Pokémon Grow: Gamemaker poised to boost U.S. presence with big new office lease in Seattle area

Nat Levy | GeekWire | 5 Dec 2016

“Pokémon is closing in on a big new office lease that would up its U.S. presence in Bellevue, Wash., already home to its North America office.

The deal, which real estate sources told GeekWire is close but not complete, would see Pokémon Co. International, a subsidiary of Japan-based Pokémon Co., take floors 27 through 29 at Kemper Development Co.’s Lincoln Square expansion project. Puget Sound Business Journal first reported on the deal.

PokemonAlex Wheatley, a vice president in real estate brokerage Kidder Mathews’ Bellevue office who is not working on the deal, put the size of the new office at about 80,000 square feet, an increase from the 60,000 square fee Pokémon occupies today in Bellevue.”

Read more here.

Check out Pokemon jobs. (Actual real jobs, not Pokemon trainers, nurses or breeders)

 

Preparing for 2017: Key HR action items for employers

Jay Starkman | Puget Sound Business Journal | 6 Dec 2016

“The end of the year is a busy time for many companies, particularly when it comes to human resources and compliance responsibilities. The following are some key year-end HR action items to help companies prepare for 2017:

Ensure compliance with federal overtime pay rules; make sure employees are properly classified

Although a federal court recently ruled to temporarily halt the new overtime pay rules scheduled to take effect on Dec. 1, companies should still have a plan to move forward on similar changes in the future.

Under the originally proposed rules, so-called white collar employees who are currently exempt from federal overtime rules would become eligible to earn a weekly salary of at least $913 per week (approximately $47,500 annually), provided the employer wants to maintain the exemption. If the employee does not earn at least $913 per week, then he or she must be reclassified to “non-exempt” status, which means he or she would be paid on an hourly basis and would be entitled to overtime.”

Read more here.

 

Facebook set to double Seattle presence with another big new office

Mike Rosenberg | The Seattle Times | 2 Dec 2016

“Facebook, which just opened a big Seattle office, is expanding again by leasing a pair of new South Lake Union buildings with the potential to double the tech giant’s presence in Seattle.

Paul Allen’s Vulcan Real Estate announced Friday that Facebook will be the sole office tenant of its new $246 million Arbor Blocks project, which just got under way along Eighth Avenue North between Harrison and Thomas streets.

It’s the latest tech expansion in the rapidly changing neighborhood. The offices will sit in the shadow of one of Amazon’s new midrises right next door, and a few blocks down the street is Google’s upcoming South Lake Union campus, where construction is set to start next month.”

Read more here.

Facebook job openings.

 

Financial tech startup Finagraph raises $5 million in round led by Moody’s

Casey Coombs | Puget Sound Business Journal | 2 Dec 2016

“Finagraph has a closed on $5 million in a funding round led by Moody’s Corp.

The Bellevue-based startup will use the funding to accelerate development of its financial intelligence software for banks and accountants.

“Harnessing the power of technology to automate the exchange of financial information between parties is transformative,” co-founder and CEO James Walter said. “Finagraph streamlines the data collection process by replacing weeks of back-and-forth emails and phone calls with the click of a button, instantly transferring financial and credit information.”

In October, Finagraph moved into new offices at 15500 SE 30th Place at the Eastgate Building in Bellevue. The company leased the space from Flinn Ferguson and hired JPC Architects and Goudy Construction for the buildout.”

Read more here.

Finagraph job openings.

 

How To Answer ‘What Do You Know About Our Company?’

Liz Ryan | Forbes.com | 2 Dec 2016

“You are likely to be asked the question “What do you know about our company?” on a job interview before long if you haven’t heard it already.

Unlike some of the pointless and insulting questions on the traditional interview script (“What’s your greatest weakness?” e.g.)  I don’t mind the question “What do you know about our company?”

It doesn’t matter how well-educated or how experienced you are if you haven’t invested the time and energy to learn about the company you’re going to interview with. Your interview preparation or lack thereof speaks volumes.”

Read more here.