Everyone has heard about Apple, or Meta, or Uber. But what about StockX, or Autobooks, or KLA?
When the economy crashed in 2008, it was standard for Michiganders to graduate from school here and find work in another state. Many flocked to tech jobs on the coasts. But in the mid to late 2010s, more and more people were deciding to build and grow their companies in Michigan. Gone were the days of needing to find a job in another state.
As cool and innovative startups emerged, they ran into a problem: finding talent and competing with the “big guys.” People just didn’t know that these opportunities were out there. That is exactly why Purpose Jobs, originally founded as Re:Purpose, set out to become the startup storytellers.
Founded by Ryan Landau in 2017, Purpose Jobs is on a mission to help amazing companies share their story and attract top talent. It’s all about helping job seekers discover and access opportunities to amazing work, right in their own city.
Purpose, of course, is at the heart of the company. By focusing on working with companies that prioritize purpose, culture and people, Purpose Jobs helps bring incredible and meaningful work opportunities to those who are looking for work that matters. It’s possible to find a sense of belonging and meaning at work. Purpose Jobs is helping share those stories and opportunities.
To help mission-driven brands share their story and connect with talent that aligns with their values, Purpose Jobs’ employer branding studio is a full-service content creation machine. From strategy to creation to distribution, Purpose Jobs’ team of experts helps craft authentic stories for the company — and for the region.
In addition to spotlighting companies, creating helpful lists, and rounding up job opportunities, Purpose Jobs’ content studio shares stories about what it’s actually like to live and work in Detroit, the opportunities the city offers outside of the workplace, and the new innovations happening in Southeast Michigan and around the state. Its active blog sees hundreds of thousands of visitors, and its weekly newsletter of startup news, events and jobs has over 20,000 subscribers. In 2023, Purpose Jobs launched an official “Purpose Certification” to certify that brands put their money where their mouth is when it comes to prioritizing purpose.
Today, Purpose Jobs has grown to be the largest community of purpose-driven professionals and companies. They have been hosting the Startup Detroit Happy Hour with Detroit Venture Partners since 2018, as well as virtual panels, state of tech conferences and more.
Though the company has evolved since its early days as a job matching platform, one thing has always remained true: opportunity is out there, and Purpose Jobs is spreading the word.
