Director of Operations Tell-All: Purposeful Hiring

In the age of Digital Nomads and Social Entrepreneurs, there is a new priority for job seekers: a meaningful vocation that has an underlying purpose in the ever-so connected world.
 

“Matchmaking is one avenue for social contribution, and Tawkify’s applicants are overflowing with desire for more impact.” 

As the Director of Operations & Community Development at Tawkify, I am in ongoing pursuit of people who possess purpose as their primary motive. Our matchmaker job listing tells the truth: purpose-driven is of paramount priority. 

For half a decade at Tawkify, I’ve been a student devoted to understanding the true intention of job seekers. It has required years of research, much trial and error, and finally a realization that energy is a very real variable in the equation. 

So how does Tawkify target a type of energy when sourcing applicants? It starts through diversifying our hiring ads across online forums and funneling candidates through a 4-step hiring process, ascertaining those with the hearts (and souls) to do social good. 

Gatekeeping is on a global scale. Our gatekeeping for matchmakers mirrors the type of selection process we put our matches through: it’s competitive. We extend contracts on a rolling basis. We value referrals from our existing matchmaking team, with about half of our new matchmakers having some pre-existing connection to our community. 

High-potential candidates often exhibit specific language choices, tone of voice, and attitudinal markers. Video technology is one of the most powerful tools in transmitting energy over time and space. The one-way video submission has been a game-changer in allowing us to get “an energy read” prior to inviting a candidate to interview. It creates a consistency, where each applicant has an opportunity to show up, share their story, and give us a read on energy level.  
 

“Since most of our matchmakers rely entirely on video technology for their client relations, a candidate’s comfort level in front of the camera and their communication efficacy in connecting with our hiring team become primary determinants if we are to even reach out to schedule a time to speak individually.” 

The best candidates transcend conventional barriers of connection to shine one’s mission bright. These candidates embrace the video conference platform for self-expression and are authentic in their disclosure. They exhibit strong interpersonal skills, an undeniable resonance, and a level of consciousness toward the social cause. 

One candidate, a 29 year old artist in NYC, explains how matchmaking will fit in with her other commitments: “flexibility and personal fulfillment are big for me right now as my acting career grows… I  want to know I’ve made a difference in people’s lives. The world needs more love right now.”

Another candidate, a Management Consultant from Canada currently traveling on Remote Year, describes how matchmaking will enhance her world: “It’s been rewarding helping organizations deal with strategic challenges… Now on Remote Year, I’ve come to understand that I want to do something closer to coaching. It will let me provide more impact on an individual level. It will give me a chance to help other people and feel that my work has a true meaning.”

Another candidate, a life coach in Portland, describes how matchmaking will serve a purpose in her career trajectory:
 

“I’m looking to grow my skills in the arena of coaching. I’m looking for something I can grow into that gives me impact.”
 

The line of questioning within our video interviews have been crafted to get in touch with people’s fundamental drivers. Let’s take this idea of “what drives your work?” This question stems from a TedTalk that I once heard Tony Robbins do on the 6 human emotional needs. He explains how each person has a unique hierarchy of the 6: certainty, uncertainty, significance, love/connection, growth, contribution. I use this theory to analyze each candidate, and I’m always in awe of how clear someone’s top two drivers seem to be through 5 minutes of video footage. 
 

“With hundreds of matchmakers working independently around the globe on a highly community-centric platform, we depend on one another’s consistent commitment to the cause…. and the backend operations.” 
 

Accountability to peer-to-peer collaboration within workflows breeds sustainable harmony in our virtually-interconnected community. 

Having spent hours in the trenches daily with our matchmaking team, I’ve learned mission-driven matchmaking is a fine balance between client-facing and task-oriented work. The daily work requires a person who can be both a master producer and love-worker. 

To capture this balance in candidates, the qualities that we look for include:

• Professionalism. You hold yourself to a higher standard. You are accountable, attentive, collaborative, and virtually presentable. 
   
• Purpose-Driven. You drive your business forward, meeting consistent goals and milestones, while simultaneously honoring your soul’s mission to make a difference in the world. 
   
• Empathy. You are a great listener. You have no trouble connecting with people. You build trust and rapport instantly, with an intuitive sense for how to relate and react to intimate subject matter. 
   
• Passion. Our matchmakers are invested in solving problems and can pull from their deep motivations of contribution, growth, and connection to accelerate progress in their clients’ dating journeys. 
   
• Network. You have the knack for social media / networking and the resourcefulness to build online to offline relationships. You are excited to share the opportunity with people who will benefit from quality dates that are more accessible. 

These top qualities have evolved over the years.
 

“The constant iteration on our hiring process has come through watching some matchmakers implode and others persevere when thrown into the playing field of an emotionally turbulent dating arena.”
 

Purposefully, a series we launched in 2018 to capture the diversity, inclusivity, and interconnectedness of our matchmakers, tells the stories of some of our long-standing matchmakers. They discuss how they use this work as a manifestation of their passions, which include directing, storytelling, nutrition counseling, casting, mothering, teaching, acting, and many more. 

This series is a testament to the shared mindset of our community: as different as every matchmaker is in their personal trajectory, they connect at a point of spiritual consciousness where purpose is a cornerstone of their daily activity. We are fostering a community of like-minded people motivated by social impact, to make a difference in the world.
 

“My hope is that in making matchmaking accessible to more people in more places with more gifts to share with our community, we will simultaneously be reaching more markets.”
 

It’s the connection between each matchmaker and client that sets the tone for the experience that unfolds. We want true connection, which is measured through the authentic bonds and reviews that clients leave their matchmakers on a weekly basis.

And the beauty is the return on one’s investment: all the time and energy devoted to guiding people to date better, spreads just as much love in the process as the love stories themselves. 
 

If making love accessible happens through the relationships between matchmakers and clients, then my work drives our mission too. And to that, I affirm before I go to bed each night, “mission accomplished.”

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Learn more about Julia, here.