Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech ...
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF [email protected]
From the Austin Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruitingcampaign-sparks.html
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate Jul 17, 2014, 1:59pm CDT
Bigcommerce Inc.'s guerrilla marketing and recruiting campaign in Austin last week sparked off a debate on social media, and in Steve Donnelly's words – touched a few nerves. Bigcommerce recruiting coordinator Victoria Melcher — dressed as a donut — handed out about five dozen pastries outside downtown Austin offices, accompanied by Donnelly, who is head of human resources, and Cheri Winterberg, who is vice president of communications. Company officials said the three-day campaign by Bigcommerce, an e-commerce platform company, was successful. It boosted the
Austin-based Bigcommerce Inc.'s guerrilla marketing and recruiting campaign in Austin last week sparked off a debate on social media, and in Steve Donnelly's words – touched a few nerves.
company's career site web traffic by 72 percent week over week. As a result of the campaign, job applications are also up 90 percent, according to Donnelly, and five candidates have already come in for interviews. The recruiters spoke with more than 350 potential employees during the campaign and handed out about 250 free donuts, he said. While the campaign received some backlash on social media, it also generated a lot of momentum, Donnelly added. Scroll down the page to see a snapshot of all the Twitter activity. "Traditional methods of hiring are no longer effective," he said. "In this job market, if companies want to succeed, then they need to get creative." According to Donnelly, the campaign has generated so much buzz that Bigcommerce is now working the Austin Technology Council to develop a roundtable focused on Austin's current job market. With about 300 people in its San Francisco, Sydney and Austin offices, the company hopes to hire more than 100 workers, a majority of them in Austin. In the next three months, it plans to fill marketing, sales support and development positions. The tight job market has made it difficult to get qualified candidates for the jobs, Donnelly said, and such hiring strategies have worked in the past. "Imitation is the best form of flattery," said Donnelly, when asked what might happen if competitors try similar tactics to lure away Bigcommerce employees. "Companies shouldn't be afraid to take risks and to be creative." http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
1/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal
Capital Factory founder Joshua Baer, who said he had a "constructive" conversation with Donnelly in light of the campaign, told Austin Business Journal he would encourage Austin companies to avoid such tactics because it can foster hostility and take away from the collaborative mentality of the startup community. Bigcommerce handed out flyers to potential employees in the public spaces outside local companies such as Mass Relevance and Facebook in Austin. "Getting your word out is no problem," Baer said. "Targeting specific companies with public campaigns is not appropriate. It's the difference between handing out donuts at Sixth and Congress, where many other similar activities happen, and doing it at Eighth and Brazos across the street from the Mass Relevance and Spredfast office. It's a fuzzy line."
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
2/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal by Kritika Kulshrestha
a year ago
A marketing campaign that touched a few nerves, but made a point Bigcommerce.com's guerrilla marketing campaign in Austin last week started off a debate on social media among top Twitter influencers including Joshua Baer, Scott Francis and Julie Huls.
Tom Berno @tberno
Follow
@JoshuaBaer @jdavis Companies need to remember that that how they act externally forecasts how they treat people internally... #Branding 10:05 AM - 10 Jul 2014 1
Julie Huls @juliehuls
Follow
.@JoshuaBaer "Outsider" inaccurate: 220 employees, 6 execs (1 on @ATCouncil Board) +100 new hires=major community player @Bigcommerce rocks 11:11 AM - 15 Jul 2014 · Houston, TX, United States 3
1
Jonathan Davis @jdavis
Follow
@tberno so @Bigcommerce is: bold, creative, merciless and willing to do crazy things to hit ambitious goals? I think they'd be ok with that 10:25 AM - 10 Jul 2014 1
1
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
3/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal
touch4lunch @touch4lunch
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@jdavis @tberno this was practically an invitation from @JoshuaBaer for a delivery of #donuts @Bigcommerce It worked! 1:19 PM - 12 Jul 2014 1
Tom Berno @tberno
Follow
@jdavis @Bigcommerce No, but I can differentiate stunt from substance; companies with substance don't need stunts to land talent 2:29 PM - 10 Jul 2014
Jonathan Davis @jdavis
Follow
@JoshuaBaer can't argue on the trespassing side. Not classy? Most guerrilla marketing isn't. Given talent shortage, I appreciated the effort 9:51 AM - 10 Jul 2014
Julie Huls @juliehuls
Follow
.@JoshuaBaer No judge @Bigcommerce a major influence, not an outsider. This debate curious for an industry that rewards aggressive behavior 12:34 PM - 15 Jul 2014 · Houston, TX, United States
Scott Francis
Follow @sfrancisatx http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
4/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal @sfrancisatx
@juliehuls @JoshuaBaer @Bigcommerce we have a sign on our office that says “no soliciting. seriously. it’s annoying” :) ppl try anyway. 12:45 PM - 15 Jul 2014
Branndon Stewart @BranndonStewart
Follow
@JoshuaBaer- It's nice of them to subsidize the growing snack budgets of the best #ATX #startups. Next time make it @FranklinBbq around 12? 10:04 AM - 10 Jul 2014 3
5
Jonathan Davis @jdavis
Follow
@JoshuaBaer it's clever and bold. And they got their message published. Is there an unwritten rule that makes them wrong? 9:43 AM - 10 Jul 2014 1
Kritika Kulshrestha Staff Writer Austin Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
5/5
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal
FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF [email protected]
From the Austin Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruitingcampaign-sparks.html
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate Jul 17, 2014, 1:59pm CDT
Bigcommerce Inc.'s guerrilla marketing and recruiting campaign in Austin last week sparked off a debate on social media, and in Steve Donnelly's words – touched a few nerves. Bigcommerce recruiting coordinator Victoria Melcher — dressed as a donut — handed out about five dozen pastries outside downtown Austin offices, accompanied by Donnelly, who is head of human resources, and Cheri Winterberg, who is vice president of communications. Company officials said the three-day campaign by Bigcommerce, an e-commerce platform company, was successful. It boosted the
Austin-based Bigcommerce Inc.'s guerrilla marketing and recruiting campaign in Austin last week sparked off a debate on social media, and in Steve Donnelly's words – touched a few nerves.
company's career site web traffic by 72 percent week over week. As a result of the campaign, job applications are also up 90 percent, according to Donnelly, and five candidates have already come in for interviews. The recruiters spoke with more than 350 potential employees during the campaign and handed out about 250 free donuts, he said. While the campaign received some backlash on social media, it also generated a lot of momentum, Donnelly added. Scroll down the page to see a snapshot of all the Twitter activity. "Traditional methods of hiring are no longer effective," he said. "In this job market, if companies want to succeed, then they need to get creative." According to Donnelly, the campaign has generated so much buzz that Bigcommerce is now working the Austin Technology Council to develop a roundtable focused on Austin's current job market. With about 300 people in its San Francisco, Sydney and Austin offices, the company hopes to hire more than 100 workers, a majority of them in Austin. In the next three months, it plans to fill marketing, sales support and development positions. The tight job market has made it difficult to get qualified candidates for the jobs, Donnelly said, and such hiring strategies have worked in the past. "Imitation is the best form of flattery," said Donnelly, when asked what might happen if competitors try similar tactics to lure away Bigcommerce employees. "Companies shouldn't be afraid to take risks and to be creative." http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
1/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal
Capital Factory founder Joshua Baer, who said he had a "constructive" conversation with Donnelly in light of the campaign, told Austin Business Journal he would encourage Austin companies to avoid such tactics because it can foster hostility and take away from the collaborative mentality of the startup community. Bigcommerce handed out flyers to potential employees in the public spaces outside local companies such as Mass Relevance and Facebook in Austin. "Getting your word out is no problem," Baer said. "Targeting specific companies with public campaigns is not appropriate. It's the difference between handing out donuts at Sixth and Congress, where many other similar activities happen, and doing it at Eighth and Brazos across the street from the Mass Relevance and Spredfast office. It's a fuzzy line."
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
2/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal by Kritika Kulshrestha
a year ago
A marketing campaign that touched a few nerves, but made a point Bigcommerce.com's guerrilla marketing campaign in Austin last week started off a debate on social media among top Twitter influencers including Joshua Baer, Scott Francis and Julie Huls.
Tom Berno @tberno
Follow
@JoshuaBaer @jdavis Companies need to remember that that how they act externally forecasts how they treat people internally... #Branding 10:05 AM - 10 Jul 2014 1
Julie Huls @juliehuls
Follow
.@JoshuaBaer "Outsider" inaccurate: 220 employees, 6 execs (1 on @ATCouncil Board) +100 new hires=major community player @Bigcommerce rocks 11:11 AM - 15 Jul 2014 · Houston, TX, United States 3
1
Jonathan Davis @jdavis
Follow
@tberno so @Bigcommerce is: bold, creative, merciless and willing to do crazy things to hit ambitious goals? I think they'd be ok with that 10:25 AM - 10 Jul 2014 1
1
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
3/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal
touch4lunch @touch4lunch
Follow
@jdavis @tberno this was practically an invitation from @JoshuaBaer for a delivery of #donuts @Bigcommerce It worked! 1:19 PM - 12 Jul 2014 1
Tom Berno @tberno
Follow
@jdavis @Bigcommerce No, but I can differentiate stunt from substance; companies with substance don't need stunts to land talent 2:29 PM - 10 Jul 2014
Jonathan Davis @jdavis
Follow
@JoshuaBaer can't argue on the trespassing side. Not classy? Most guerrilla marketing isn't. Given talent shortage, I appreciated the effort 9:51 AM - 10 Jul 2014
Julie Huls @juliehuls
Follow
.@JoshuaBaer No judge @Bigcommerce a major influence, not an outsider. This debate curious for an industry that rewards aggressive behavior 12:34 PM - 15 Jul 2014 · Houston, TX, United States
Scott Francis
Follow @sfrancisatx http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
4/5
1/8/2016
Bigcommerce guerrilla recruiting campaign sparks spirited Austin tech industry debate - Austin Business Journal @sfrancisatx
@juliehuls @JoshuaBaer @Bigcommerce we have a sign on our office that says “no soliciting. seriously. it’s annoying” :) ppl try anyway. 12:45 PM - 15 Jul 2014
Branndon Stewart @BranndonStewart
Follow
@JoshuaBaer- It's nice of them to subsidize the growing snack budgets of the best #ATX #startups. Next time make it @FranklinBbq around 12? 10:04 AM - 10 Jul 2014 3
5
Jonathan Davis @jdavis
Follow
@JoshuaBaer it's clever and bold. And they got their message published. Is there an unwritten rule that makes them wrong? 9:43 AM - 10 Jul 2014 1
Kritika Kulshrestha Staff Writer Austin Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/techflash/2014/07/bigcommerce-guerrilla-recruiting-campaign-sparks.html?s=print
5/5
