This week, we’re featuring insights from our content partner, Fundera! For more content like this, check out the Fundera Ledger .

Contributed by Eric Goldschein, Editor at Fundera.

The number one reason we work where we work is because our jobs give us the salary and benefits we need to live. The second reason? According to the 2018 Hired Global Brand Health Report, it’s company culture. The importance of a vibrant and welcoming company culture is on the rise: in an economy with such a low unemployment rate, the best way for companies to differentiate themselves is by offering cultures that promise positivity, transparency, and opportunities for growth. 

As a job seeker, how can you tell whether a company walks the walk or is just talking the talk? What should be on your company culture checklist to ensure you’re not wasting your time somewhere you won’t be a fit? Here are seven ways to tell that a company’s culture is right for you.

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There’s a lot of hype around getting into a startup career. Plenty of startup veterans have forged paths to success, but what’s the reality? Although working at a startup may seem appealing, how can you know if it’s right for you? On June 24th, we co-hosted a panel with Stacklist featuring Bilyana Freye, co-founder and CEO of Hoppin, Adrian Ryan, employee #2 at General Assembly, Michelle Suconick, Head of Communications at Ro, and Susan Zheng, co-founder of Planted. They answered tons of questions and shared their advice for navigating challenges when breaking into startups.

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Our co-founder Connie Wong sat down with startup leaders from Zocdoc, KeyMe, and The Drone Racing League to gather insights on how to take the best, most decisive actions for maximum growth. Check out their tips on scaling your team for success.

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When Catherine Balogun got matched to a temporary Customer Support Representative role at Zola on Planted, she knew right away that she had found "the one." We recently spoke with her about her job search, interview experience, and how she was able to turn her time as a temporary role into a full-time one with the support of her Zola family.

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When was the last time that you really truly celebrated your own awesomeness? The Planted team did just that this weekend in honor of the International Day of Awesomeness, which falls on March 10th.

Oh, and did we mention that the holiday was actually created by our very own CTO, Kevin Lawver?

According to Kevin, the best way to celebrate IDOA is to perform a feat of awesomeness, which is completely open to interpretation. “You can do something new that you’ve been meaning to try but keep putting off, something that seems scary, something kind, or celebrate someone else’s awesomeness, just to name a few," he says. "The most important thing is that you have fun doing it!”

Here are some of the awesome things we did this past weekend!

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Not all career paths run in straight lines. On Tuesday, January 15th, we hosted a panel at General Assembly NYC where we talked to three startup career transitioners about their career trajectories and advice for jobseekers. Read more about how Ted Conbeer, SVP of Strategy at MakeSpace, found his way to startups—and why he hasn’t looked back since.

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Dreaming of a startup career, but have no idea how to get there? On Tuesday, January 15th, we hosted a panel at General Assembly NYC where we talked to three startup career transitioners about their career trajectories and advice for jobseekers. Here's how panelist Lisa Wang went from former gymnast to founder and CEO of SheWorx.

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Dreaming of a startup career, but have no idea how to get there? On Tuesday, January 15th, we hosted a panel at General Assembly NYC where we talked to Lisa Wang, Founder and CEO, SheWorx ; Ted Conbeer, SVP of Strategy, MakeSpace ; and Becky Nathanson, Head of Business Development and Brand Partnerships, TUSHY about their career backgrounds and advice to jobseekers. Here's our recap of key takeaways during the event.

Want to know more about our individual panelist's stories? We'll be spotlighting each of their career backgrounds and job advice on the blog in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

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Whether you’ve made resolutions or not, this time of year encourages all of us think about ways that we can be the happiest, best versions of ourselves—and a having crappy, soul-sucking job won’t help.

If finding a new job is your ticket to a happy 2019, we’ve put together a few quick and easy things you can do right now to make sure you’re ready to get the startup gig you’ve been dreaming about. Not looking quite yet? No worries—this is something that every job seeker can use no matter what time of the year they start their search.

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Planted’s founders, Connie Wong and Susan Zheng, recently sat down with Joanne Wilson, one of NYC’s top investors, to talk about their startup journey on the Positively Gotham Gal podcast .

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You’ve probably heard this a few times already but...it’s the most wonderful time of the year, so we’re hope you’re spending it with friends, family, and Netflix! But sometimes, the fast-paced, get sh*t done startup life can lure you back to work even when you’re on vacation. “Just a bit of catching up” can quickly eat up your time off and, before you know it, you’ve missed out on all that much-needed R&R.

There’s a few ways you can stay away from your work this holiday season, all of which can actually positively affect your performance in the long-term. Read on for a successful 2019!

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This time of year can be quite busy—you know, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and, of course, catching up on sleep. But if you’re home for the holidays this winter, you may want to set aside some time for job searching, especially if you’re looking to make a job change in 2019. Here are a few ways to make sure that your job hunt isn’t hibernating this holiday season.

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Sometimes we find ourselves in a moment when we feel stuck, or frustrated, or simply confused about our career choices, which can cause us to second guess what the heck it is we’re actually doing with our lives. Cue the panic about career paths, bank accounts, and…destiny. But before you spiral off into thoughts of the great unknown, let’s walk you through how you can take advantage of the great uncertainty you’re facing.

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A recent survey revealed that 50 percent of people who don’t volunteer say it’s because of work commitments. Fortunately, many companies nowadays are making it easier for their employees to stay dedicated to work while also giving back to their communities. Just look at these 10 startups that offer paid volunteer time to their employees! (P.S., they’re all hiring right now!)

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Mapping out your 2019 hiring plan is an exciting process, but all of the legal jargon that you have to read through during it? Not quite as thrilling. But fear not: we’ve put together a list of some of the most major labor law and policy changes coming to NYC and San Francisco in 2019 in layman’s terms so you can push your hiring goals forward.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind that list is not exhaustive, and it’s important to keep up with all of the labor laws and policy changes that have just taken or will take place that may affect your organization whether you’re in New York City, San Francisco, or beyond. Be sure to reference official government documents for complete descriptions of the current labor laws, policy changes, and rulings described below.

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