Finding a new job doesn’t have to be as daunting as many people make it seem. Sure, blindly sending a copy of your resume to 150 companies you stumbled upon on LinkedIn is unpleasant (and likely futile), but the best way to land a gig in Chicago tech can be a lot more personable — and a lot more enjoyable — if you just know where to look.
From Built In Brews and networking events to 1871 meetup groups, there are a ton of local opportunities to check out if you’re on the market for your next career move. But don’t take our word for it: We asked three fast-growing Chicago tech companies where their head honchos like to recruit, and they told us in turn what qualities they look for in new hires.
Label Insight is building bridges between brands, retailers and consumers in order to make nutritional labels on goods more accessible and transparent. Founded in St. Louis but headquartered in Chicago, about half of the company’s team (including much of the tech side of its house) sits in their West Loop office space.
Dheeraj Patri, the company’s co-founder and CTO, said avid techies can find him and his colleagues out and about at community events.
What local haunts have you found success at?
- ITA events, Built In Brews, drinktank, Tech on Tap, 1871 meetups, Chicago Agile Project Managers, Chicago Big Data & Internet of Things Entrepreneurs Meetup, Chicago Women in Machine Learning & Data Science
- Tech Nexus (our engineers like to work there from time to time. Please stop by and say hello if you see us — you will recognize us by our t-shirts!)
What about schools? Any particular institutions/programs you’ve got at the top of your list?
As a graduate of DePaul University, I'm naturally interested in graduates from the Computer Science Program. We frequently look for smart, eager candidates from the University of Illinois (Chicago and Urbana-Champaign) as well. However, Chicago has a wealth of great engineering candidates and we hire from many different programs. Chicago is such a strong startup hub — we want people to know you don't have to go to the coasts to be part of a vibrant startup scene.
If I’m a job seeker, what’s the best way for me to get on your radar?
Easy, go to our careers page and see if you are interested in our jobs. We'll get back to you within two days, after reviewing your cover letter and resume.
ReviewTrackers creates software that’s designed to amplify the voice of the consumer, empowering brands to hear reviews and feedback so they can adjust accordingly. With a dashboard that helps manage online reviews, track data, and unlock insights, the company’s platform is used by thousands of businesses across the country.
What local haunts have you found success at?
Finding amazing talent is something that’s extremely important to our team. We go out or bring them in. We regularly attend events with major tech organizations in the city such as Built In Chicago's Built In Brews, as well as the Startup Institute.
Beyond getting out into the city to network with top talent, one of our favorite ways to engage with potential candidates is to open our space to them. ReviewTrackers has hosted a number of events including a Rails meetup, graduation for Dev Bootcamp and a few Women in Tech meetups.
What specific qualities/characteristics are you looking for in recruits?
We are looking for unicorn characteristics. We want contributors, team players, those who are excited by a challenge and who are unwaveringly ambitious and naturally curious. We are a fast-moving company that advocates transparency and collaboration.
I’m a job seeker, what’s the best way for me to get on your radar?
Apply online or shoot a LinkedIn note to our amazing talent acquisition lead, Lisa Watson.
Founded in 1998, Chicago-based eshots specializes in event-related technology and services designed to maximize brand ROI and capture leads at consumer events. Their clients include companies at the top of their respective tiers, including Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar-Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nationwide, State Farm, Ubisoft and Keurig.
The company’s success requires a roster of A-list player, and HR Director Olga Spivak shared with us the core values she looks for in new hires.
What local haunts have you found success at?
Built In Chicago has been phenomenal in helping us fill the hard to fill roles such as “Technical Product Manager.” We also have found success with career fair events sponsored by Dice and Tech Week, HR Networking Events, and LinkedIn Groups.
What about schools? Any particular institutions/programs you’ve got at the top of your list?
Depaul, UIC, Chicago Semester, and I.C. Stars have been awesome helping us find great talent!
What specific qualities/characteristics are you looking for in recruits?
Hungry, Humble, Helper Minded, Wicked Smart (our H3S core values).
If I’m a job seeker, what’s the best way for me to get on your radar?
Apply through our website or send your resume directly to HR ([email protected] or [email protected]).
Images via featured companies.
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