As the war for talent rages on, job search hasn’t seen many changes over the course of the past few years. Today’s candidate, particularly in sectors like tech, can be hugely picky about where they want to work. With younger generations increasingly value-driven (rather than money-driven), it has completely changed the way candidates search for jobs. Now companies and recruiters are scrambling — while unfilled vacancies continue to rise throughout large parts of the world.
“How can the experience of moving jobs be so poor? We believe it’s because the industry has prioritised the company filling a vacancy has left candidates feeling like second-class citizens.”
Enter London-based Otta, which aims to flip the script when it comes to job search and candidate experience. “The job you choose is so central to your fulfilment, wealth and relationships”, Otta co-founder and CEO Sam Franklin wrote in a blog. “How can the experience of moving jobs be so poor? We believe it’s because the industry has prioritised the company filling a vacancy has left candidates feeling like second-class citizens.”
‘A candidate-first job search’
Otta works as a matching platform for jobs at tech companies. It helps candidates on their way by giving a full list of transparent information they need in order to make their decision: founder bios, employee reviews, salaries and industry information. “We set out to build a different way to find a job, and we call it candidate-first job search”, Franklin adds.
“We want to support ambitious people to find fulfilment in their jobs.”
“It’s a new category that flips the industry’s dynamics on its head. It’s centred on being fanatical about the candidate Our mission is to become the world’s career champion. This means putting candidates first — not companies. We want to support ambitious people to find fulfilment in their jobs.”
‘We’re just as picky as you are’
For candidates, Otta promises to be just as picky as they are. Moreover: it promises relevant roles only — while offering ‘fluff-free’ job descriptions. “No recruiters, middlemen, or sifting through unsuitable roles”, the website reads. “We cut out the noise, and help you invest energy in the best opportunities. UX gurus, ops rockstars and SQL ninjas are a thing of the past. We break down the jargon to get to what you’ll really be doing.”
“UX gurus, ops rockstars and SQL ninjas are a thing of the past.”
Up next: tech hubs across Europe
So far, the British start-up has been hugely successful in matching people with jobs. Beyond securing a $20 Series A investment led by Tiger Global management, the platform also became the #2 source of hires in the UK for the companies on Otta. “Thousands of people have started new jobs because of our product. We’ve surpassed Glassdoor, Indeed and we’re catching up to LinkedIn quickly!”, Franklin emphatically adds.
“We’ll be using 2022 to go deeper in the US, where we’ve already had strong traction, and next up are the tech hubs across Europe.”
The company recently expanded to the US market, where it is already seeing ‘considerably more’ applications than in the UK. “In addition to product development, we’ll be pushing the accelerator on scale”, Franklin says. “We’ll be using 2022 to go deeper in the US, where we’ve already had strong traction, and next up are the tech hubs across Europe.”
