Big Top reverse job fair kicks off expanded 2018 schedule Tuesday; new jobs platform coming

DURHAM – Big Top, the reverse job fair operated by The American Underground, kicks off its 2018 schedule Tuesday evening at the Frontier in RTP and also has plans to unveil a jobs platform in the near future.

WRAL TechWire talks with Molly Demarest, who recently was named director of Big Top, about tonight’s event and what to expect this year.

What are the biggest changes your team is making in Big Top for 2018?

Big Top was founded on the notion that companies should pitch to talent on why they should work for them. Not only is this turning recruiting upside down, it holds companies accountable to building a healthy and welcoming team. This will continue to be our mindset as we scale. Outside of doing more frequent events, we will be releasing our new platform in Q1, which will provide a more direct way for Triangle startups to effectively connect with talent, while significantly decreasing the opportunity for bias. Stay tuned!

Why are these changes being made?

Our mission is simple: to connect the Triangle’s world class talent to to the startups seeking the competitive advantage that comes with building the right team. Both in our events and online platform, we are putting a greater emphasis on shaping accessibility for women and people of color to have access to startup jobs in the Triangle. The Triangle’s diverse ecosystem is part of what makes this region so unique and we are excited to see this community carry out those values in the growth ahead!

What are the most numerous types of jobs these firms are seeking to fill?

The top 5 skills that the 7 presenting companies are looking for tonight are software development, sales, product, design, and customer success.

How can job seekers participate? And what information (if any) should they bring?

Whether you are actively looking or just want to be ‘in the know’, Big Top is for you.

There are two quick ways to plug-in.

1) Complete a quick skills profile and

2) attend one of our quarterly Reverse Job Fairs.

Registration for today’s event closes at 12:00 PM and we will announce our Q2 event in the coming weeks!

How to prepare for tonight?

The purpose of our events are to be more relationship focused…not about resumes and suits. Bring yourself, a firm handshake, and an open mind and trust us to take it from there!