Developer Spotlight: How Sinuhe Went from HackerX Montreal to Mindgeek Engineer

When Sinuhe Tellez Rivera walked into HackerX Montreal in July 2017, he had a simple goal: collect some business cards and send out his CV. He walked out with something far better—a direct connection to his future team at Mindgeek.

Overcoming the Initial Nerves

“At the beginning, it is normal to feel a little stressed because the format of HackerX is different,” Sinuhe recalls. As a back-end developer specializing in C/C++, Python, and Golang, he was used to traditional application processes. The speed-dating format was new territory.

But something shifted quickly. “After 2 companies, you start to relax,” he explains. “And by the 4th company, you find yourself actually enjoying it.”

More Than Just Contact Collection

What made Sinuhe story remarkable was how his expectations evolved during the event. “Rather than simply collecting contacts to send my CV, I met my future team at the event,” he shares. The face-to-face format allowed him to make a genuine connection that a traditional application never could have achieved.

When asked to describe HackerX in a tweet, Sinuhe offered this memorable take: “It is like the analogic Tinder, for job hunting.”

Advice for Fellow Developers

Drawing from his successful experience, Sinuhe offers practical advice for HackerX attendees:

• Bring friends: “Invite friends to HackerX since you never know when a friend could leave a positive reference to an employer.”
• Network in line: “Talk with the people around you while waiting in line to talk to companies. They are awesome developers who have something interesting to share.”
• Be visible: “You should not be shy and put yourself out there. Even if a company is looking for another kind of programmer, if you say what you are looking for, you never know.”

The Outcome

Sinuhe journey from HackerX attendee to Mindgeek engineer demonstrates the power of face-to-face recruiting. While online applications get lost in the noise, the five-minute conversations at HackerX events create memorable impressions that lead to real opportunities.

For developers considering attending a HackerX event, Sinuhe story offers encouragement: embrace the unique format, stay open to unexpected connections, and remember that the person you meet at the event could become your future colleague.