Event: July Hire Ruby 

It’s never been a better time to be a Ruby developer, or a more challenging time for companies to find an appropriate fit in the Bay Area. We’re excited to provide free opportunities for talent and companies to meet in the real world. Some presenting companies from past events include:User Testing, TouchOfModern, HumbleBundle, Enjoytech, Stitchfix, Tapjoy, MatterMark, Razer, Adobe, and many more. 

Here’s the run of show:

6:00 – 6:45 pm: Doors open, food and drinks sponsored by Hired

7:00 – 7:30 pm: Startup interviews, quick pitches, and announcements

7:30- 8:30pm: Meet developers and companies, mix it up

Group: Hire Ruby Engineers

Location: The Vault

Experience: I’ve been curious about the “Hire Ruby” events ever since I saw them pop up on Meetup.com way back when. Now that I’m finished with my program and looking for a new job, this was the first time that I felt truly ready to attend one of these events.

The program was pretty straightforward. I showed up, grabbed a beer and some pizza, then scoped out a seat. The room was packed, but I found a seat up front next to one of my bootcamp classmates.

Basically, hiring managers / company representatives volunteered on the spot to be interviewed by the meetup coordinator. They gave a bit of an overview of their company, and tried to sell themselves as a great place to work. The audience then got to ask a few questions, usually about the tech stack, company growth, or current challenges. It was a little strange, like a dating show. Once the main interviews were over, there was something of a lightning round – a few more hiring managers each had about a minute to introduce themselves and their company.

Then it was time to mingle. I’ve attended recruiting events before, and this was similar chaos. Large groups of hungry job hunters encircled each hiring manager, eager to shake hands and get about a minute or two to chat and push their resume, with the rest of the circle watching as well. So awkward!

Verdict: Was it worth it? Well, I didn’t end up speaking directly to a hiring manager. I joined a circle, hoping to talk to a hiring manager for a healthcare startup, but I ended up moving on, deciding that I would email the man later. It was just too unorganized.

On the other hand, I did learn of several promising companies that I’d never heard of before, and I got a read on the type of work they do and what the general company culture was like. I also got to see bootcamp friends again, and enjoy some free pizza and beer. So overall, a win.