RenderATL Conference: Where Innovation Meets Top Talent

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending RenderATL, along with 30 other Zillow employees, and the event did not disappoint! RenderATL is a conference that gathers some of the most talented technical professionals all together to network, hear from company leaders, and celebrate tech culture in Atlanta. It’s meant for professionals at all levels in their careers, and is made up of exactly the type of talent Zillow is trying to reach and make aware of the dynamic career opportunities at our company.

As a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) leader, I’m passionate about connecting historically excluded communities to jobs at Zillow, and RenderATL is the perfect vehicle to meet candidates where they are and open up opportunities. The event attracted more than 3,000 attendees over three days of tech workshops, talks, and social networking opportunities for Black and Brown technical talent.?

Picture it: A packed room filled with aspiring young professionals, eager to learn from one of the most successful leaders in the business.?

Well, that's exactly what happened when our Senior Vice President of Product, Matt Daimler, took the stage to share his insights on leadership and entrepreneurship with Malaika Jabali, Senior News and Politics Editor at Essence. And let me tell you, it was an energized atmosphere. With Matt's wealth of experience building companies and leading technical teams at Zillow – the audience was captivated. Simply put, it was unforgettable!

Moments and spaces like this matter. Unfortunately, professionals from historically excluded groups have so few opportunities to network with leaders like Matt Daimler, and I’m grateful these attendees were able to have this experience. And, I’m even more grateful to work for an organization that engages in events like RenderATL and connect underrepresented communities with opportunities they might not have otherwise had. The fact that Zillow and our senior leaders prioritize showing up in these spaces truly matters as we strive toward a more representative and inclusive workplace.

During the discussion, one key takeaway emerged: Zillow's decision to transition to a cloud-based model in June 2020 had an enormous impact on our company's growth. We went from people in 21 states to employees in nearly every state, and this move alone vastly increased our access to diverse talent across the country. While we've made impressive strides increasing representation in our workforce, we know that the journey is far from over and it’s Zillow’s priority to keep improving. Every spring, we proudly share our data on pay equity, gender, and ethnicity, highlighting the progress we're making towards a more equitable workplace.?

Zillow is committed to uplifting underrepresented talent and making progress towards a more equitable future, and proudly sponsored tickets for our incredible partners, Codeup and CodeHouse, who share the same mission. Codeup's tech bootcamp boasts a talented pool of vets, women, and minorities ready to break into the industry. Meanwhile, CodeHouse concentrates on developing a strong pipeline between underrepresented students and top tech companies, fostering diversity, skill-building, and leadership in the next generation of industry leaders.

A more representative and inclusive workforce is key as we work toward our vision of the housing super app – an ecosystem of connected solutions to help make home a reality for more and more people. To make this happen, our products need to be tested and iterated to ensure they’re the best fit for consumers. A/B testing is a powerful tool that we use to ensure that every feature we release is polished, user-friendly, and optimized for success -- for instance, by making a single word change on our website, we saw a 2-3% increase in engagement! These are the small wins that make big waves.?

We're always on the lookout for talented change makers to join our team and help us drive innovation forward. If you're someone who can start from zero and build something new, or take an existing concept and take it to the next level -- then Zillow is the place for you.

Zillow is committed to breaking down barriers and creating positive change, starting with the work we're doing within our own walls. It's about creating a better future not just for ourselves, but for everyone our business touches and the communities we serve.

If you didn’t get a chance to connect with our Talent team at RenderATL please connect with us on LinkedIn and take a look at our open roles. And if you’re not looking right now stay connected with us via our Talent Network to get early access to events, opportunities, and jobs at Zillow.