Thanks for helping us fix the job hunt. Let’s keep the momentum going.

This summer I shared our mission to rethink job hunting, and the response blew me away.  Clearly, we struck a nerve: more than 900 likes. 300 shares. 200 comments.

So first, I’d like to say “thank you.” Coming off that post (plus through many conversations with fascinating people), we have learned a ton. Your feedback has already made a huge impact on our work – we’ve even hired two senior-level people off responses to that one post. (And we still have a few open positions left, so please reach out if you’re interested.)

Many of you also asked to stay informed and involved. So I’d like to continue using this forum to share our learnings, ideas and progress, and to ask for feedback.

Here are three big themes we’re hearing so far:

Applicants aren’t getting the respect they deserve. The biggest sources of frustration? Applying to positions and feeling disrespected by the response (or more often, no response at all). And then there’s the all-too-common lack of transparency in the process. Everyone feels candidates deserve to be treated like human beings.

Others are working on similar issues. I was amazed by how many of you are already working on related topics: taking a more consumer-friendly approach to hiring, process transparency and user-centric technology. We’d love to partner with you to find ways to keep moving our industry forward.

Change is long overdue. “The process is broken.” “I’m sick and tired.” “It’s about time.” These just scratch the surface of the comments I’ve seen. Seems like people are waiting for something different. And they like our approach of starting fresh.

So what are we doing about it?

Let me share how our journey has progressed.

In my last article, I outlined an eight-week sprint to hire differentiated talent to help us achieve our mission. Since then, we’ve assembled an unexpectedly eclectic team – digital strategists, UX professionals, entrepreneurs – all with a shared passion for reimagining the hiring process.

Now, we’re rethinking our approach to onboarding these new joiners so we can take our work to the next level. (Why onboarding? According to BCG, onboarding ranks #2 for business impact out of 22 HR practices, just behind recruiting.)

Turns out there are some awesome innovations in the world of onboarding. I’m inspired by the Waldorf-Astoria scavenger hunt which familiarizes new hires with one of their Hawaiian properties. Or Google’s mentor program for Nooglers (i.e., new hires), which lasts for three months or more. Even the famous “Zappos Offer” that dangles a $3,000 buyout for anyone wanting to leave after training (with an acceptance rate of just 2-3%).

We’re exploring ways to combine physical, digital and personal elements so new hires get up to speed and feel right at home. So here’s what I’d like to learn from you: what onboarding ideas have you seen or tried that work really well? Any tips or techniques, stories or surprises you’d like to share?    

This is what you can expect from me: I’ll keep using this platform to share our progress, and invite you to keep contributing comments and ideas.

Look forward to continuing this journey together.