the event is completed, make sure to follow up with any and all prospective recruits. Even if a current need does not exist or the individual whom you met is not active on the job market, it’s always great to start a dialogue with the people you met. You’ll stand out as a great employer brand and who knows, maybe they have friends interested in the position. Send a short email stating “It was great to meet you at x event” with a personal anecdote so they remember who you are. This way, s/he has your contact information for any future needs.

In summary, utilize industry-specific events as an additional avenue for recruiting talent in your space. Mingling with Engineers (in my case) helps me meet new people, learn more about a specific industry, and market my employer brand. Apart from the obvious, aforementioned reasons, there are so many other reasons to put yourself out on the market. A few days back at a tech-focused networking, I met a more seasoned technical recruiter and we talked for almost an hour. We shared ideas about process improvements and our approaches to technical recruiting. We exchanged numbers and have decided to keep in touch for shared interests and future ideation in the recruiting space. You never know what or whom you’ll stumble upon during one of these events, so get out there and network.

Looking for more tips on recruiting in the edtech space? Some of my favorite resources are Talent Culture, Greenhouse’s blog and Fistful of Talent.

Want to learn more about my job and see other career openings at 2U? Visit our careers page!