Last Fall we held our first speed recruiting event in Boston. 30 job seekers and 13 employers attended and from that, we had several offers made and this lovely match happened! Learn more about Eugene Yang and Alex Mimms from Toast.
Eugene joined Toast as senior software engineer on the Android Platform team in January this year. This is her second job out of college and before becoming a Toaster, she had worked in a healthcare software company. She’s been thrilled to join a group of passionate individuals who are all excited about Toast! In her free time, she can be found wandering around outdoors, skiing or kayaking or hiking or taking nature photos.
Alex is one of Toast’s technical recruiters, focused on hiring for the engineering function. She’s been a Toaster for about a year and a half, and has been thrilled to work with the Toast team as it has scaled from its startup roots. Alex is a recruiter by day, and a runner by night. She has run 2 marathons to date, and is currently training for her first Boston marathon in April!
How’d you find SGO? What brought you to SGO?
Eugene: I had heard about SGO from my coworkers initially and then more through other engineering events. I wanted to connect and gain more perspective from others who have had more experience in the field. I started actively going to SGO events in the past year.
Alex: I found SGO soon after I started working at Toast! I was introduced to Felicia, one of the founders, and got a chance to hear about the mission firsthand. I loved the idea of a dedicated group for women in technology to get together and learn from each other, without it being specific to a type of technology or specific job title.
Alex, tell us about Toast and what makes it special
A: Toast is an all in one restaurant management solution that powers businesses in all 50 states. Our employees (aka Toasters) are one of the many things that make Toast special! Everyone is truly dedicated to our mission of helping restaurants run more effectively. Toasters are a collaborative bunch who are constantly working together, and excited to continue to build great products.
How long have you been looking to hire for Eugene’s position?
A: The role had been open for about a month when Eugene and I first started talking. It ended up being a great fit, not only from a technical perspective, but also in the added leadership responsibility that came with the position. We’re excited that she decided to join our team!
Eugene, how long had you been looking for a new position? How was the process looking for a job in Boston?
E: My search took a couple months of actively looking. At first, it was bewildering as it was my first real job search. My last “search” had been in school through my college’s career fairs. There’s a lot of variety in the opportunities available in Boston and it’s a matter of finding the right fit with the right company.
Tell us your stories on how you learned about the speed recruiting event and what your experience was.
E: I heard about the recruiting event through attending another SGO event. I had just started my search and was interested in getting to meet a variety of companies at a more personal level and getting to ask questions. It was very well organized in matching up recruiters with the respective applicants. It was a whirlwind experience but it allowed me to hone my elevator pitch and to get to know a variety of software companies in different fields that I wouldn’t have found on my own.
A: I’m subscribed to the SGO newsletter and first heard about it there. Shortly after I saw the newsletter, one of my hiring managers forwarded the details to me and suggested that we attend. From meeting other SGO-ers at the networking events and other workshops, I was confident that the speed recruiting event would include the same smart and engaged women, so attending was a no-brainer. The event flew by, but both myself and the other Toast recruiter in attendance had a series of great conversations.
Tell us your stories on what the process was like after the speed recruiting event
E: I really enjoyed my conversation with Alex and she got back to me on the same night about continuing the conversation! Alex helped me to understand the culture and goals at Toast. And she was always prompt and open to answering more questions I had.
A: Since Eugene and I had a great conversation, we quickly set up some time a few days later to finish up our initial conversation, and go through more of her questions about Toast. From there, the official interview process kicked off!
Eugene, how’s it going? We know it’s new, but feel free to share and add anything else you’d like here!
E: It’s been a great journey and people have been very welcoming! I wish I had been less daunted by the process and more active, but I’m happy to have found a great fit.
Interested in attending our Speed Recruiting event in San Francisco in March? Learn more here!