Tech Jobs in Denver: How to Find Them and Get an Offer

Denver is a top relocation destination. Since 2010, the Mile High City’s population has swelled nearly 20%, with newcomers accounting for most of that increase. Transplants are attracted to the city’s rich mix of urban and rugged living, which offers abundant cultural activities and countless outdoor adventures.

For many, however, Denver’s draw is primarily economic. The city is the cornerstone of an economic boom occurring across Colorado, and although many industries have flourished in the Denver area, the city’s tech scene is particularly prosperous. According to one recent analysis, the tech sector accounts for more than 15% of Denver’s economy, with an estimated impact of $30.6 billion a year. Better still, jobs in this field just keep growing. In 2018, Denver tech companies added over 3,000 new employees.

The companies responsible for this hiring frenzy include a diverse mix of disruptive startups and tech titans. From software development to IT management, many niches are represented within Denver’s tech scene.

If you’re eyeing these opportunities enviously, it’s time to get in on the Denver tech movement. Whether you already reside in Denver or hope to relocate soon, there’s no reason to miss out on a blooming tech scene in a beautiful city. But how can you find tech jobs in Denver – and actually get offered one?

That’s exactly what this article is about. First, we’ll help you assess the opportunities out there by offering a brief overview of Denver’s tech landscape. Next, we’ll show you how to find open tech positions within the city’s industry. Last but not least, we’ll offer tips for standing out in Denver’s competitive tech job market, no matter what your current credentials are.

Ready to land the tech job of your dreams in Denver? Keep reading for key insights and advice.

In many ways, Denver’s tech scene is framed in contrast to the country’s tech mecca, Silicon Valley. Sure, San Francisco and its surrounding areas are teeming with tech businesses, making Denver’s tech sector seem almost quaint in comparison. To many corporations and startups, however, that’s a very, very good thing.

Since 2010, 22 major Bay Area companies have established satellite offices in Denver. These outposts provide clear benefits, including lower overhead costs and access to new pools of talent. There’s also a more intangible sense of alignment. From an appreciation of the great outdoors to offbeat cultural values, Silicon Valley executives see a lot to like in Denver, with much lower costs of doing business.

Accordingly, many of Denver’s most exciting tech jobs are with companies headquartered elsewhere. Amazon, for example, recently created 400 jobs for its new Denver Hub. Facebook and Lyft have Denver offices as well.

That’s not to say that Denver doesn’t have entrepreneurial chops of its own, however. There are plenty of exciting startups with Denver roots, and many of them remain in the Mile High City. The crown jewel of this startup scene may be Galvanize, the buzzed-about coding school that has attracted serious investment in recent years.

No matter how large or small they may be, however, companies love a couple of things about Denver: low corporate tax rates and a lot of recent college graduates to employ. With these factors firmly in place, tech opportunities are likely to keep growing, and you too can find your place in this thriving scene.

The hunt for a tech job in Denver can quickly feel overwhelming, and it’s difficult to know where to start your search. Luckily, there are some tried and true methods for locating great opportunities in this field and city.

LinkedIn can be an essential source of desirable job openings, and many companies recruit candidates directly through the platform. Moreover, LinkedIn can streamline the application process, with a ton of shortcuts to help job seekers find and pursue appropriate positions.

These perks are relevant in any industry, but LinkedIn can be especially beneficial in the tech sector, where the platform is a particularly popular hiring tool. Just make sure your profile is as impressive and up to date as possible, and don’t bomb strangers with unsolicited invitations to connect. Denver’s tech scene can still feel small, and you don’t want to acquire a reputation for desperation.

In addition to digital networking, try making an in-person impression on Denver’s tech community. Pick a tech-centric subject or skill about which you’re passionate, and see if there’s a relevant Meetup group that you can take part in. These groups are usually pretty casual, but they often include hundreds of members. You might make some helpful connections who can clue you in on job opportunities, or at least get constructive advice from current tech professionals.

Conferences are another in-person networking option, although the cost of attending can be considerable. You could start with a low-stakes experiment, such as attending a single event during Denver Startup Week or one seminar at Galvanize.

If you have significant experience in tech or an otherwise impressive resume, professional recruiters are eager to find job opportunities on your behalf. While recruiters operate in several different ways, they generally earn their living by helping companies find talented candidates. That means you won’t pay a penny for their services, even if they help you land the job because your new employer usually pays the recruiter's fee.

If you’re a qualified candidate with an active LinkedIn profile, or have an established reputation in the Denver tech industry, recruiters have probably reached out to you already. But if you’re changing careers or are relatively inexperienced, you may need to reach out to Denver-area recruiting and staffing agencies. They’ll review your credentials and decide if they can aid your cause.

Even in the most forward thinking of industries, a longstanding hiring tradition remains. It helps to know the right people. In fact, a personal leg up can be especially important these days. As the hiring process becomes increasingly automated, it can be hard to attract the attention of a human hiring manager without someone vouching for you first.

If you have a personal connection to a current employee of a leading tech company, don’t be shy about asking for information or an introduction. They may let you know about impending openings before HR is inundated with applications.

Sure, we’re making a shameless plug for our own platform – but we’re proud of the way we’ve helped hundreds of tech workers advance their careers in Denver. We have thousands of freshly added job listings in the city and surrounding areas, plus our search tools let you hone in on the most appealing possibilities. If you’re in search of a Denver tech gig, you don’t want to miss the opportunities we offer.

So you’ve found an appealing opening and are eager to stand out from other applicants. Or maybe you’re still looking but want to bolster your resume in the meantime. How can you ensure that you don’t just find great tech jobs in Denver, but that you actually get one?

There are basic rules that all job seekers should observe, such as keeping your resume up to date and sending a thank-you note after an interview. We’re going to assume you’re already aware of those basics. Here, we want to take a far more specific approach, with tips specifically geared toward the Denver tech scene.

Perhaps more than in most professions, your opportunities in tech are often tied to specific skills. Sure, general technical knowledge is a helpful prerequisite, and you don't want to be a one-trick pony. However, some specific abilities are in such high demand that acquiring them can supercharge your job search.

Certain programs and programming languages are foreign to the average tech professional but crucial to many companies’ key initiatives. Look for specific terms that seem to be recurring in Denver job listings, such as Magento or AutoCAD. Next, search for online courses geared specifically toward those skills. Complete the course, get a certificate, and instantly elevate yourself above the competition.

If you’re trying to break into the tech industry, your employment record may offer little evidence of your technical abilities. How can you show that you’re capable of performing a new role’s requisite tasks?

One powerful method is to apply your skills in a project of your own, whether that is a blog, online portfolio, or entrepreneurial side hustle. Given the tech world’s reverence for independently minded DIY types, your project will be sure to impress. In fact, you may make a better impression than someone coming from an established company because they can’t take full credit for anything they’ve produced.

Clearly, you can’t hope to go far in any hiring process if you don’t understand the company in question. You should make every effort to understand which initiatives you’ll be involved in specifically, so you can make your case accordingly.

For example, Amazon’s Denver office is devoted to software and hardware engineering, cloud computing, and advertising. If you waltz into an interview and describe your passion for transportation and logistics technologies, you’re probably barking up the wrong tree. Similarly, startups often make hiring pushes in conjunction with major projects. See if you can find any news reports of these ambitions, and showcase how your skills could help.

Colorado is home to powerful corporations in many fields, and the Denver area is home to hundreds of thousands of jobs in sectors such as transportation and business services. These companies need workers with technical skills, often in greater numbers than pure tech startups.

If you’re just breaking into the Denver tech scene, consider cutting your teeth in a tech-adjacent industry. Whether you do in-house web development, IT services, or database administration, you’ll get the experience you need to make the leap to a tech firm later.

We hope this article provides both specific advice and a sense of qualified optimism. Ultimately, while finding the perfect tech job may require some trial and error, excellent options are indeed out there.

As you navigate Denver’s fast-moving technology sector, you’ll inevitably encounter competition for appealing positions. Don’t let a few polite rejections dampen your ambitions. Across the city, dozens of other opportunities await. With the information shared in this article, you’re in great shape to stand out from the crowd.

We’re here to help you on your hunt. Joblist is your source for new employment opportunities in tech, or any other field you’re interested in. Whether you’re searching in Denver or another exciting city, we have all the openings you need to see.