The Silicon Valley of the East Coast
About a year ago, I was dating a guy who worked in the sheet metal union here in Rochester. He was working in the Metropolitan building where he was installing all the sheet metal for a company who would be moving into the space. He couldn’t believe what the company had - slides, fully stocked kitchens, an arcade. It was insane to hear about a “Silicon Valley” feel that was coming to Rochester. Once I heard it was Datto, I became low-key obsessed over the company. A year after this, I was able to get a tour of the entire company, and ask all the questions I wanted answered about working here.
In 2018, Datto was named one of Rochester’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For (link). It’s no surprise, I think my jaw was hanging on the floor the entire time I toured. The space they have is beautiful – fully stocked kitchens that are (literally) overflowing with organic fruits and veggies, any and all snacks you would want, cold brew ON TAP, Monster and Red Bull on every floor, free catered lunch every single Friday, arcade games, and even nap pods. You want sparkling water? Well you can pick not only the flavor of it, but how strong the flavor is. Amenities people, there are plenty!
Besides these amazing conveniences for their employees, the company has some pretty epic values. The motto they live by? Ask for forgiveness and not permission. Hi, this is amazing. It challenges their employees to think outside of the box and be creative with their solutions for the company and clients. They also believe in coming together as a team, both during and after work hours. This means Whiskey Wednesday (sign me up), happy hours, and trivia nights. Need a break from the computer screen? They have pool tables, arcade games, and literally any gaming console imaginable.
The majority of the jobs they have don’t even require a specific degree (or any degree for that matter). One of the Senior Engineers at Datto has a Bachelor’s in Psychology, but decided after graduating to take some boot camp classes on networking and programming. Datto’s recruiters saw he had the right skills for the job and contacted him. Now, the psych major is a Senior Engineer for one of the up and coming tech companies in the US. It doesn’t matter about education, it matters about your passion for IT and that you always keep learning. Datto also promotes primarily within - if you show interest and passion for a certain department, the company will help you get to the position or level you are striving for.
Datto’s entry level pay starts between $35K-$45K – much higher than the Rochester average (which is a household average of $30,784/$14.80 an hour), plus, thanks to Start Up New York, they don’t have to pay into state tax for the next few years due to this grant. Datto also pays for employee’s medical benefits, including paying for part of the family plan. Employees get 16 weeks of 100% paid maternity AND paternity leave (which honestly, is very rare to come by). Datto will reimburse up to $300 for anything fitness related (think gym memberships, Apple Watches…). Looking to further your education? Datto will reimburse up to $8K a year for tuition.
It’s no wonder they were named a Rochester Top 100.
Now, with all this information, you’re probably thinking “sign me up” - here are some tips before moving through Datto’s application process.
· Update your resume - if you’ve taken boot camp classes in networking or programming, list every single one. Remember - recruiters look for buzz words, so list all the different programs you know!
· Update your LinkedIn - Datto’s recruiters rely on LinkedIn to find passive candidates (or candidates who aren’t actively looking for a new job, but would be interested in hearing more).
· Do your research - Datto currently has 21 job postings for Rochester. Read each description first to see which one you’re truly interested in. Also, make sure you know the rich history of this company. The founder graduated from RIT, so the Rochester roots are strong!
· Do you know someone who currently works for Datto? The company’s referral rate is 30%!
After you apply, expect Datto to send you an email with two different assessments - one personality, one that will assess your logic, math and verbal skills. Do yourself a favor - read these carefully, and make sure you have at least 15 minutes to yourself to take this. So many people don’t make it past the assessment because they get interrupted in the middle of it. Take your time, it’ll be worth it once you pass!
My time with Datto was pretty epic. Rochester is quickly becoming the Silicon Valley of the East Coast, and it’s really exciting to see all these new companies pop up in the area. Think about what the next 5 years will look like in Rochester - more IT companies, more opportunities, and more way to get connected!
If you’re interested in looking at what jobs Datto currently has open, click here: https://www.datto.com/careers/job-board/?location=Rochester
