When I was a kid, there were a few things I could always count on.
First, that I was never going to play in the NBA. Just wasn’t in the genetic cards. Second, that my mom — who worked full-time — would always be home when my brother and I walked in the door from school. She never missed a day. And third, that my dad — who ran his own law firm and worked a lot of 12+ hour days — would always come into our room before bed and tell us that he was proud of us.
Oh, and one more: That my mom — as my dad was sneaking into our room — would almost always yell at him not to wake us up.
I share that because I think it might give you some perspective on how I think about “work.”
Both of my parents worked — and worked hard — but they didn’t let it get in the way of the rest of their life. They made sure that when they were working, their time was spent as efficiently as possible because their ultimate goal was always to be present with their children. That aspect of life was super meaningful for them, so they found jobs and careers that allowed them to do so.
Our Core Values (and Why They Exist)
Now, it’s important to point out that my parents’ ideal was my parents’ ideal — not everyone’s ideal. Some people have different aspirations or visions for their life. They have different ways of working, different family dynamics, and different career motivations.
Simply put: My values aren’t your values and that’s perfectly OK.
That said, I firmly believe that when companies are built today, the people who join them want to know what those companies’ brands represent. That’s because people want to work with companies that, in some way, share their value sets.
So, when we started thinking about purpose.jobs' core values — the things we believe in and stand for — we tried to think about it in context of the brand we wanted to build. If this company is successful and hangs around for the next 10+ years, what do we want our workplace to look like? What will a “job” allow our employees — and our company — to do? And how will our culture empower people to make a difference in the world?
With that in mind, here are our core values, along with a brief summary of our motivation for creating them:
1. Be Timeless
Making connections between great people and great companies will never go out of style. Neither will making money.
One thing that’s absolutely timeless: Profitability. That might sound cold, but the reality is that bankrupt companies can’t make a difference in the world. So, as we build purpose.jobs, we’ll be focused on building a business that’s sustainable and meaningful. This starts with the products we build and the service we deliver to customers, but it extends to our infrastructure, pricing models, and product design. Everything we do will be driven by the goal of building a lasting, impactful business.
2. Be Simple
No one ever wished that a product was harder to use. And very few people prefer complexity and mass, when simplicity is the alternative.
We’re going to double down on being simple and straightforward. I believe we can undercut competition with less features and less questions. I believe when companies have fewer processes and rules, their people can move faster and be more agile. And I believe when employees know that their employer cares about one thing (productivity) they feel empowered to get their work done quickly and intelligently — when and wherever the hell they want.
3. Be Focused
The tech community is obsessed with becoming a unicorn. We’ll be obsessed with growing intelligently.
I think there’s an advantage to being small and nimble. When you’re smaller, you’re closer to your customers and you can focus on being the absolute best at the specific thing you set out to build. Harvard University and Patagonia are great examples of this. They didn’t chase scale for the sake of scale. They focused on being the absolute best at what they do. We’re going to do the same.
4. Be Human
People today don’t want to be sold to. They want to hear, read, and engage with real, personable people. We believe helping is the new selling.
This is a pretty easy one for me. I value real, authentic people who are capable of building relationships with other real, well-rounded people. When you’re being you, your competition can’t copy or steal that. If they try to, they’ll fail. This value will influence everything we do — from how we market, to how we help, to how we build products, to how we pick talent and the companies we work with. The goal will always be to pair unique people with unique opportunities, and create connections that we’re proud of.
5. Be Impactful
Work isn’t about the amount of time spent doing something. It’s about the quality of the end product — the results of the work and the impact it has on the company, customers or community.
Our goal, very simply, is to invest time and resources into things that drive impact — for the business, for our customers, and for the world around us. At the end of the day, our time on this planet is limited. So, let’s focus on doing something meaningful. Let’s help people live better lives, find better jobs, and positively influence the future. Let’s put a dent in the universe. And let’s do it in the smartest, most impactful ways possible.
Live It or Leave It
I’ll close this post with a simple promise: This company will live these core values.
Too often, companies create value statements that sound nice on paper, but that’s as far as it goes. Either the company’s culture or structure aren’t set up to support those values, or the founders never really believed in them in the first place. They just believed in the idea of them.
That won’t be purpose.jobs.
Everything we do and every decision we make will be driven by these core values. And if you ever get the sense that we’re not following through on that promise, I fully expect you to call me out on it.
Want to work at a job that aligns with your values? We can help with that.
