Comment Dummy
aug 03 2007 19:07
-8 Reputation Points

University Culture: The great thing about waterloo is that the companies hire students from UW that are smart for internships and later they get into permanent positons with these companies. After they rise the coorporate ladder over time and they hire people they feel confortable with and that is inevitably the people from UW. Now you have bunch of people who are smart and great thinkers but trained the same thought pattern that is very hard to change (because their prof. said so, their boss undrstands,etc). Then they are biased towards people from other universities. Hence, living in their small little world and thinking that they are perfect. Whereas toronto is multi-cultural and has a Finacial centre to back it up. Every body is a new fish.If they want good people going to Waterloo and want to be the silicon valley of canada they have to understand that they have to support al sorts of innovation and not only their innovation.

Ethan Henry
aug 22 2007 14:31
1 Reputation Point

I have relatives in Waterloo and other small towns around Ontario. There really is a small-town mentality that Toronto is scary or something. My waterloo relatives complain about Toronto traffic when they visit us in spite of the fact that traffic in Waterloo is getting worse every day without any urban planning to handle it. I’ve met people who think that all of Toronto looks like Yonge and Dundas and are surprised that I live in a house that has a lawn (ok, it’s a small lawn).

Also, many small-town people like the vibe of a small sururban town and simply don’t want anything else. The perception is that Toronto isn’t the lifestyle they want. I don’t think it’s true, but the perception is there.

Finally, real estate prices. K/W real estate is still dirt cheap compared to Toronto.

Tim T
sep 20 2007 20:48
7 Reputation Points

Let’s look at the drivers of the two scenarios.

Why would a Toronto tech firm hire a candidate from Waterloo?

For one, the candidate has already acquired the necessary skills and experience (i.e. 3-5 years) in a Waterloo company.

If a candidate has already invested ~3 years at a company to climb the corporate ladder, what is the incentive for him/her to start back at year 0?

The incentive would be a promotion or salary increase. Otherwise, the status quo will remain.

This hiring problem wouldn’t surface if Toronto companies invest and provide training early in the candidate’s career.

As for the other scenario, same argument.

Seniority matters more than novelty.

Trevor Stafford
sep 21 2007 08:14
10 Reputation Points

This is what I understand based on conversations with hiring managers in both KW and Toronto: it doesn’t matter what the incentives are, whether its salary or seniority, people simply won’t pack up and move.

I think Ethan’s response is bang on…there seems to be a resistance (on both sides) to the idea of moving in order to improve career. Americans seems to move from state to state with ease, yet Canadians resist a 100km u-haul trip.

As for the first comment, which suggests that KW may be cloistered in terms of hiring ‘outsiders’...well I’m not so sure, but it may be true for senior people.

Jim Murphy
sep 25 2007 12:16
8 Reputation Points

Living the last 12 years in the states I see the following as a very positive potential outcome:

Waterloo is to Toronto and San Jose is to San Francisco.

Wouldn’t it be nice that Waterloo take on the stature of San Jose, capital of Silicon Valley? Of course young, hip, urbane (often blue haired) techies prefer SF but the affluent, family oriented, “burb types” prefer good schools, nice houses and other quality of life factors.

Of course the bay area gave up its affordability argument years ago but maybe thats an upside for Waterloo too!