There are so many reasons why Vancouver is becoming a world-class tech hub; growing at rapid speed and producing some major talent. If you’re looking to hire very niche and specialized talent for your startup, here are a few practical reasons you should consider making your next Product hire in Vancouver.
Vibrant Tech Scene
In an earlier article, we pointed out all the reasons why we love recruiting in Vancouver. One of those reasons is their vibrant tech scene.
Vancouver is a healthy combination of venture-backed startups and global tech giants who have chosen the city, not just for remote staff, but to put a stake in the ground and claim real estate.
The tech giants are well represented (Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, Facebook, IBM, SAP, Electronic Arts, Salesforce, SLACK), DTC e-commerce brands are abundant (Lululemon, MEC, Article, Saje) and there are many rapidly scaling startups (BookJane, Leankor, ElasticPath).
Having such a concentrated collection of employers in the area is helpful for organizations who need to consider where their next hire might come from. In other words, you have options in Vancouver.
Product Management is a Thing in Vancouver!
One of the practical things we admire about Vancouver’s tech scene is how quickly it came together and organized around Product Management as a function, something even Montreal has struggled to do.
Vancouver is a “resource-rich” community of product management talent. Here are just a few of the wonderful organizations that have popped up in Vancouver:
- ProductBC: a non-profit organization that aims to serve the local community by offering its members access to events, mentorship opportunities, and content so they can learn and grow as product professionals.
- ProductCampVancouver: a premiere (and free!) event for Product Management, Product Marketing, and Marketing professionals to teach to, learn from, and network with each other.
- BrainStation Vancouver: a vibrant community hub offering courses in digital skills training and connecting future leaders with the city’s top employers.
Whether you are a product management veteran who is interested in networking or sharing lessons learned, or determined to pivot your career into Product, there is a platform to help you along your journey.
People Movement
One of the interesting things about Vancouver is that people come from all over, seeking a lifestyle where you can swim in the ocean one day and go skiing in the mountains the next. So it’s no surprise that the pandemic has created the conditions for a large migration of people to the area.
Another contributing factor to the movement of people are the tech giants. Amazon is one such company whose unrelenting efforts to recruit across Ontario has been ‘the talk of the town’ with the caveat that relocation to Vancouver is required.
Pacific Standard Time
Being in the same time zone as those in the Bay area was one of the big draws for the tech giants’ migration up north. It makes inter-office team collaboration much more practical and easy when everyone is working similar hours.
We have also learned when recruiting in this market that many Vancouverites are accustomed to the reality of work-life being impacted by teams or stakeholders located in eastern standard time.
If, for example, you are a Vancouver Product Manager working for a Fintech company whose product is used by banks, be assured they will most likely be doing a morning run at 5 am to be online for 6 am PST, if not earlier. All of this to say, generally Vancouverites have adopted a more flexible and practical approach to team collaboration and being available ‘off-hours’.
Culture
Vancouver is a melting pot; those new to the country, Canadians in search of greener pastures, nature-lovers, university students, and more. One of their biggest universities UBC prides itself on being a globally high-ranking school with a diverse international population and a strong reputation as a research-intensive school.
There are also many accelerators & incubators available for startups and CoWorkingSpaces like HIVE. Vancouver also hosts a yearly Startup Week to connect entrepreneurs, investors, and community leaders to build momentum and opportunity around Vancouver’s unique entrepreneurial identity. There is a rich community focused on helping startups succeed.