An Austin software developer called Q2 says it’s having success — “record attendance,” according to a senior recruiter — holding events at a local arcade, and its event last week will net maybe 8-10 more hires.
Q2 makes virtual banking products for credit unions and banks. Cindy Adams is a senior corporate recruiter at the company, and in fact was the only recruiter at the 485-employee firm until December 2013.
It’s hiring everyone from accounting to marketing, but one of its big challenges is that some of its technical people work on implementations. Some of the candidates who have the necessary skills would rather be software developers, not implementers to configure the software for the banks.
One place Adams has turned is Pinballz. Last week’s gathering there put on by Q2 drew 83 people; the previous three similar parties drew about 70-some-odd each.
The 83 mingled, ate pizza, and played games, and were able to meet employees and managers identified with badges and lanyards. Adams hopes perhaps 8-10 will be hired. The past events have netted 21. “We’re really excited about it,” she says, “really proud.”
Some Q2 hires go through a 90-day training program to learn the ropes before starting as employees on the full-time payroll.” Q2 is hiring both experienced people as well as training people with limited experience — computer science grads, for example — who are technically-oriented and can learn to implement software or be a project manager.
Adams says she hopes to do the next pinball event in December.