Virtual Events That Work for Diversity Recruiting
Software engineering company Tarides participated in WomenHack’s virtual event and found the format remarkably effective. Their experience during the pandemic period demonstrated that WomenHack’s approach translates well to digital formats, maintaining the connection and efficiency that make in-person events valuable.
As shared on the Tarides blog:
“This ‘rapid interview’ is both fun and efficient for all involved, ensuring each company meets several talented candidates from diverse backgrounds.”
Who Represented Tarides
Tarides sent Sonja Heinze (Software Engineer) and Heloïse Lutton (Head of HR)—demonstrating their commitment to having both technical and HR perspectives in diversity recruiting. This combination is particularly effective:
- Technical credibility: Having an engineer present allows for substantive conversations about technology and work
- Recruiting expertise: HR leadership ensures the company’s recruiting needs and processes are well represented
- Signal of investment: Sending senior people demonstrates that diversity recruiting is a priority
The presence of a female software engineer is especially valuable at WomenHack events. Candidates can ask about the day-to-day experience of being a woman on the engineering team, getting honest perspectives from someone who lives it.
The Speed-Dating Format Goes Virtual
WomenHack’s signature 5-minute interview format translated surprisingly well to virtual settings. The brief format actually works well with video calls, where longer conversations can become fatiguing. Each interaction is focused and purposeful, allowing companies and candidates to have meaningful conversations efficiently.
Tarides’ description of the format as both “fun and efficient” captures something important. Recruiting events can often feel transactional or stressful. WomenHack’s approach creates an atmosphere where genuine connections can form, even in a virtual environment.
Virtual Events and Geographic Reach
Virtual WomenHack events expanded the geographic reach of diversity recruiting. Companies could connect with candidates anywhere, not just those who could travel to physical event locations. For candidates, virtual events removed barriers of travel time and cost, potentially making events accessible to a broader range of participants.
For a company like Tarides, which works on specialized technology (they focus on OCaml, a functional programming language), this expanded reach could be particularly valuable. The pool of engineers with specific language expertise is limited; virtual events allow connecting with that talent wherever they’re located.
Tarides’ Specialization
Tarides is a software company specializing in OCaml, a functional programming language known for its strong type system and use in critical applications. The company works on developer tools, infrastructure, and systems programming—areas that require deep technical expertise.
Recruiting for specialized technical roles is always challenging, and finding diverse candidates for niche specializations is even harder. By participating in events like WomenHack, Tarides expands their pipeline of candidates beyond the usual channels, which tend to produce homogeneous applicant pools.
Building Inclusive Engineering Teams
Engineering teams, particularly those working on infrastructure and systems programming, have historically been among the least diverse in tech. This creates both challenges and opportunities. Companies that can successfully build diverse teams in these areas gain competitive advantages in recruiting and innovation.
Tarides’ participation in WomenHack suggests an understanding that inclusive hiring requires intentional effort. Posting job listings and hoping for diverse applications rarely works. Active participation in diversity-focused events is a more effective approach.
The Fun Factor
Tarides’ characterization of the event as “fun” deserves attention. Recruiting is often treated as a purely transactional process—companies need candidates, candidates need jobs. But the human elements matter. Events that feel enjoyable attract better participation and foster more genuine connections.
WomenHack’s format contributes to this positive atmosphere. The speed-dating structure feels more like networking than interrogation. The focus on women in tech creates a supportive environment. And the opportunity to meet multiple companies in a single event reduces the pressure of any single conversation.
Thank you, Tarides, for embracing virtual diversity recruiting and sharing your positive experience. Your participation helps demonstrate that effective diversity recruiting can happen in any format.