The average tech tenure is under two years. But why is it so common for tech professionals to job hop?
It’s a question that these four tech companies have taken the time to contemplate — and answer with stellar benefits and company culture.
Tech provides the unique chance to connect with brilliant developers, collaborate on innovative projects, harness the power of emerging technologies and change the world together. Veteran employees sat down with Built In to share why they’ve called their companies home for so long.
Crunchyroll is an American streaming service with a catalog of Japanese animation and Asian media.
How long have you been with Crunchyroll? What first attracted you to your employer?
I’ve been at Crunchyroll for nearly seven years. I was attracted to Crunchyroll because of my long-running appreciation of anime and Japanese language and literature. I watched my first series, Toei Animation’s The Little Mermaid when I was five years old. I instantly fell in love with animation! I also lived in Japan for several years. Combining my passion and seeing so much potential in Crunchyroll’s social media presence in 2017, I was extremely excited to marry my experience as an agency marketer with my personal appreciation of the artistry and storytelling of the incredible medium of anime.
What makes you stay? How has your role changed during your tenure?
Aside from my personal excitement over being embedded in the anime industry, it is truly the remarkable people that I have worked with. I’ve learned so much from my colleagues and have felt extremely gratified by seeing my team develop into some of the most inspiring marketers and creatives in the global social media space.
While I started as an international social media strategist, I now oversee our entire global social media and editorial presence. During my tenure, many leaders have believed in me and encouraged me to step into my own capabilities as an executive. I am very grateful for that.
What advice would you give to a jobseeker considering a position at Crunchyroll?
I highly recommend that jobseekers write meaningful cover letters and avoid templates. A cover letter is a good opportunity to highlight why the position attracts you and what special qualities you’d bring to the table — such as being an anime fan. Showing this extra effort can make your application stand out from the rest.
“I highly recommend that jobseekers write meaningful cover letters and avoid templates.”
Doximity is a vertical social network for healthcare professionals.
How long have you been with Doximity? What first attracted you to your employer?
I just hit my four-year anniversary at Doximity, and my time here has flown by in the best possible way. Everyone who works at Doximity shares a passion for improving the U.S. Healthcare system — this is something that is really important to me.
Both of my siblings work in healthcare, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the toll that the profession can take on our medical workforce. When I joined Doximity, I was excited by the opportunity to build tools that would improve the lives of healthcare professionals and ultimately have a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.
What makes you stay? How has your role changed during your tenure?
The people who work at Doximity are some of the most humble, talented and curious people I have met. While Doximity is primarily a remote company, we come together every quarter to attend in-person offsites around the country. It’s not uncommon for an offsite hackathon to generate a new feature idea or for a conversation on a hike to turn into an opportunity for transformative mentorship.
“It’s not uncommon for an offsite hackathon to generate a new feature idea or for a conversation on a hike to turn into an opportunity for transformative mentorship.”
Product managers at Doximity are given significant autonomy and ownership over their product domain. When I first joined the company as an associate product manager, I was given meaningful projects to own including responsibilities extending beyond the usual scope of that role. One of the core values at Doximity is setting stretch goals. These can take the form of an ambitious quarterly objective for the team or individual stretch projects that lead to personal growth.
As a product manager, I have worked across multiple products that have ranged from updating and refactoring mature features to growing a product from a small beta to a fully functional feature set. Each of these opportunities has given me rich opportunities for both learning and professional development.
What advice would you give to a jobseeker considering a position at Doximity?
Apply — even if you aren’t sure you check all the boxes. Doximity actively promotes diversity within the workplace. Not everyone here has the same background or a degree in computer science. In fact, you’re more likely to discover that your colleague was formerly a professional harpist or an emergency medicine doctor. While it’s a plus, experience working in healthcare is not a requirement either.
Doximity is a great place for collaboration-oriented and ambitious people. We strive to solve big problems with simple solutions, and we hold ourselves to high standards to ensure each day is a little better than the day before.
Esper offers a software platform designed for Android device deployment and application management.
How long have you been with Esper? What first attracted you to your employer?
I have been at Esper for a little more than two years. I was initially attracted to Esper because of the product-market fit. Esper is the newest device management solution on the market. Since there are always more and more devices everywhere we go, I knew Esper had a bright future. The cloud-based product is a disruptor in the outdated space of device management. What we offer next to those that came before us differs so much that we place ourselves in a completely new and different category of DevOps for Devices. I’ve always been passionate about innovation and efficiency, so Esper and I were a perfect match.
What makes you stay? How has your role changed during your tenure?
Esper's Founders, Yadhu Gopalan and Shiv Sundar, are seasoned leaders in the Android and device realm. Have you ever wanted to use the self-checkout but the kiosk device was down, forcing you to wait in line with dozens of other people? Esper solves exactly this type of situation.
Before I joined Esper, I only had theories about how devices in the wild behaved and could scale. Joining the outbound sales team, I realized how vast the market for managing revenue-generating devices is. 41 percent of companies use Android devices, and thanks to my prior Software Engineering training, I knew these devices depend on the OS to operate at their full potential. This led me to understand the value of working directly with the Original Equipment Manufacturers, which led me to reach out to our COO.
The fact that Esper cultivates a culture where one can directly approach executives spoke volumes to me. I have always seen corporate leaders gatekept by assistants and directors. Esper's leadership is ready to listen and learn. This is a rare quality that I will always value thanks to Esper. I joined Shiv's team as a business development manager to work with Esper's valued OEM Partners.
“Esper's leadership is ready to listen and learn.”
What advice would you give to a jobseeker considering a position at Esper?
Over the course of two years, I’ve seen a lot of people come and go through Esper’s doors. Some came with a lot of corporate experience while others entered straight out of college. The folks who came from big FAANG-type companies did not contribute to the overall success of the business as much as you would expect. The people who thrive at a company like Esper are the ones who are passionate about shaking the tree. These are the people who are self-driven and highly motivated to make a name for themselves. There is no room for entitlement because of where you came from. We work best together when everyone on the team is ready to build from the ground up. There are plenty of growth opportunities if you are proactive and passionate about building processes and driving revenue.
Movable Ink lets clients deliver dynamic content through any email service provider.
How long have you been with Movable Ink? What first attracted you to your employer?
I’ve been with Movable Ink for nearly five years, which is longer than I’ve been with any other employer. Before I found Movable Ink, I was searching for an environment with an emphasis on empathy. This was so hard that I thought I might have to change careers or go back to school.
It was completely disheartening to interview with tech companies just to be met with mostly questions about my “hiring metrics” and “closing tactics” without any mention of candidate experience or inclusive practices.
It all felt very removed from the human-centered experience I needed. I was constantly battling a litany of unprofessional behaviors and pressing hiring teams to think of candidates as actual human beings. Once I met Movable Ink, it was obvious I had finally found a place where my philosophies were both embodied and encouraged. I discussed diversity and inclusion with an SVP during the interview process and later talked more about DEI programs with our CFO. Lasting change has to come from the top, so I saw this access as a critical foundation.
“Once I met Movable Ink, it was obvious I had finally found a place where my philosophies were both embodied and encouraged.”
What makes you stay? How has your role changed during your tenure?
I stay because I’m able to enjoy my work. I think of myself as an expert, but I am also incredibly lucky to be at a company where I actually see and feel the company values of curiosity, empathy and grit on a daily basis. Everyone I work with embodies these principles, and this is something I like to discuss with candidates as well.
Tech hiring is my specialty, and it’s important for me to understand how teams operate. I get to work with teams that are transparent, friendly and modern. They host efficient and relevant interviews during which we simulate the actual role as much as possible so candidates and the team can experience what the partnership would be like. We don’t give pointless algorithm or java tests.
What advice would you give to a jobseeker considering a position at your company?
We hire the best fit for the team’s needs, and I always bring it back to the basics of the role and our company values of curiosity, empathy and grit.
