5/15/2014 Recruiting at a Hackathon? 5 Tips for Success | Entrepreneur.com

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233146 1/4

Subscribe | Bookstore | eServices

BY SAMANTHA DRAKE | May 15, 2014 | Post Comment |

Related

Why and How to Host aHackathon

Hackathon Hiring: How toScout for Coders withConfidence

Recruiting at a Hackathon? 5 Tipsfor Success

Tweet 174 Share 1

Looking for a first peek at the new tech talent? Don’t wait for a job fair. Get thee to a hackathon.

These 24- to 36-hour marathon programming sessions are competitions for cash prizes and

bragging rights. They’re also a great way to look at how new minds solve problems. That alone

can teach you more about a candidate than a traditional job interview, says Dave Fontenot, the

co-founder of the University of Michigan’s MHacks student hackathon who today runs

HackMatch, a service that matches talent and startups. Hackers are “displaying their skills right in

front of you, showing you on the fly what they can do,” he says.

Hackathons can also offer a better return-on-investment than

working with a recruiter, Fontenot says. Attending a hackathon

is usually free. If you choose to sponsor, low-cost packages at

some college campuses to provide snacks and food might cost

as little as $1,000. While walking the event floor requires a

little more elbow-grease on your part, the competitions might

be more inexpensive than a recruiter who will take a

percentage of the new hire’s salary.

Still, don’t go to a hackathon just to collect resumes. That

approach will backfire, warn some veterans, since there’s a certain etiquette attendees will be

expecting. To build relationships and get the most out of these events, consider the following

tips.

1. Choose carefully. Not all hackathons are the same. They can be sponsored by a range of

groups, including large corporations, non-profits and universities. Some competitions focus on

mobile apps while others create games or other online tools. Hackathons can also vary quite a

bit in theme and target demographic, says Fontenot. Talk to the organizers or people who have

Most Shared Stories

Clip it

27 21 222

1 The Smartest Long-Term Investment isYou

2 As Mark Zuckerberg Turns 30, His 10Best Quotes as CEO

3 Break the Ice: 8 Networking Tips forIntroverts

4 101 Different Types of Web ContentFor Building Your Site

5 50 Signs You Might Be anEntrepreneur

As Mark Zuckerberg Turns 30,

His 10 Best Quotes as CEO

Need a Business Idea? Here are

55

Image credit: Sebastiaan ter Burg/Wikimedia Commons

Startups Run & Grow Money Marketing Technology Franchises The 'Treps Answers Magazine Video

Search Entrepreneur

Log In | Join

5/15/2014 Recruiting at a Hackathon? 5 Tips for Success | Entrepreneur.com

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233146 2/4

Samantha Drake

attended a particular hackathon previously to ensure that you’ll meet the type of people who

might be of use to your organization, he advises.

2. Don’t come on too strong. Overt attempts to recruit will turn hackers off, advises Ishaan

Gulrajani, co-founder of Watchsend, a San Francisco-based developer of analytic software that

helps iPhone app developers understand how people use their apps. “A hackathon is not a

career fair,” says Gulrajani, who’s hired three people he met at hackathons. Consider bringing

along one of your own tech people, who may feel more comfortable interacting with hackers on

an informal level, Gulrajani adds.

Take it slow and give off a “We’re here, we’re smart, and we’re cool,” vibe suggests Brendan

McCorkle, chief executive officer at CloudMine (cloudmine.me) in San Francisco, who met one

employee and two interns at hackathons.

3. Focus on making connections. Talk to hackers on various teams about their projects to

build a rapport, says Angel Rivera, senior architect and evangelist at Point.io in Wayne, Pa, the

developer of an integrated document-sharing platform. Ask questions, offer advice, and then

circle back later in the day to get updates, he adds.

Try to talk to as many hackers as possible because you never know who you might encounter,

says Rivera. At the same time, be upfront about who you are and why you’re there.

“Transparency is good,” he adds.

4. Don’t overlook organizers. Get on the radar of the folks who put on the hackathon, from

local tech groups to university faculty. They’re usually the most plugged in and can point out the

most interesting talents, even if they’re not hacking at that particular event, says Gulrajani.

Connecting with these tech leaders can result in valuable relationships that last beyond the

competition, says Gulrajani

5. Farm, don’t hunt. Not everyone you meet is looking for a job. Some hackers might even be

students who aren’t graduating for a few years. Others might have their sights set on starting

their own companies, notes McCorkle. But needs change, so make note of the best talents with

which you’ll want to reconnect. The hacker community is a close-knit group and social media is a

good way to maintain contact and get to know student hackers as people, notes Gulrajani.

Samantha Drake is a freelance writer and editor in the Philadelphia area who specializes in

business, legal, environmental, and general interest issues.

HOW TO HUMAN RESOURCES ENTREPRENEURS HACKERS RECRUITING

HACKATHONS COLLEGE

You May Like by TaboolaPromoted Content

14 Early Startup Execs Who

Missed Out on Making Millions |

Slideshow

Mark Cuban on Why You Should

Never Listen to Your Customers

The 10 Fastest-Growing

Industries for Small Business

The Smartest Long-Term

Investment is You

$1.7 Million a Month: How

Meridith Baer Built a Crazy

Successful Home-Staging

Business

The Basic Building Blocks of a

Website, and Their Costs

Break the Ice: 8 Networking Tips

for Introverts

Want to Become the Most

Interesting Person Around? Start

With These 7 Steps.

The Formula Startups Use to

Make Billions (Infographic)

5 Ways to Get People to

Remember You (And Your

Company)

50 Signs You Might Be an

Entrepreneur

The One Thing Richard Branson

Surprisingly Can't Travel Without

How Your Workplace Can

Inspire Good Habits Among

Employees

101 Different Types of Web

Content For Building Your Site

The Most Telling Sign That You Might Be anEntrepreneur