In Seattle, we’ve come to accept that tech is a major part of our local culture, but not many of us can say that we’ve gotten an inside look at the mysterious inner-workings of how our local tech companies truly operate. We see what gets published in press releases, and we hear about the newest gadgets and acquisitions, but what is really going on day-to-day?

Over the years, WTIA’s Tech Crawl Series has given the community a unique opportunity- not only the chance to tour the inside of these flourishing companies, but the opportunity to meet the people who work there. This year we’ve upped the ante. With the subject of talent acquisition- how to find and keep talented employees, how to find your right fit, etc.- being at the forefront of our community’s mind, we’ve decided to change up the pace of our traditional tech crawl.

WTIA has brought on even more participating companies and encouraged them to bring their hiring managers out for the occasion. We’ve reached out to local job seekers and told them to come out armed with their resumes and an arsenal of business cards. We’re giving you, the attendee, the opportunity to do your research and decide where and how you spend your time. You’ll receive a map of the Tech Crawl boundaries with each participating company flagged. If you’re a developer looking for work, and your dream company is participating, stick around and talk with all the current employees you can and make sure to get some face time with a hiring manager. If you’re someone who’s just curious to check out the scene and learn a bit more about tech culture, make sure to stop by each company and have a look around.

Our most recent Tech Crawl in Downtown Seattle was a rousing success. Nearly 300 WTIA members attended the evening filled with food, drinks, and networking with the fellow tech community. Companies that participated included ExtraHop, Buddy, West Monroe Partners, HERE, Cotiere Worklounge, and Avvo.

Shami Okafar and Emily Neitel, both recruiters at Zonar Systems, attended their first WTIA Tech Crawl. “We came to meet people in tech, discover what they are doing,” said Okafor. “We also want to see other workspaces and hope to recruit a few people,” she added, noting they were particularly interested in Python engineers and mobile app developers.

WTIA spiced things up this time around, providing participants with a map upon arrival and inviting them to choose the company offices that interested them the most. This gave it a “choose-your-own adventure” type of feel, allowing attendees to decide where exactly they’d like to spend their time. The map included a list of open positions at each hosting company, from infrastructure architects, technical CRM consultants and data scientists, to software and Salesforce developers. This formula for the event allowed sponsor companies to open their doors and show off their office’s inner workings, while also receiving informational facetime with candidates.

Sara Seaborne, Global HR manager at HERE, found lots of value in attending the Downtown Seattle Tech Crawl: “It’s a great opportunity for people to get to know who we are. This kind of event generates a lot of candidates, business partnerships and offers external employer branding.”

The next Tech Crawl will be happening in Pioneer Square on August 24th, and will be a great opportunity for anyone seeking an inside look at some of the top tech companies in the neighborhood. The goal of this Tech Crawl is to give job seekers the opportunity for a first impression, beyond simply handing over their resume, while giving local companies the chance to get connected with quality, homegrown talent. Special thank you to our sponsors this time around, Comcast Technology Solutions, Zonar Systems, Slalom, and L4 Digital. Hope to see you there!