Just because it’s a job-seekers market doesn’t mean companies will hire anyone who submits a resume and takes a phone call. This is especially true in Los Angeles, which is home to many companies that need to hire top talent to hit their big growth goals. So, the natural question is: what do these companies want in a candidate?
Two words: intangible skills.
For example, Daniel Bay, VP of people at GOAT Group, looks for candidates who are passionate about their work and know what they’d like to accomplish at the company. SmartFinancial’s leadership team places an emphasis on not micromanaging employees, which means candidates with experience working autonomously are the ones who stand out. Josh Kaufman, VP of production at Lemonlight, seeks out creatives looking to reimagine how video content is created.
L.A. tech’s focus on intangibles in recruiting means there’s plenty of opportunities to start or change careers or move into a leadership role. Continue reading to learn more about the intangibles GOAT Group, SmartFinancial, Lemonlight and other local companies look for in candidates from the people there who do the hiring.
What they do: GOAT Group is an apparel and sneaker marketplace offering both new and vintage pieces.
Why did you first apply to join GOAT Group, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
I was looking to join an innovative company that was growing significantly, gave employees the chance to help build it from the ground up and offered accelerated learning and individual growth opportunities. Throughout my time at GOAT Group, our team has continued to exceed business goals and milestones, and as a result there have been many opportunities for the team and myself to take on bigger and better challenges as we continue to grow.
At GOAT Group, we strike the right balance and retain the best parts of being a dynamic, fast-growing technology company while also understanding the areas we need to invest in as we scale our business. It has been amazing to see our teams continue to grow and evolve over time to meet the moment.
There is no shortage of opportunities here.”
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at GOAT Group?
One of my favorite cultural values at GOAT Group is “passion.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that candidates must have a passion for sneakers or fashion, though it doesn’t hurt. What we want is for them to have a passion for what they do. I also look for individuals who know what they want to experience here, whether it’s something specific they want to learn or work on and/or develop.
There is no shortage of opportunities here. We are solving new challenges unique to GOAT Group that require our teams to be innovative in their approach. No one person will have all the answers, and as a result we foster an environment where all voices and ideas are encouraged and heard, which leads us to innovative results.
What they do: Lemonlight is a performance-driven video production company, making it easy for businesses to create content that engages and converts customers.
Why did you first apply to join Lemonlight?
I moved to L.A. from Chicago and was interested in Lemonlight’s story and how they were building a massive footprint. I give credit to Lemonlight for seeing my potential and pulling me out of dozens of resumes for a producer role and realizing quickly they had someone who could fill a bigger role. The process was quick, organized and I understood every step of it. Too often candidates submit a resume or have a call about a role and never hear back. Lemonlight was not only truthful in this process but also let me know my status at every step.
Lemonlight is currently in rapid expansion mode, and our hiring process is designed to constantly move people through and identify those we think can help grow the company.
I want talent with a thirst to create and innovate.”
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at Lemonlight?
When it comes to finding the right talent for Lemonlight, we always turn to our core values, and one of my favorite values for all production talent is “create and innovate.” I want talent with a thirst to create and innovate. We are looking to transform the video production industry. And while our founders have laid out the vision for this transformation, we’ll only accomplish it with team members eager to create amazing content.
When reviewing resumes or asking interview questions, I am always trying to find out if that person wants to be on the frontline of change. This leads to our motto as a company: be happy, humble and hungry. I want talent hungry to learn and lead, happy to come into the office and face the next challenge, and humble enough to help co-workers.
What they do: SmartFinancial is an insurance marketplace where consumers can purchase coverage for their home, business, autos and more.
Why did you first apply to join SmartFinancial, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
I was not actively searching for a new role when a SmartFinancial recruiter asked me if I would be interested in the open director of SEO position. Everyone I spoke to at SmartFinancial had a really positive energy, which was contagious. I knew it was going to be a great fit: the role, the people, the leadership – all of it.
My experience only grew more positive after I entrenched myself in the role and learned more about the company. I have begun several initiatives to help SmartFinancial reach its goals, and the same positive energy and excitement is there when I work cross functionally. I am always amazed at the speed in which the work gets done.
I have also had the opportunity to hire and expand my team, and it has really been a rewarding experience. I love the amount of trust leadership puts in the professionals at this company to get the job done.
I knew it was going to be a great fit: the role, the people, the leadership – all of it.’’
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at SmartFinancial?
My philosophy is that you can train anyone to do a certain job, but there are certain things you simply can’t teach. When I am interviewing candidates, of course I look for relevant experience in the field of SEO, but most of the time that is not what gets them hired. I look for the intangibles.
I am looking for someone who has good communication skills and is unafraid to share ideas or speak up when necessary. Much of my team works remotely across the country, so these aspects are key. I also look for people who are excited and enthusiastic about their careers, those who not only take risks and push boundaries but also geek out about search as much as I do.
What they do: DRINKS is pioneering “wine as a service,” with its API designed to enable any company to offer its customers the ability to purchase wine online.
Why did you first apply to join DRINKS, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
I applied after reading about DRINKS’ mission to disrupt the wine industry. Along with direct-to-consumer wine shipping, I was intrigued by their “wine as a service” API and how it connects other companies to their services. I’ve grown a lot as an engineer at DRINKS and a huge part of that is the importance our team puts on collaboration. There is a big emphasis on taking ownership in our work, and daily code reviews mean the team is always ready to help each other progress. I am constantly challenged to take on more responsibility and have a say in decisions that affect the company’s success.
With hands-on support, I’m able to overcome any and all challenges.’’
What’s your most interesting or exciting work-related challenge right now, and how are you overcoming it?
I have taken a bigger role in our wine as a service API. Learning the architecture as to how APIs are developed while keeping scalability and performance in mind has been very exciting and challenging to work on. My team and managers provide tons of support when roadblocks appear and understand the importance of mastering new concepts, be it through online courses or pairing workshops. With hands-on support, I’m able to overcome any and all challenges.
What they do: Omaze is an online fundraising platform that helps charities raise money through unique contests that include luxury car giveaways, celebrity meet and greets and dream vacations.
Why did you first apply to join Omaze, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
About five months ago I was at Google, leading a global creative team that sat at the intersection of media and creative. But following a chaotic and challenging year and a half, I felt an urgency to do my part to help and bring a bit more purpose into my professional life. That’s when I stumbled upon Omaze. Here was my chance to lead a creative team responsible for maximizing charitable impact through compelling storytelling.
It was the perfect fit, and just over three months into my new role I feel great pride and purpose in what my team and I do every day, having had a chance to build content announcing the winners of multiple dream experiences and highlighting the impact Omaze is driving with select charitable organizations.
I feel great pride and purpose in what my team and I do every day.”
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at Omaze?
At Omaze, we have a number of core virtues that drive our culture. One core virtue that I prioritize when growing my team is seeking candidates who live by a “we before me” mentality, the idea of putting the greater good ahead of self interest while making clear commitments and honoring them. Outside of these core ideals, I look for creatives comfortable sitting at the intersection of media and creativity who are obsessed with what’s driving the cultural zeitgeist and bring a solutions-first mindset to any new project they tackle.’
What they do: FabFitFun is a lifestyle and wellness subscription service for women that delivers boxes of products each month from fashion, fitness and beauty brands.
Why did you first apply to join FabFitFun, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
I feel connected to the company’s mission and want to contribute to the success of it in every possible way. The company has evolved its e-commerce journey, and I am excited to be part of this growth strategy. My team and leaders have helped me grow within the role and experiment and scale winning strategies. It is refreshing to lead a team where everyone is talented and working toward taking the proper steps to make our membership experience best-in-class. I would love to add new members to our growing team who are similarly excited.
I feel connected to the company’s mission and want to contribute to the success of it in every possible way.”
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at FabFitFun?
I love working with team members who understand customer experience and how to connect it to business goals. I’m a customer-centric, goal-oriented, performance marketing and data-driven strategist and technology leader/student with over 12 years of experience. I seek to offer talent the opportunity to grow their skills here at FabFitFun. Ideally, I would like to work with someone like myself who is eager to learn and test new tactics to achieve a strategic goal for the overall business and our customers.
What they do: PeerStreet’s platform is designed to make it easier to participate in real estate investment. Its platform gives users the ability to invest in single-family homes and earn a cut of the monthly mortgage interest payment.
Why did you first apply to join PeerStreet, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
I fell in love with the company’s mission before I even joined. I have always been attracted to building software and products that transform underserved markets, and PeerStreet is at the forefront of the real estate investment revolution. We not only have the opportunity to create but also to set the standard for the hard money lending system of the future.
Looking back, I am more motivated than ever by the momentum of this company. We have doubled in size since I joined in 2020 and are doubling in size again this year. I loved our inclusive company culture from day one, and I’m grateful that, despite our explosive growth, we have been able to protect it. Our dedication to customers, technology and people has never changed, but our reach and visibility have expanded beyond my expectations.
We have doubled in size since I joined in 2020 and are doubling in size again this year.”
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at PeerStreet?
Our product and engineering teams are doubling in size in 2022, and to achieve this level of scale, we are looking for individuals who share our core values. Some of those values include: customer value creation, constantly innovating and improving, and perhaps most importantly, having a blast! These values are vital for candidates to possess because we are disrupting the largest asset class in the world, which is no easy task.
Candidates who possess this combination of integrity and optimism create a synergy that ripples across all departments. We are hiring people daily who possess this mindset, and it’s exciting to witness our ascension firsthand.
What they do: Route offers users the ability to track all of their online purchases from a single app. In addition, the company also operates a marketplace with more than 10,000 jewelry, apparel and accessory brands.
Why did you first apply to join Route, and how has your experience evolved over time since you were a new hire?
When I first came to Route we were an under-the-radar Series A company that was just starting to expand to L.A. Less than two years later we’ve doubled in size — to more than 400 people — but more than quadrupled in L.A and opened two new offices in Santa Monica. We’ve also raised a $200 million-plus Series B as one of the few unicorn startups with a heavy focus and investment in the local ecosystem. Alongside that growth has also come more emphasis on employee development, team-building and culture.
We want to build a lasting company with people we enjoy spending time with.”
When you’re looking to grow your team, what’s a quality that you look for in candidates, and why is it important at Route?
Route’s core values are PACT: passion, authenticity, celebration and team over ego. As we build the company, we continue to look for these characteristics when hiring. This is important because we are all hyper-motivated to build a lasting company, but we want to do it with people we enjoy spending time with and in a way that is true to our mission of celebrating the world’s brands. Our whole company encompasses those values and it shines through in the work we produce together.
