Key Values: The Best Tool You’ve Never Heard Of
And How It Can Help You Find Engineering Teams That Share Your Values
How many of us begin job searching and just feel defeated before we start?
We’re flooded with bad job descriptions that don’t truly help us answer the dreaded adult question, “where do I want to work and why?”
At the end of the day most of us want to be part of a team that shares our same values. We want to do meaningful work that has an impact. And we want to do it surrounded by people that inspire us.
That’s where Key Values comes in. It helps companies and candidates connect with values rather than just job descriptions.
Maybe you’re a parent and value being able to work from home 2 days a week. Perhaps you value work/life balance and don’t want to be answering emails after 6PM. Whatever it is, Key Values can help you get there.
Candidates can use their Culture Queries Tool to prep for interviews like a boss. Similarly, Companies can subscribe and create profiles that display what values are most important to their teams.
This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Lynne Tye, the Founder and Creator of Key Values. She’s done everything from freelance web development, to operations management, to studying Neuroscience at UCSF.
She’s also completing an Ironman Marathon this year in France.
No big deal 😎💪🏽!
I could spend this post talking about how much I admire her hustle and ambition, but I’ll contain my excitement.
You can learn more about her story here.
With all that being said, here’s why I think Key Values is the most important tool you haven’t heard of and what this means for the 21st century of work.
Most People Aren’t Fulfilled In Their Jobs
There are tons of studies and stats about this: Most people aren’t satisfied with their day jobs.
Why is that? Is it because people are incapable? Lazy? or worse, incompetent?
It’s actually none of the above. According to NY-Times Best Selling Author Daniel Pink we’re motivated by 3 primary factors.
Those factors are: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.
- Autonomy: When we have the freedom to decide what we create, we produce better.
- Mastery: When we’re chasing mastery and can see that we’re getting better at something, we’re more satisfied with the pursuit of better.
- Purpose: When we lead with purpose in our work, we’re unstoppable.
And what do all these factors have in common? They’re tied to what people value.
Think about what motivates you and how these three values manifest themselves in your work.
And be sure to use the Key Values Culture Query Tool to start thinking about how your values translate into a workplace environment where you thrive.
Job Descriptions = Fax Machines: They Shouldn’t Exist. Well Kinda
In the 21st century candidates want to know more about what it means to work on your team.
Yes, salary and technology are things people want to know about. But for software engineering roles especially, just listing your company’s tech stack, the years of experience required and salary expectations won’t cut it.
Of course there should be some type of description for what’s expected of the person being hired. But seriously, we can do a better job. Especially in tech.
Most of us want to contribute to a compelling mission. To be part of something greater than ourselves.
Simon Sinek, talks about this in his book and TEDx Talk entitled Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action.
Sinek’s talk can be summed up as follows, “People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it”
It’s the reason that folks camp outside for new iPhones or Air Jordans.
It’s the reason Martin Luther King Jr. was such an influential part of the civil rights movement.
“He gave the I Have A Dream Speech, not the I Have A PLAN speech”
Us humans identify strongly with purpose, vision and vlaues.
Purpose motivates us to accomplish things we never thought possible. Purpose is why we show up even when it gets hard. Without it, we’re lost.
So connecting with what a company’s purpose and values are will be the industry standard very soon.
Part of the reason is that millennials especially are thirsty for purpose driven work. And in the next ten years, 75% of the workplace will be millennials no matter where you are!
I see a world where job descriptions don’t exist, and any company using them will be obsolete. Hopefully job descriptions will become the equivalent of someone using a fax machine. (do those even still exist?)
The most innovative companies will adopt platforms like Key Values where they can create a profile displaying their company’s values and purpose.
Purpose descriptions will hopefully become the trend. And KeyValues will be there leading the way.
Connection is Key
I also think that what Key Values is doing says a lot about the world we live in today and how we connect.
I was able to connect with Lynne all because of my blog: TechDirtyWithMe
Lynne reached out to me because I’m active on social media and write a lot. I may have never even heard of the greatness that is Key Values if I weren’t deliberately taking the time to write and connect.
We live in a connection and sharing economy. Uber, Airbnb and many others are all successful because they connect people. They allow people to share easily.
Connection is Currency. Attention is King. And generosity and sharing is the key that unlocks this all.
If companies want to CONNECT WITH and RETAIN the best people, they better be doing everything they can to engage with the best talent.
Depending on the company that might mean hosting a community activity like a hackathon, or publishing a weekly blog where candidates can see how the company thinks about compelling issues.
Whatever it is, companies with the best people will be the ones that connect with talent often, NOT ONLY when they’re hiring.
It’s the best way for candidates to get a pulse on what a company values.
If you’re a company dedicated to finding the best people, create a Key Values profile. Seriously, like yesterday. To learn more and to create a profile simply click here and follow the instructions.
And if you’re a candidate, check out the Key Values Culture Query Tool to help you ask the perfect interview questions to determine if a company aligns with your values.
