While many tech companies have realized the importance of inclusion in the workplace, diversity in tech is still far from the desirable level. White people make up over 70 percent of the workforce in the tech industry, while Black and Hispanic/Latinx talent only make up seven and eight percent respectively. On the other hand, women make up only 36 percent of the workforce.
One reason for the dominantly homogeneous industry is that many underrepresented candidates are dismissed right at the start of the interview process. According to Speak_, a career preparation service, as much as 89 percent of underrepresented tech talent is rejected at the top of the hiring funnel.
To help give them a fighting chance, Speak_ offers a free, two-week online job interview preparation program to help aspiring software engineers and tech talent from diverse backgrounds prepare for and land jobs at some of the best tech companies worldwide.
Speak_ is an interview prep service that uses cohort-based programs to prepare underrepresented software engineers and place them at top tech companies.
Sign up for Speak_ today.What Is Speak_?
Speak_ is an interview preparation service assisting underrepresented software engineers in obtaining positions at top tech companies through cohort-based and company-branded programs. “The name of our company is called Speak_ because we’re teaching candidates to speak the language of the company,” says Andrea Gueldelman, co-founder and CEO of Speak_.
Andrea, who has a background in law, moved to New Mexico in 2006 and noticed that the local Latinx community was isolated from tech job opportunities. This motivated her to come up with ways to bridge the gap and make such opportunities more accessible for members of underrepresented groups. She also hoped to increase the visibility of Latinx tech talent in the industry.
In partnership with Bryan Landers, a former venture capitalist at Backstage Capital whom Andrea met when they invested in her first company, the pair founded Speak_ in October 2021. Cut to the present, it has already placed more than 500 tech talent from underrepresented backgrounds at top tech companies. Speak_ also partners with leading companies who are actively prioritizing DEI efforts like Amazon, GoDaddy, Socotra, Bonusly, Robinhood, and many others.
What Makes Speak_ Job Interview Prep Course Unique?
Fresh graduates are often not prepared for job interviews. Speak_ offers aspiring tech specialists who are lost in the hiring process a way to equip themselves with critical job search skills for free. Anyone with a degree in computer science, math, engineering, or physics and has knowledge of programming languages, data structures, and algorithms can apply for the interview prep course.
During the first week of the course, students receive hard skills training that includes coding assessments, curated resources, cohort workshops, pair sessions, topic-based chat, and mock interviews. Minority candidates also get access to knowledge and cheat codes to succeed in the hiring process.
After the first week of the program, candidates get matched with tech companies that value diversity. Candidates who are pre-selected by the partner tech companies get company-specific soft skills training during the second week of the course. Candidates have the opportunity to attend employer AMA sessions, senior engineer talks, and company-specific workshops.
4 Ways Speak_ Can Help You Enter The Tech Job Market
Speak_’s two-week cohort-based job interview prep course is focused on assisting underrepresented tech talent who are often screened out of hiring systems to find full-time employment. This is how Speak_ does it.
Decrease Drop-Off Rate from Application to Interview
According to Glassdoor, the average drop-off rate from application to interview is 80 percent. Roughly, it means that four out of five candidates are not invited to the interview after they apply for a certain position. Many minority candidates face discrimination challenges at this stage. Speak_ helps underrepresented groups to improve their resume to get noticed by hiring managers.
Boost Your Confidence Before a Job Interview
Once minority candidates are invited to the interview, they may feel powerless and insecure. This can be exacerbated by a pre-existing sense of disempowerment based on societal shame or made worse by imposter syndrome, which has been proven to disproportionately affect underrepresented groups. Speak_ helps underrepresented tech talent build confidence and demonstrate their strengths and unique skills during a tech interview.
Attract More Underrepresented Talent at the Top of the Funnel
Eighty-nine percent of underrepresented tech talent gets rejected at the top of the employment funnel. Having placed over 500 candidates at top tech companies, Speak_ has proved that it can help minority tech talent successfully get through the first stage of the hiring process and get hired as full-time employees at leading organizations.
Win Over the Competition by Offering a Revolutionary Candidate Experience
Speak_ believes that diversity in the tech workforce helps businesses stay relevant to their customers and be competitive in the talent market. During its interview preparation course, candidates are equipped with the knowledge, support, and confidence they need to stand out in the hiring process, which can lead to full-time job offers from leading tech companies.
Get the Support You Need to Break Into Tech with Speak_
Speak_ is moving the needle to diversify the tech industry in the United States. Through its free, two-week course, Speak_ provides the tools needed to ace an interview and overcome traditional challenges commonly associated with aspiring tech talent from diverse backgrounds.
The online course is cohort-based and designed to offer guidance at every step of the hiring process. It paves the way for minority candidates to break into the tech industry with significantly fewer hurdles. And the formula works—in less than two years since inception, Speak_ has placed over 500 underrepresented tech talent at leading tech companies.
Enroll in the Speak_ job interview prep course to join a vibrant, supportive, and inclusive community of over 30,000-strong tech talent.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
