VanHack‘s mission is to help tech talents from all over the globe improve their career by landing their international dream job. We believe that bridging the gap between growing companies and skilled professionals infuses the tech industry with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Therefore, our team is working hard to create more opportunities for groups traditionally underrepresented in the I.T. market. While we understand that there is still a long way to go towards fairness and equality, we would like to recognize and celebrate the talent and dedication of all the Black tech professionals that have conquered their international dream job with VanHack. In 2021, we helped more than 500 tech talents get hired abroad.
Being inspired by other talented Black tech professionals – How Iyk got hired
We love sharing success stories of remarkable people getting hired because we know much they inspire us to keep working hard. We are also thrilled when these stories nudge other talented tech professionals to join VanHack, and this is exactly what happened to Iyk Azorji, a full-stack developer from Nigeria. He got curious about getting hired abroad after he came across one of your videos…
“I was just in search of a job, and I saw a video on YouTube about a Ghanian who got a relocation job or a relocation opportunity to Germany from VanHack. And I saw that video on YouTube, and it was pretty interesting”.
So Iyk signed up for the Premium Academy, and it did not take long for him to land an international job. He is currently working for a startup based in Vancouver, Canada.
Learn how Iyk got hired and be inspired by his story HERE! 👓
Getting hired abroad – Sarah’s story
Sarah is also from Nigeria. She is a Frontend Engineer who wanted to work abroad to enrich her professional experience. After being part of a Virtual Hiring Event at VanHack, Sarah started her journey to an international career. The hiring process was long and demanding, taking a series of technical and cultural interviews and talks with both the CEO and the CFO of the company. The engineer recalls her happiness and gratitude when she finally got the offer. “I was very happy that my efforts paid off, and I was very grateful to VanHack for giving me this opportunity”. Sarah relocated and is currently living and working in Stockholm, Sweden,
You can hear Sarah’s story on our podcast 🎧
Getting hired and moving to Canada – Susan’s story
Susan is another of our tech talents from Nigeria who got hired and is now living in Canada. She is a Full Stack developer and was looking for an international job to advance her career and learn more. “I wanted to be in a place where there’s a stronger Tech Community”, she explains.
Before joining VanHack, Sarah says it was hard applying for jobs abroad. However, things changed after a hiring event. “We had the opportunity to meet with the companies, and we were able to present ourselves and talk about the experience that we have in one-on-one [conversations], and it [the hiring process] was much faster”.
You can hear Susan’s story on our podcast 🎧
Choosing a more inclusive and tolerant society – How Evaristus got hired abroad
Evaristus now lives in Toronto, but his journey started some years ago with a significant family decision.
“My wife and I had a daughter in 2017. So in 2018, we decided we wanted our daughter to grow up in a more inclusive, more tolerant society. Pretty much, we set our minds for Canada. We tried some other programs that didn’t work for us. Until a friend who was working in VanHack then mentioned it on Twitter. I signed up, and pretty much the process was very smooth for me”.
The Nigerian software engineer says the new life is treating his family well, “my children have a brighter future, my wife is excited to be here, and I, myself, I’m pretty excited to be in Toronto”.
Learn how Evaristus got hired and be inspired by his story HERE. 👓
Moving towards diversity
The tech industry has acknowledged the need to create more opportunities for Black professionals to get hired. However, according to the Diversity in High Tech Report from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the percentage of Black employees in high-tech industries is 7.4%, still below the Black population average in the U.S. which is about 13%. We don’t want to minimize the fact that the I.T. market is still lacking in diversity and equality. However, every success story makes us want to work harder, and we want to light a spark in you as well.
Why We All Should Celebrate Black History Month
An organization called the ASALH led by Harvard-educated historian Carter G. Woodson, was formed back in 1915 to research the achievement of Black Americans and other people of African descent.
The video below featured by HISTORY® is to delve into the history of #BlackHistoryMonth and learn about the champions and heroes who stood up for their rights.
What is your dream job abroad and how can we work together to make it happen?
VANHACK, LinkedIn Talent Awards Winner 2021, is Canada’s most respected recruitment company. With more than 1,500 hires, VanHack is on a mission of increasing diversity and creating a borderless world. So if you are a software developer looking for a job abroad, in Canada, the U.S., or Europe, join VanHack today. 100% free for candidates, plus you will get all the preparation you need when your profile is shortlisted.
Visit www.vanhack.com/candidates to be one of our many VanHackers hired 🙂
For success stories and tips about working in Canada, check out the VanHack Podcast. 🎧
Learn more about Premium Academy.
Check the following events in VanHack.
Diversity in High Tech Report via FORBES.