Part of the WTIA’s mission is to grow a strong and sustainable workforce, which means we’re passionate about keeping local talent plugged into our state’s technology industry. In addition to our job board, every Wednesday we’ll be keeping you connected to Washington’s job market with the latest in local hiring news.

 

2016 Job Outlook for New Grads Gains Strength

The Seattle Times | Randy Woods | Jan 5

http://www.seattletimes.com/nwshowcase/careers/2016-job-outlook-for-new-grads-gains-strength/

“Just under half of the U.S.-based respondents said their employers have an increasing need for skills involving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and 75 percent suggest that more students should focus on a career involving STEM skills. In fact, 71 percent said they would put more of an emphasis on STEM careers if they were 18 years old again, and 73 percent would choose courses on digital or online subjects.”

 

Billion-Dollar Startup Automattic Hires Employees Without Ever Meeting Them or Talking to Them on the Phone

Business Insider | Julie Bort | Jan 4

http://www.businessinsider.com/automattic-hires-employees-automatically-2016-1

“Automattic has one of the most unusual employee cultures of any startup we’ve ever heard of. It currently employs about 400 people, scattered across the globe, almost all of them working from home, it says. This, even though it has a cool and dog-friendly office in San Francisco. Remote workers get a $2,500 budget to “trick out” their home offices, plus a new Mac or other technology they may need.”

Learn more about Automattic’s hiring process & open positions, here

 

Seattle’s Minimum Wage Increases Jan. 1

Puget Sound Business Journal | Ashley Stewart | Dec 31

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2015/12/31/seattles-minimum-wage-increases-jan-1.html

“Large employers with more than 500 employees will have to pay an hourly wage of at least $13 an hour if they don’t provide medical benefits and $12.50 if they do. Smaller employers with fewer than 500 employees will have to pay $12 an hour. If employers with fewer than 500 workers pay at least $1.50 toward medical benefits or their employees make $1.50 per hour in tips, they can pay workers $10.50 per hour.”

 

Win A Game, Land a Job? Coding Contests Help Recruit Engineers

Seattle PI | Carolyn Said | Dec 30

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Win-a-game-land-a-job-Coding-contests-help-6728632.php

“As head of Uber’s hiring growth team, Bob Cowherd is always seeking innovative ways to recruit engineers…So he was intrigued by San Francisco startup CodeFights, which crafts programming challenges for online competitions. Uber worked with CodeFights to develop a timed, competitive coding game called UberBot, tailored to its ride-hailing app: figure out the optimal route for a car or the best match for passengers splitting a ride, for instance…CodeFights works with clients’ engineers to develop custom games, and is compensated just like a headhunter when a competition leads to a hire. Candidates who “win” a game are invited to submit an application online. Within six weeks of the UberBot’s release, about 20,000 people took the challenge, of whom 700 applied for jobs.”

For more information on UberBot, click here

To find other company Bots, click here

 

North Kitsap Will Lead County’s Economic Growth

North Kitsap Herald | John Powers | Dec 30

http://www.northkitsapherald.com/business/363753431.html

“It’s important to recognize that many Kitsap-based technology companies are growing and hiring new talent from around the region and the country. Companies such as Paladin Data Systems in Poulsbo, Applied Technical Systems in Silverdale, and Taqtile on Bainbridge expect to continue to hire into the new year.”

Latest Local Job Postings at Paladin Data Systems

Latest Local Job Postings at Applied Technical Systems

Latest Local Job Postings at Taqtile on Bainbridge