SYMTERRA - MAKING AN IMPACT THROUGH HIRING

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - SOCIAL IMPACT & TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

When SymTerra set out to expand their team by hiring an additional developer, the biggest obstacle wasn’t just time zone differences or technical abilities, but rather finding someone with the right startup mentality. Through Gaza Sky Geeks’ talent matching team, SymTerra founders Sarah and John were introduced to junior full stack developer Amr - and they were beyond impressed. So much so that SymTerra now is looking to hire two more developers from the pool of Gaza Sky Geeks talent to support their expansion.?

CODING YOUR WAY TO A BETTER FUTURE

Gaza Sky Geeks’ Talent Matching team matches top-tier Palestinian tech talent with startups and established companies around the globe. Gaza Sky Geeks, a program of Mercy Corps founded in partnership with Google, is the first tech hub providing quality tech education to motivated youth across all of Palestine. With a mantra of remote-first, Gaza Sky Geeks is at the very forefront of the changing landscape of tech recruitment, on the mission to secure quality remote employment opportunities through coding and freelancing.

SYMTERRA - A TECH STARTUP FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

With 25 years of combined experience in the field of construction, SymTerra-founders Sarah Crawley and John Ryan recognized a massive gap in the market. With the majority of construction tech delivery platforms being designed with a top-down approach, tech solutions available in the market did not serve the actual needs of its users on the ground.? Sarah and John had been finding it hard to find the right person to join the team and help them expand the application.?

MAKING A GREATER IMPACT THROUGH HIRING

It was during this time that SymTerra first heard about Gaza Sky Geeks. Through Google For Startups, SymTerra connected with the Talent Matching Team and quickly recognized the opportunity to fulfill their hiring needs while making an impact.?

“I never thought of Palestine as a place where I could meet and hire tech talent until I was introduced to Gaza Sky Geeks. Working with tens of recruitment agencies, I can say that Gaza Sky Geeks are honest, upfront, have a social value, and are driven by genuine passion.”

Through Gaza Sky Geeks, Sarah and John were introduced to several developers matching both the technical requirements and startup mentality SymTerra was searching for. Amongst these were longtime Gaza Sky Geeks community member and Freelance Academy alumni, Amr Abdallatif - a 25-year-old computer engineering grad from Gaza. It turned out to be a match made in heaven:?

“When we interviewed Amr, he was so articulate and organized. The interview was scheduled for 45 minutes but we enjoyed it so much that it lasted 90 minutes - we just loved him!”

AMONGST THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD - NOT JUST IN GAZA

Amr describes himself as ambitious, driven, and somewhat restless. With a hunger for learning and continuous self-improvement, the young Gazan started his journey at Gaza Sky Geeks in 2017 when he joined the Freelance Academy. With a background in coding, Amr was thrilled to find himself surrounded by like-minded people and quickly found himself deeply integrated into the community:?

“To me, the whole point of Gaza Sky Geeks is to bring together tech enthusiasts, so they can help each other improve, share opportunities, and grow. It really is the home of a wholesome, supportive community.”?

When reflecting on what drives him, Amr passionately describes his ambitions to become a top software developer. But to truly understand Amr’s drive to succeed, you need to take a closer look at his home and upbringing. Admiring his father and referring to him as his main role model, Amr describes how witnessing his father’s hard work and rising above a modest upbringing in difficult surroundings is a continuous source of inspiration:?

“I have always wanted to build a future for myself that would be at least somewhat comparable to my father’s achievements. He did not have an easy life, but having secured both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in the US - he is now a professor at the Islamic University of Gaza. Because of him I have always wanted to study and work with people from abroad - and learn as much as possible!”

DRIVING CHANGE AND PURSUING PASSION

During the final interview, Amr had been tasked with presenting an app he had built for SymTerra. Sarah and John were impressed with Amr’s technical abilities and the well-designed backend deployed using AWS. However, it was Amr’s personality, attitude, and immense drive and commitment to finding solutions that ultimately sealed the deal, and SymTerra swiftly made Amr an offer to join the team working remotely from Gaza.

After starting the job at SymTerra in May, Amr has been accepted to The University of St Andrews in Scotland. Recognizing Amr’s hard work and the significance of the opportunity, Amr moved to a part-time role so he could pursue his studies while being in closer proximity to Sarah and John - and continue their great work together. Amr describes SymTerra as a safe, nurturing workplace where colleagues become friends - and failure is part of the journey to achieve great results. Being part of the solution to real-world problems and immediately seeing the result of completed work is a great thrill to Amr, but it is the passion of Sarah and John that he finds truly motivating:

“I don’t want to do a job just to get paid. A strict 9-5 mentality without passion never suited me!”

PAINLESS AND EASY HIRING

SymTerra is now looking to hire two more developers from the Gaza Sky Geeks’ talent pool in order to support their business expansion. For Sarah and John, Palestinian tech talent is not only a competitive solution for helping them grow their business - it also provides the opportunity to diversify their team.?

“Throughout the entire process, I have felt supported. The Talent Matching Team has been ready to listen, recommend, engage, and support us to find the right candidate, and our experience with them has simply been painless, easy, and friendly. Even my concerns about money exchange have been addressed, and the service provided by Gaza Sky Geeks has exceeded my expectations. I would advise all companies to consider Gaza Sky Geeks if they are looking for tech talent.”

Gaza Sky Geeks is a program of Mercy Corps established in partnership with Google in 2011. Committed to providing remote-first, digital employment opportunities for talented, Palestinian youth, Gaza Sky Geeks’ Talent Matching Team connects startups worldwide with the very best junior, full-stack coders vetted through the GSG Coding Academy.

To hire brilliant developers like Amr, reach out to the GSG Talent Matching Team through: www.gazaskygeeks.com/talent? ?