8 .73 million.
That’s how many job openings the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says were left unfilled at the end of October.
Economists say inflation is down and the job market is stronger than expected. So where does this leave jobseekers? If you’re looking to enter a new field, shift to a new title or take on new responsibilities, now might be the time to consider a move. As the calendar flips from 2023 to 2024, we talked with four pros from companies that are looking to expand their teams in the new year.
Read on to find out if one of their employers is a good fit for you.
GrayMatter Robotics creates solutions that help humans complete repetitive and challenging tasks.
Describe your company culture in one word or phrase. What made you pick that word/phrase? Provide a specific, real-life example of how that word/phrase exemplifies your team and culture.
When we run our projects, we involve operators and floor supervisors in the design and development phases to ensure our solutions are valuable to them. We once had our application team insist on refining a solution confidently provided by customer leadership and engagement. Those working in application wanted to secure buy-in from floor operators after recognizing the profound impact on their daily lives. GrayMatter embodies high standards of product development, and we create solutions to empower manufacturing people.
“GrayMatter embodies high standards of product development, and we create solutions to empower manufacturing people.”
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I’ve been at the company since July 2023. Since then, I’ve led eight projects and have had full autonomy to define the company’s project operations. The team has been incredibly supportive, helpful and welcoming to any direction or process I introduce. While I have developed processes in the past, this is my first opportunity to really impact more than just my own team’s scope. I’ve been able to define communication standards for various levels in the organization, introduce deliverables that enforce clear accountability and communication to all levels and drive clarity towards customer-facing interactions. The impact of my learnings applied at GrayMatter is instant thanks to our team’s willingness to adopt and try new ways of work.
Cityblock Health addresses the root causes of health for underserved urban populations.
Describe your company culture in one word or phrase. Why did you pick it?
At Cityblock, we’re dedicated to serving our members and have built a culture anchored on a “be all in'' mindset. This translates into everything we do – both the work and how we approach it. I’ve been in the medical field for over 15 years, and one of the things that is constant is change. This is true at Cityblock, but there’s something unique that propels the team beyond limits. We foster an environment where individuals can contribute their expertise and express their genuine selves. That means contributing their creativity, grit and unwavering belief in Cityblock’s mission as we problem solve and work to make healthcare better for our members.
I’ve experienced this in cross-functional meetings with peers as we look to create a great onboarding experience for our new markets. We innovate and collaborate as we pursue excellence together. We embrace challenges as opportunities, learn from failures and celebrate victories as a united team.
“We embrace challenges as opportunities, learn from failures and celebrate victories as a united team.”
What's the coolest project you've worked on recently, and how did it help you grow professionally?
I have the opportunity to work on many projects with talented Cityfolx every day. The most memorable was building a learning and growth governance board.
The process of selecting and collaborating with experts from various domains offered an invaluable opportunity to broaden my own horizons and deepen their understanding of different facets of learning and development. Engaging with board members became a masterclass in leadership and adaptability. I look forward to navigating diverse opinions, incorporating innovative strategies and weaving a cohesive narrative that aligns with Cityblock’s objectives. This can provide a catalyst for my own ongoing education as I foster adaptability, resilience and a sophisticated understanding of the evolving landscape of professional development.
Enova International is a technology and analytics company that provides online financial services and credit access to non-prime consumers and small businesses. It offers financing products such as short-term loans, line of credit accounts, installment loans and receivables purchase agreements.
Describe your company culture in one word. What made you pick that word?
Vibrant.
At Enova, we host several events throughout the year to celebrate our diverse cultures, traditions and perspectives. This year, one of our DEI affinity group leaders proposed new Culture Conversations. These Culture Conversations have been implemented to further enhance the celebration of our differences through focused panel discussions. Each quarter, we collaborate across all our affinity groups to provide a broad perspective on various topics and questions. These conversations are available to everyone in the company, and we aim to continue growing our already engaged culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion. We want all individuals to feel valued and empowered to share their unique experiences, perspectives and backgrounds.
“We want all individuals to feel valued and empowered to share their unique experiences, perspectives and backgrounds.”
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I joined Enova in July of 2022. The professional growth and development I’ve seen has been centered around a refreshed focus on developing talent within our company. Since I joined, my team launched a new emerging talent program that supports the development of tenured high-potential team members. These development programs consist of one cohort for people managers, one for hybrid individual contributors and one for remote individual contributors.
The results are noticeable. Program participants have provided high satisfaction scores, and we have also seen overall improved engagement scores from our bi-annual employee opinion survey.
EnterpriseDB (EDB) is an open source-based data platform.
Describe your company culture in one word. What made you pick that word? Provide a specific, real-life example of how that word exemplifies your team and culture.
Family.
We have many teams of people responsible for a variety of tasks required to help our customers be successful in all of the initiatives they partner with EDB for. Our jobs demand a significant amount of focus and energy that can be taxing on the mind and emotions. I've worked at other companies where this leads to toxic relationships as people treat each other as a means to an end. This is not the case at EDB.
We have so many wonderful people who give everything they can to this company while still maintaining very healthy connections. There's a sense of genuine care present in relationships and interactions. People go out of their way to help each other here because we all want our colleagues to succeed.
“People go out of their way to help each other here because we all want our colleagues to succeed.”
Our conversations and interactions are not robotic in nature, and we discuss more than work! We’ve built a community of people who know about each other's families, hobbies, goals and passions. Genuinely caring for each other at this level makes it natural for us to go above and beyond for one another. This drives the best results for our company and our customers.
How long have you been with the company, and what professional growth or development have you seen in that time?
I have been with EDB for nearly two years. As a leader, I have immense satisfaction in helping people grow in their roles both personally and professionally. My team includes very talented individuals who embody our team motto of humble, hungry and smart. They all have strengths and development opportunities, but no two individuals are the exact same. Each member of the team invests in the other so their strengths are multiplied.
As an example, I have sellers who are excellent at building customer relationships but struggle with customer strategy. I have others who are strong strategic thinkers but could improve in building quality relationships with their customers. Everyone in this situation has something to give and something to gain. We make sure to collaborate often so we can all grow as we learn from each other. Being able to influence and foster a culture where everyone has an upward trajectory is extremely rewarding.
