Tech hiring in the age of COVID-19; Surface Earbuds; Gates Foundation CEO

COVID-19 has upended the tech startup hiring market: There used to be more jobs than talent, but the situation has flipped in the face of business challenges from COVID-19. Tech giants and startups who are hiring now find they can pick from the cream of the crop. We've been looking into who's hiring, and what it's like to hire and onboard new employees remotely. Plus, how Silicon Valley's cutbacks could impact the Seattle tech market. They’re almost here! The much-anticipated Microsoft Surface Earbuds have a release date. Were they worth the wait? Someone on our podcast is hoping the $199 earbuds will be a game changer. Microsoft has a very good reason for making flashy new hardware like the earbuds. Mark Suzman, the new Gates Foundation CEO, discusses the foundation’s efforts to fight COVID-19, whether we’ll see a vaccine and when. In a highlight from his exclusive conversation with GeekWire members this week, he talks about how the quest for a COVID-19 vaccine compares to HIV/AIDS and the challenges the Gates Foundation faces in dealing with the virus. Read more. GeekWire’s next members-only virtual event, focusing on the future of the workplace, is scheduled for May 14. For more information about the exclusive event and other benefits and perks, sign up for a pass via GeekWire’s membership webpage. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and John Cook. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell. Follow @geekwire for updates. Send us a news tip. Share our newsletter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.