Disrupting the Job Marketplace
Anna Mowbray is no stranger to success. Renowned for building and propelling the toy and consumer goods giant ZURU to global success, she has turned her attention to transforming the job marketplace with her latest venture, ZEIL, an AI-powered job-matching platform. In just nine months, this modern career app has begun to redefine job searching and career development, challenging industry titans like Seek and TradeMe.
But ZEIL is a lot more than just an app, it’s a revolution in the employment sector, even being dubbed as ‘Tinder for Jobs’. With its insurgent methodology, it cuts through the traditional way of searching for jobs, bringing a vibrant, bold approach to career progression. While online job websites have previously been all about screeds of black-and-white text filled with dull corporate speak, ZEIL is fun, engaging and intuitive, using imagery, swiping, and all the things we are so accustomed to from social media and modern app usage. It’s dragging the job market kicking and screaming into 2024, instead of a digitised version of the old classified ads.
“We’ve built an experience that allows for value to be added on both sides of the equation,” says Anna. “It’s an emotionally engaging experience for the job seeker, and allows organisations to manifest their stories, drive brand equity, move job seekers intuitively through the pipeline – and utilise data to optimise their strategies in novel ways, which are still somehow familiar.”
ZEIL is a mobile-first solution that prioritises anytime, anywhere applications and supports the ‘always looking’ mentality of a new generation (75% of Gen Z check their phone within three minutes of waking up and before saying good morning to anyone else) It also has the ease and convenience people have come to expect from apps – saved jobs and applications all in one place and an algorithm that works harder for candidates, delivering curated job feeds on demand.
And in only 9 months it’s already enjoyed incredible success. In a market where Seek has been a giant for 26 years, ZEIL has already captured 15% of its job listings. It’s more than a den, it’s a rapid acquisition of market share, with 26% of TradeMe’s and a remarkable 33% of LinkedIn’s job listings. These numbers not only illustrate ZEIL’s growth but also hint at a shift in how job seekers and companies interact.
But what has made Mowbray’s approach so successful so fast? It’s all about ‘Insurgent methodology’ an approach characterised by agility, a predisposition to take risks, and a focus on innovation. “It’s about making problems smaller and manageable, enabling immediate action.” says Mowbray. This is in stark contrast to the ‘incumbent mindset’ often seen in established companies, where “processes are entrenched, change is slow, and problems can become magnified, leading to inaction.”
What truly sets ZEIL apart is its foundational belief in ownership and purpose without hierarchy. “Every team member is a custodian of the brand,” says Mowbray “And this approach has not only fostered an environment of collective accountability but has also bred huge innovation. Everyone in the company is so genuinely invested in its success and coming up with ideas to improve it.” Mowbray’s philosophy is simple yet radical: dispense with the governance, empower the ZEIL team, and prioritise customer obsession.
And while she is a staunch advocate for data-driven decisions, she also believes it’s imperative that the data doesn’t get you stuck in the mud, or in the past, and that you still let gut and innovation prevail. She contends that while understanding the past is crucial, the emphasis must be on pioneering breakthroughs. This forward-thinking mindset is encapsulated in ZEIL’s core strategy: innovate, test, fail fast, improve and evolve. This is not a business that shies away from missteps, it embraces them as stepping stones to success.
The ethos behind ZEIL is also a bold refutation of the Kiwi tendency towards modesty in ambition. “I really want to dismantle that ‘tall poppy syndrome’ that often stifles growth and brilliance,” says Mowbray. ZEIL’s trajectory has been nothing short of meteoric, and its aggressive expansion is a testament to the power of reimagining the possible.
Breaking into the employment industry with an insurgent mindset means that Mowbray views challenges as opportunities to act swiftly and decisively. This philosophy has allowed ZEIL to catch the industry by surprise, employing unconventional tactics to outmaneuver long-established players. This is evident in the unique job opportunities it curates. For example, ZEIL offers positions like a camera assistant role with South Seas Spearo, providing more than just a job “It’s an adventure. ZEIL isn’t just a platform for job seekers, but a gateway to life-changing experiences and careers.”
For the innovators, the game-changers, and the visionaries, ZEIL stands as a powerful ally—a harbinger of a new era where the only rule is to redefine the rules. In Mowbray’s world, the insurgent’s path is not the road less travelled, it is the highway to success.
