The highs and the lows at Gem - Anonymous employee Gem Employee Review

For context, I've been in the tech space for 10+ years and worked at a lot of companies. Gem has been the must fulfilling, enjoyable company I've worked at so far. - Work/life balance is totally manageable-There is no push to work nights or weekends. There are never last minute meetings placed on my calendar with crazy times. Managers and teams are completely understanding and supportive of things that come up in your life- childcare, appointments, etc. - Transparent, approachable leadership- They are in the office and sit among the teams, they speak openly at weekly all hands, they encourage open and honest conversations. I never feel an air of privilege or an us vs them mentality. I've worked with some psychotic executive teams and Gem's team is far from that. - Great benefits and pay- For a company our size, we get really great benefits (fully paid insurance, respectable parental leave, free lunch, etc.) I'm always keeping an eye on what other companies are paying people in my position and i'm at the top of the bracket. - Bright, lively culture- Gem is the only company that I've worked at that brings the entire company together 3x/year. It's a unique and special perk that helps employees feel celebrated and connected. There are always fun things going on and it seems like people truly like their coworkers. In the world of tech, Gem feels diverse and ERGs are well supported and celebrated. Gem is still at a size where it feels like everyone knows each other and you can get things done quickly because there aren't too many hoops/levels you have to jump through. Super efficient way of working.

- Like all tech companies, things can feel a little unstable at times (AI, the recruiting space, etc.)

I joined Gem as a founding IC in EPD and have had a great experience. Being a small startup, teams have the flexibility to do their work in the ways that suit them, which I find intellectually and creatively fulfilling. I get to build out my own processes and use my preferred tools, as long as they support collaboration. There’s none of the mind-numbing bureaucracy or red tape that you have at bigger companies. You can have a huge impact right away and are empowered to take the lead on high-stakes projects. I feel like I’ve gotten to do the best, most interesting work of my life here, and that’s not stopping anytime soon. Everyone I’ve worked with is genuinely passionate about what they do. It’s invigorating to work alongside people who are truly dedicated to their craft and to the company mission of making hiring easier. Collaborating with people who care keeps things interesting and engaging and makes for spirited conversations about how we can innovate. The culture has been welcoming and supportive. Everyone is busy, which is typical for a growing startup, though people are quick to answer questions, unblock others, and share feedback. When friction or disagreement arises, we work through it in a way that keeps things focused on the customer, not on personal ego. Senior leadership has been transparent about the challenges of the market and what we’re doing to address them. They have anonymous AMAs at all-hands, which is always a green flag for any company culture. They’ve remained invested in DEI and in their ERGs despite trends in other tech companies that have abandoned those initiatives. This makes me feel safer in my identity. Product-wise, Gem has a suite of products to stay competitive with the different needs of the market. They have a solid AI feature line (AI Sourcing, soon Fraud Detection) to keep up with the pace of the industry, as well as solid core products (ATS, CRM) to round out the all-in-one package. At a high level, the product feels cohesive and the messaging is strong. My salary is competitive for my role, and my work-life balance has been solid. I’ve seen colleagues take time off for vacation, illness, caregiving, etc. and have taken some myself with no issues or pushback. Having been at toxic companies that didn’t allow for that, it’s reassuring to work in a place that actually puts their people first. I work in the new SF office and it’s pretty nice, well-located right off of Montgomery station in a recently renovated, bright-feeling space. The building came with additional perks, including The Cove, a cafe, a speakeasy, podcasting booths, a gym, and more. We also get free lunch three days per week via a Forkable credit. I've been at half a dozen startups in my career, and Gem has had the best mission, culture, and work. I only hope we can retain this as we grow.

There’s been turnover in senior leadership roles. I’ve seen this before at other startups of this size, it's common after certain growth stages, so I’m not too worried. I hope to see Gem bring in experienced leaders with the right perspective to fill gaps and help us speed up our momentum. Gem still doesn’t offer 401k matching, even though other employers of their size do. This hurts our ability to recruit the talented people we need to win in this market.