Member Spotlight: Purpose Jobs on Michigan’s Growing Tech Community

Tell us about the mission or purpose behind Purpose Jobs. 

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Purpose Jobs is the largest community of purpose-driven professionals. We're on a mission to create a sense of community around workplace culture and belonging. The idea came when traveling around the world. I wanted to create a platform that empowers people to find jobs they will love; a platform that is centered around people, purpose, and community. Today, we help companies from startups to Fortune 500 share their story and attract talent that aligns with their values.

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Tell us your thoughts on Michigan’s growing tech and startup community. What do you think are our biggest strengths and opportunities? Biggest challenges?

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There’s a lot of excitement around Michigan’s growing tech and startup community, but at the same time, a lot of people don’t know about all the opportunities in our state. Michigan is a fantastic place to live with its affordability, variety of lifestyles, and great people. It’s also a great place to work in tech. Startups here offer the same kind of exciting tech jobs without the hassle of moving to the coasts and paying an arm and a leg for rent. Michigan is home to world-class universities that support research and startup entrepreneurship. It’s also home to a very diverse and welcoming startup community and culture. People want to help. We’re passionate about sharing this story because people don’t really know about these opportunities or think of Michigan as a startup and tech state. But it definitely is growing as one, and we’re excited to share these opportunities.

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Do you see any opportunity for more collaboration between Ann Arbor, Detroit or other Midwestern cities? 

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Certainly! The Ann Arbor / Detroit area has often been siloed for a number of reasons. The reality is that Ann Arbor is about the same distance from Detroit as San Francisco is to San Jose. The cities have unique benefits, histories, and cultures, but it benefits everyone when the people in each tech ecosystem work together to uplift the entire region.

We’re big believers that a “rising tide lifts all boats,” so when one region sees success, it benefits other regions. What’s happening in Detroit is happening in Columbus and Indianapolis and Minneapolis. When people start paying attention to these regions and start working together, there’s more knowledge sharing, more resources, more capital, and more opportunities for success. We love working with partners from across the Midwest who are bringing many different people and organizations together to make amazing things happen. 

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Culture is an important part of Purpose Jobs’ platform. From all that you’ve built and observed, what do you think makes a great team culture? What attracts people the most to a team?

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One of the biggest things we see from talent is the demand for flexibility and trust. A company that supports employees with flexible schedules and working locations tend to have higher employee satisfaction. It works when leadership trusts the people it hires to get the job done and also do what they need to do to take care of themselves. A consistent effort to support employees and listen to their needs goes a really long way.

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What plans are you excited for Purpose Jobs in 2024? 

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Growing our reach, getting more companies purpose certified, and sharing more inspiring stories from our community!

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How can the Bamboo community best keep in touch? 

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