When Ian, ZipRecruiter’s CEO, told me that I would be on probation my first few months working here, I was a bit worried.
A month in, I am happy to report that my probation is off to a pretty good start.
I am equally happy to report that I have found an easy place to work.
When I say “easy,” I’m not talking about the work itself or about the expectations here — the work is challenging and the expectations are high.
No, what I mean is that it’s easy to come here each day, easy to enjoy your coworkers, and easy to know you’re part of something worthwhile.
To best demonstrate why it’s such a great place, here are five real quotes from the past month:
“How can we make this better for the users?”
Whether it’s protecting job seekers from scammers or giving employers a new tool to find candidates, everything done here is done to make the ZipRecruiter experience better for our users. The product, not office politics or the chance for a bigger paycheck, is what guides decisions.
“We will never charge job seekers”
Many companies today jeopardize their integrity in order to increase their profit margins. Could we do the same at the expense of our users? Absolutely. Will we? Not a chance. For example, as we continue to seek out partners, there is an automatic disqualifier: those who charge job seekers. As I’ve heard Ian say many times, “We will never charge job seekers because they are the ones who can least afford to pay.” It’s that simple.
“A chance to be the change”
Two nights ago Joe (a co-founder) sent an email out the to team. He suggested that we donate some of this year’s profits to charity for “a chance to be the change.” Maybe I’m wrong (and I hope I am), but I feel like a lot of businesses are wary of spending anything they don’t have to, especially in this economy.
“Excellent job”
There is no shortage of worker appreciation at ZipRecruiter. From the little things to the big things, every member of the team is quick to recognize the good work of others. If something isn’t done quite right, there is never a condescending remark, only a polite request for some fixes (unless you mess up a decorative wall sticker… then you may never hear the end of it).
“Rachel, it’s 5:30. Go home”
When I first met Ward (another co-founder), I asked what hours they typically keep. At the time I wondered why he couldn’t keep a straight face as he said something like, “6 a.m. to 8 p.m.” It is a startup, after all, and startups are known for keeping long hours. At ZipRecruiter, however, the focus is just as much on enjoying life as it is on hard work.
Employee satisfaction and engagement may be hurting worldwide, but that’s not the case in our office. If you’re a leader at your company and want to improve morale, I highly recommend considering the elements above.
With that being said, it’s just about 5:30 p.m. and I should be heading home.
