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A (Job) Match Made in Heaven

JobMatcher uses predictive artificial intelligence to match the most relevant positions for each job seeker, particularly tackling the low employment rates for people with disability. We spoke to Cheryl and Tim, founders of JobMatcher, to hear why they wanted to create more inclusive and accessible recruitment, and their experience with Remarkable.

Tim and Cheryl, Founders of JobMatcher

Tell us about your startup. What’s the problem you’re solving for people with disability?

Searching for a job is really hard but if you’re neurodiverse (autism spectrum, ADHD, dyslexia) it’s even worse. Job seekers with a disability face barriers preventing them from identifying jobs that match their talents and strengths. This is contributing to higher unemployment for job seekers with a disability. Employers know the benefits of a more diverse and inclusive workforce but when it comes to disability and neurodiversity they don’t know where to start – there aren’t any tools to benchmark or measure improvement so they’re missing out on the opportunity to engage really talented candidates. JobMatcher uses A.I. to remove bias in the recruiting process and help job seekers identify jobs that suit their individual strengths. For employers our automated AI tools improve the accessibility of their recruiting process while providing actionable data about the diversity and inclusiveness of their talent pool.

What inspired you to start this?

Working on recruitment technology for over 10 years Tim has observed a huge wave of interest from employers wanting to be more accessible. They don’t just want “more” candidates – they want a broader, more diverse and inclusive talent pool to select from. On a more personal level, Cheryl is driven to make a difference so that her son, who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, will have the opportunity to join the workforce in the future without the barriers that exist currently. Neurodiversity and diversity of thinking should be viewed as an asset within organisations rather than a hindrance, as we know autistic employees can be up to 50% more productive and have three times the retention of neurotypical employees. We want every employer to see the value that neurodiversity can bring to their organisation.

What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing with building your startup and how do you think Remarkable can help you overcome this challenge?

Selling into business or enterprise can take a long time. Engaging a startup can be exciting for a large organisation but they will still have doubts about your capacity to service them long term – you need to prove that you’ll still be around to support them. Remarkable has contributed to a level of credibility – we are experiencing a tipping point where large employers like AccorHotels have purchased our solutions and other global companies are in the pipeline.

What have been the highlights of your Remarkable experience so far?

The connections! We have been introduced to an amazing community of mentors, investors, industry experts, company leaders and technology providers that have all been incredibly generous in sharing their insights and experience. Introductions to company leaders have given us the opportunity to understand their precise needs and the true value of our solution. Remarkable attracts so many passionate and committed people, it’s been really inspiring to be welcomed into the ecosystem.

Do you have any tips for startups who are trying to get on an accelerator program?

Accelerator programs are looking for founders with hustle, grit, resilience and coach-ability. Are you a subject matter expert who knows the problems of your industry or community and have an idea on how to solve it? Do you have the hustle to do whatever it takes to get things done? And are you open to different approaches or different ways of doing things, and do you know when to push back and stick firmly to the direction. If there’s any advice we’d give it’s to work hard on validating your assumptions before you get into an accelerator so you can really hit the ground running and maximise the opportunity that is presented to you.

What is your top tool, blog, book or podcast that you’d recommend others look at?

Cheryl is a huge fan of “The Pitch” podcast (Gimlet Media) and Tim recommends checking out the “Employable Me” series on ABC (Australia) and BBC (UK). Generally, study topics that seem absurdly irrelevant in the early stages (like managing teams, expansion strategies, global sales models) because things move so fast that you’ll miss opportunities if don’t!

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