Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Ladan Davia is the founder of Beeya (www.beeya.com), an innovative company that is changing the way employers find their ideal employees and vice versa. Today, Ladan will share how Beeya is taking a new approach to helping college grads find jobs.
Successes at a glance:
Founder of Beeya, an innovative company that matches employers with ideal employees.
Ladan’s story:
Ladan was a double-major in broadcasting and political science at Chapman University. Initially, Ladan wanted to go into hard news journalism. While this sounded appealing at age 17, the reality of having to move to a different part of the country and start out in a small town, making her bones as a journalist did not appeal to her. Ladan tweaked her journalistic aspirations towards entertainment news which would allow her to stay in the LA area. However, Ladan didn’t love the entertainment industry. This predicament left Ladan with a vexing question: “how do I find a job?” Ladan shares an important facet of her career. Up until his point, Ladan had never had to apply for a job. She knew what all successful people do: that a career entry point is built off networks, internships, and relationships. Ladan had to start at ground zero. She created profiles on a number of career and job websites and went to networking events. After hustling for a new job, she realized she wasn’t getting anything back. Moreover, the websites matched Ladan with positions that she had no interest or skills in such as gardening or handyman. Ladan saw that her friends from college were experiencing the same problem. The problem stuck in Ladan’s mind and pretty soon, she started thinking about solutions. Eventually, she asked herself another question “why not?” Ladan wrote a business plan answering a real problem, won over investors, and started Beeya.
Ladan’s big why:
Ladan’s big why has evolved. It started out as “why is this happening, let’s fix it” to a directive to fix a big problem and help people find jobs. Specifically, Ladan wants to help employers find employees who are a perfect fit, who in her words “want to be there.” Ladan’s biggest takeaway from listening to other entrepreneurs is that “you need to love what you’re doing” or you will never survive it. What started as a question is now a mandate, a mission, and a directive to move forward.
Biggest challenge today:
The biggest challenge is finding people who want these jobs. When Ladan started Beeya she anticipated the companies would be the hardest to get buy-in from. What she discovered is that it’s the other way around. The companies are eager to find the right people and have been more than willing to partner with Ladan and Beeya. In looking at this space, competitors dump millions of dollars into Google ads to attract users which makes standing out challenging.
Moving forward past that challenge:
Without a multi-million dollar ad budget, Ladan has become creative and innovative in the way she targets end-users for Beeya. Ladan has embraced a more grassroots approach, launching an ambassador program made up of students at colleges and universities who can spread the word to their fellow classmates. Ladan has also partnered with non-profit organizations that aim to help people find jobs.
Knowledge bursts:
One tip to stand out as a prospective employee for a new job:
When it comes to online job searching, make your resume relevant to the job. Take out the filler that isn’t relevant. Candidates often get too caught up in job titles rather than focus on relevant experience. Example: candidates will often leave out school club or org experience that has more relevance to a position than a paid summer job. Think critically about what goes in your resume or job application and apply the connection test: does it directly relate to the job you’re applying for.
Favorite tool or productivity practice:
Planner: pen and paper.
How Ladan is moving forward today:
Getting feedback from your team: Ladan is meeting 12 of her ambassadors to have an open discussion about what’s working, what’s not. Ladan embraces feedback about what can be done to make the ambassador program even more effective.
Support the Podcast:
The Corporate Cliches Adult Coloring Book: makes the perfect stocking stuffer or white elephant gift.
Try out Audible (affiliate link).
Try out Amazon Prime (affiliate link).
Who is Ladan in five years?:
Ladan will be someone who has helped other people find their purpose in life.
Future Ladan’s advice:
Slow down! Start small and accomplish things as they come.
Parting wisdom:
“Utilize your network. Don’t think someone is beneath you or too good for you. Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and say hi to someone and to create a network in your community because you never know when you can use that connection to get a job or as a reference or maybe just as a friend.”
Comments