This is a story about that one time, when I went to a recruitment speed dating... twice.

So, here's the deal: I've never done speed dating for jobs before. I'm not even sure what it was really.

But when an invite to a full-stack recruitment speed dating event landed in my inbox, I was curious. "Why the hell not?" The idea seemed wild enough to try.

The Setup

Ordinary people don't read their spam inbox, but occassionally they do. If only to see what people want from them.

As for me? I like to know what people are selling these days.

That's how Hacker X email invite found me -- just browsing around, not buying anything. Normally, I'd delete it without a second thought, but I had just published my first static site on GitHub. What if it was a reader with a burning question?

The event overview promised 10 to 15 minutes with each recruiter, but in reality, the Hacker X team only gave you 5 minutes.

Honestly, it felt more like 2. Blink, and you missed it.

Expectation vs. Reality

Having slogged through Jakarta's job scene for a few years, my expectations were in the gutter. Real job vacancies? Usually snapped up by someone's cousin's friend. The best gigs? Not even on the radar. Networking events? More like cocktail-fueled BS that never pans out.

Actually, scratch that, we don't even drink at these things. It's just going to be some lame ceremony where people don fancy clothes and mock the jobless masses.

Hacker X seemed legit, so I decided to take a chance on that spammy email I got that day.

I dove in braced for disappointments, but with a tiny flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, something good might come out of it.

The Process

How do these things go? Hell if I know. It's all done via emails, which I totally prefer. Much better than going through the torment of WhatsApp groups or Telegram channels where you're muted and at the mercy of bots.

I mean, who wants to deal with that nonsense? At least with emails I can pretend to be organized while still living my life.

1. A cold invitation

The Hacker X team sent me a personalized invite July, 2017. Initially the event was planned for August 17, which also coincides with Indonesia's independence day, but they then moved it the following week.

I expressed my interest, filled an online form, and got my e-ticket.

2. Re-re-reminders

After they sent the invite. After I read the invite. Again, after I already read it. Another one to confirm my attendance. Then a few days before. A day before. And on D-day, reminders with pointers landed in my inbox. Gotta hand it to the organizers, sending out those email invites, making sure the employers' desks are filled..

3. Intro emails

Supposedly, companies would send introductory emails right before the event. Only a few did. Classic.

Date Night

Imagine this: speed dating for jobs. The idea of getting to know 20 people in one night was right up my alley. Heck, I pride myself in opening at least 25 tabs in one session. It's a free-to-attend date night, but with appointments. Recruiters pay.

The scene was set with big names and emerging start-ups in attendance. These companies were probably hiring all year round and were used to long recruitment processes. It was a mixed bag, but interesting to see who showed up.

Said event started after office hours. Picture this: Someone was always running around telling us where to sit or stand. It was a mess, but kind of fun in a bizarre, crowded way.

Surprisingly, I landed a few interviews. Not entirely sure if it was the event or just sheer luck. After date night, it all boiled down to them sending me links to their job postings. I filled out forms again; waiter for calls from unknown numbers. The usual drill. But hey, a lead is a lead, right?

What's the Catch?

Walking into the setup, I felt a mix of excitement and skepticism. The room buzzed with energy, and I couldn't help but feel a bit giddy, moving from one table to the next. Each conversation was a chance to pitch myself and see if there was a spark.

Some attendees were genuinely interested, while others seemed to be going through the motions. But that's the game, right?

The Haul: What I Walked Away With

• Name tag: Blank sticker. Scribbled my name with a marker.
• List of organizations: Handout with a list of attending recruiters. Still keep it as a memento.
• Name cards: The paper kind. Every recruiter had a pack.
• Presentation: Surprise! Sat through sponsor presentations like ads in a movie theater. Anyone who’s been tricked into attending a multi-level marketing presentation would see how this wasn’t very beneficial.
• Swag: Some were cool enough to hand out notebooks, mugs, or tote bags.

Hacker X night was described on their site as a night for developers, but the job listings were pretty random. Only very few companies that emailed me beforehand seemed to have their act together.

Dinner

After a few chats, it started to feel like a circus. The room felt too big, the speakers too loud, and the companies were too into themselves.

Late in the night, the event organizers started dishing out dinner. Honestly, I wouldn’t have grabbed a bite if I hadn’t been hanging around, eavesdropping on Tokopedia staff chatting about their new HQ’s networking events. The way those pizza boxes were lined up, it felt like the food was only meant for ‘elite’ employees only.

After the chaos of Hacker X Jakarta Night, some recruiters decided to start the chase. Random calls from unknown numbers were a total buzzkill, but a few slick ones actually sent out a heads-up email before hitting me up or setting up a meet. So sweet.

Round Two: Redemption or Rebellion?

After the chaotic mess and directionless first event, the Hacker X crew kept spamming my inbox with their upcoming gigs. Annoying, but kind of gave them props. Made it easier to plan my second speed dating adventure.

From invite to confirmation, it was déjà vu. Except this time, I ditched the old-school resume prints and name cards. Went full digital, handing out links to my online CV.

Round two was way better organized. But chatting with fellow devs, it was clear they were still pretty clueless about what the event was all about and what to expect.

For real networking, though, you’d probably get more out of a regular dev meetup at a local community program. Still, the female dev turnout was low. Maybe 1 in 5 this time, which was an improvement from 1 in 8 the previous year.

But hey, the food and drinks were way better this time. Even the Hacker X crew stepped up their game with a better presentation.

Final Thoughts

Both Hacker X Jakarta nights were all about tech companies, not the developers.

At their first meet-up on 2017, I felt like a circus animal. I had to pull out all the stops to impress them with something flashy about myself: “The greatest show on earth!” Meanwhile, the recruiters just sat back, not having to pitch a damn thing to lure in tech talent.

The second time I went it was a lot better organized, sure. But it felt like a forced speed dating session with no real connections. Everyone was there to sell themselves, but no one was really listening. It was all about the hustle, not the human connection.

Like the first date night, I invited everyone I talked to during the event to connect on LinkedIn. I again managed to score a couple of invites for further testing from Hacker X Jakarta in 2018. And just like before, a few HR folks or recruiting staff reached out after D-day

It feels like jumping through hoops for a digital handshake.

Should You Go?

If you're thinking about going to a Hacker X night out in your city, whether as an attendee or recruiter, and you're okay with meeting random developers who might or might not know what they're doing there, then you'd probably like it. (As for me, I'm not planning to go to a third one.)