Startup Monday: IT Recruiting Firm Finding Growth in Arlington

Editor’s Note: Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.

When technology firms are looking for fresh talent, they often turn to recruiters to find the best and the brightest. A growing IT recruiting firm in town is taking on that challenge.

In true startup fashion, Hatch IT started in a garage in Leesburg, Va. And that humble start was key to their success.

Tim Winkler, CEO of Hatch IT, said, “Given our roots as a bootstrapped startup ourselves, and growing out of a garage, we are able to relate first-hand to many of the key cultural attributes our startup clients are targeting,” adding, “Being able to really understand our clients’ equity plan and communicating those details accordingly can be a make-or-break factor when selling the opportunity to candidates.”

Formerly known as TRW Consulting Services, the company was founded in 2011 based on three main principles. First, that recruiting is underrated and often is overlooked as a key element of a healthy business plan in early-stage startups and small businesses. Second, that recruiting can be outsourced to a true partner. And finally, that recruiting does not have to be overly costly for the startup community.

Winkler said the company’s name and logo — which depicts an egg hatching — are “symbolic of helping startups break out of their shell, and for engineers it sets the stage for fresh new beginnings in an innovative tech startup.”

Hatch is unique from other technology recruiting firms in the area, Winkler said, because of its focus on the technology startup industry.

“Hatch is on a mission to change this preconceived notion of recruiters by only connecting our engineers with opportunities that are 100 percent a fit in terms of tech stack, company culture and career growth,” Winkler said, adding, “What separates Hatch from the hundreds of other recruiting shops in the area is our specialization in the local D.C. tech startup space, specifically in the areas of software development, mobile development and product design.

“When partnering with startups, there is a noticeable difference in understanding the company culture and being able to identify with candidates that will adapt in such a fluid environment.”

When it came to picking a location when they were ready to upgrade their headquarters, Winkler said Arlington was a “no-brainer.”

“We knew Arlington was the perfect location for us given it’s perfectly positioned in the heart of the local startup boom,” Winkler said. “It’s exciting to have our new headquarters in Crystal City, where organizations such as WeWork and 1776, which share a similar vision, are right in your backyard.”