Parts of 2023 have felt as frustrating, challenging and unassured as the decades-long Big Dig.
Many in the tech industry have been eagerly awaiting an end to uncertainty and disruptions. But there is some good news and reason to be optimistic about the future.
Following months of headline-making layoffs and economic uncertainty, tech professionals are more sought after than at any point this year.
According to CompTIA analysis of April’s employment data, job postings in the tech sector have topped 300,000 for the first time this year, which hasn’t happened since October 2022. Meanwhile, companies in the industry added nearly 19,000 workers to their rosters in April, with Boston ranking sixth amongst top metropolitan areas for tech job postings.
While the report was not without its less positive aspects (across the country, tech occupations declined by 99,000), it’s still a welcome move in the right direction and provides hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is finally drawing near.
As growing local companies search for fresh talent to come on board, Built In Boston spoke to existing team members about why they joined their companies, their biggest successes and what opportunities await new hires.
Cohere Health’s intelligent prior authorization and clinical intelligence solutions are tailored to each plan’s needs and leverage AI, machine learning, clinical expertise and real-time analytics.
Think back to first joining the team. What drew you to Cohere Health? How have your expectations been met since coming aboard?
I was initially drawn to Cohere Health due to its inspiring mission to improve healthcare experiences for everyone and the dynamic and close-knit culture of a startup. I resonated with the company’s values and believed that I could make a meaningful contribution toward achieving the mission.
Having been a part of Cohere Health for some time now, I can confidently say that my expectations have been surpassed. The team’s passion for and commitment to enhancing healthcare is evident in their day-to-day work. Cohere Health has managed to maintain its startup culture even as it continues to grow, allowing for a collaborative and supportive environment where everyone’s opinions are valued.
I can confidently say that my expectations have been surpassed. The team’s passion for and commitment to enhancing healthcare is evident in their day-to-day work.”
The company’s focus on innovation and quality is reflected in the work we do, and I am proud to be a part of a team that is dedicated to making a positive impact on people’s lives. In summary, joining Cohere Health has been an excellent decision, and I look forward to contributing to the company’s continued success and growth.
What’s been your biggest success story since joining the team?
During my tenure with the team, I’ve been fortunate to have several successes, but the biggest one has been the significant growth and development of both my own career and my team’s. I’m proud to say that I was promoted to the role of engineering manager. As a manager, I had the opportunity to mentor co-ops in my team, which was immensely satisfying for me. Through my guidance and support, I helped two of the co-ops transition into full-time software engineer roles, which was a huge accomplishment for both the co-ops and me.
Additionally, I’m pleased to have helped two software engineers on my team to achieve a promotion to software engineer II and prepare for a senior software engineering role. By providing them with guidance, support and resources, I helped them build their skills, gain confidence and develop their leadership abilities. Seeing their progress and growth over time has been incredibly gratifying, and I’m proud to have played a part in their success.
Overall, my biggest success has been the growth and development of both myself and my team. By continuously striving to improve, learn and support one another, we have achieved a great deal of success together.
Your company is currently hiring for a handful of roles. How can new hires make an immediate impact at the company?
In addition to having strong technical skills, new hires can make an immediate impact by embracing a collaborative mindset and actively engaging with their team. Sharing ideas and asking questions can be particularly effective ways to contribute to the team’s success.
By sharing their ideas, new hires can help the team to learn and grow together. Every team member brings a unique perspective, and by encouraging everyone to share their thoughts, we can create a more innovative and dynamic work environment. This can help spark new ideas, generate creative solutions, and ultimately drive better results for our company.
Similarly, asking questions can be an effective way to deepen our knowledge and understanding of a particular task or feature. By asking why we are implementing a certain feature, new hires can gain a better understanding of the overall project goals and how their work fits into the larger picture. This helps ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and can also foster better communication and collaboration among team members.
Healthtech company eClinical Solutions’ goal is to accelerate clinical research and help bring new treatments to patients faster. The company’s elluminate cloud-based platform modernizes and automates the clinical data workflow.
Think back to first joining the team. What drew you to eClinical Solutions? How have your expectations been met since coming aboard?
When I joined the team, I was drawn to the company’s focus on life sciences and building cutting-edge products. The opportunity to address clinical development challenges using AI- and ML-powered solutions was appealing. Being part of a team exploring the intersection of AI, ML and life sciences aligned perfectly with my interests. The autonomy to shape product development roadmaps and define success metrics was also attractive.
Since joining, my expectations have been exceeded. The company’s commitment to AI and ML initiatives provides ample opportunities to implement cutting-edge technologies. The VP of product management and the CEO have been great mentors. The company’s emphasis on customer-centric solutions ensures our products meet market needs. Overall, the experience has been fulfilling, and I look forward to contributing to elluminate and driving innovation in clinical trials through AI and ML.
The company’s commitment to AI and ML initiatives provides ample opportunities to implement cutting-edge technologies.”
What’s been your biggest success story since joining the team?
One of my significant achievements since joining the team has been the successful development and implementation of eIQ Review, an AI-enabled data review module integrated within the elluminate Clinical Data Cloud’s data management workbench, Data Central. This module revolutionized the data review and analysis process for our internal eClinical biometrics services team. By harnessing machine learning techniques, we automated and streamlined data review, resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and data quality throughout the clinical trial lifecycle.
Additionally, I take pride in establishing a dedicated SCRUM team focused on building these innovative ML solutions. This cross-functional team, comprising data scientists, engineers and domain experts, played a crucial role in driving the development of eIQ Review and other AI-powered features. Their collaboration and expertise ensured that we stayed at the forefront of AI and ML advancements in the life sciences industry, continually enhancing our product offerings.
Both of these were possible due to the fantastic team we have built here at eClinical Solution!
Your company is currently hiring for a handful of roles. How can new hires make an immediate impact at the company?
New hires can make an immediate impact at eCS by following these strategies:
- Embrace learning: New hires should have a curiosity to learn about our products and the industry. By seeking knowledge, asking questions and engaging with colleagues, they can quickly gain context and contribute effectively.
- Identify improvement opportunities: New hires bring fresh perspectives. By identifying areas for improvement and proposing innovative solutions, they can streamline processes, enhance products and improve customer experiences.
- Seek feedback: Actively seeking and acting on feedback helps new hires improve. By listening to input, embracing criticism and implementing suggestions, they can quickly refine their skills and positively impact the company.
Lastly, be excited to contribute to a technology and company that is on a mission to help get drugs to patients who need them faster!
Hi Marley is a digital communications platform and SaaS application that is on a mission to transform the insurance industry.
Think back to first joining the team. What drew you to Hi Marley? How have your expectations been met since coming aboard?
I have never been at a company that embodies and hires for their values as effectively as Hi Marley. I see humility, collaboration, taking measured risks and showing maximum courage every day, and my team encourages me to do the same. These were the values that drew me to Hi Marley, and they are why I stay. Hi Marley is incredibly open internally with bi-weekly all-company meetings where we share how we’re doing. We talk about wins and share best practices. But things aren’t always easy at a growing company, so we also discuss difficult topics. When challenges arise, Hi Marley’s leadership is courageous, openly communicates with us and does not hide anything or sweep things under the rug; that’s something I have never experienced before.
What’s been your biggest success story since joining the team?
I’m responsible for leading the onboarding process, educating new and existing customers about our product and how it can bring them the most value. I was hired into a newly created role on a newly formed team at Hi Marley, which allowed me to dive in, take ownership and get a lot of immediate, hands-on experience. I was recently promoted from associate onboarding specialist to onboarding specialist. I attribute this accomplishment to a combination of many small personal, team and company successes, my passion for educating people and the support I received from others.
In my first 10 months at Hi Marley, the company paid for me to become certified in the tools we use for onboarding and education. I was given the authority to refresh our materials to make them scalable for a growing SaaS company. I went from one-on-one instruction to conducting trainings for groups of up to 200 people at once. That hands-on experience, trust and financial enablement all came together to help me advance in my role and ultimately for the betterment of Hi Marley.
Hands-on experience, trust and financial enablement all came together to help me advance in my role and ultimately for the betterment of Hi Marley.”
Your company is currently hiring for a handful of roles. How can new hires make an immediate impact at the company?
Hi Marley, as a startup, is an agile company. We have to be persistent and work hard toward our goals. But we also have to adapt to new opportunities and changing customer needs, so we are always focused on solving the most important problems. My advice for new hires looking to make an impact is to listen well but not be afraid to speak up. You were hired because you are a good fit for the company and have valuable skills and perspectives to add.
Hi Marley gives me opportunities to be involved in leadership conversations, quarterly planning and large company conversations. I was in a product development sprint review on day two. And I’m regularly in roundtables and Zoom calls with executives, VPs and Directors — people with so much experience and authority, and they genuinely ask for my feedback and input. For someone like me who is early in their career, having open doors to intelligent people willing to engage with me in a conversation and affirm my growth and professional development, there’s absolutely no better job experience.
