Global Brands Magazine Interview with HR Tech Entrepreneur Gergo Vari, Founder and CEO of Lensa

Global Brands Magazine was pleased to have the opportunity to interview HR Tech Entrepreneur Gergo Vari, Founder and CEO of Lensa 

1. Can you tell us about your background and how it led you to become the CEO of Lensa?

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial drive and been fascinated with the idea of inventing one’s own job. I co-founded Hungary’s first online job board, Profession.hu, in part because my co-founders and I were dissatisfied with existing job search solutions, and exited that company for a historic sum. I’ve been on a mission to innovate within the jobs and recruitment space ever since.

2. What inspired the founding of Lensa, and what problem were you looking to solve in the job search industry?

I learned through firsthand experience that the way we look for jobs and manage our careers is broken. We don’t use all the means at our disposal, including technology, to set ourselves up for success as job seekers. I wanted to educate and empower people to craft the career of their dreams.

3. How does Lensa differentiate itself from other job search platforms, and what makes it unique?

First, our matching technology pulls from millions of data points to pair candidates with open positions throughout the United States that best fit their goals, expertise, and work style. Second, we are very focused on spotlighting company culture and transparency in workplaces because we believe this is in both the employer’s and employee’s best interest.

4. What has been the most significant challenge you have faced as CEO of Lensa, and how did you overcome it?

My most significant challenge has been maintaining my focus and big-picture vision as the business grows and we expand our products and services. I have solved this by extracting myself from operations work, and more importantly by maintaining a regimen of devoting time daily to “zoom out” and pursue my hobby, Japanese sword fighting.

5. How does Lensa use technology and data to improve the job search experience for users?

We analyze millions of data points that assess career goals for the short and long term, past roles, soft and hard skills, preferences, and style of working to pair job seekers with companies that match all these.

6. Can you share any exciting developments or future plans for Lensa that you are particularly excited about?

We are launching a direct-to-employer product that we believe will transform the recruitment space the same way we have impacted job search. Stay tuned!

7. How does Lensa prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in its hiring practices and overall mission?

At Lensa, we believe diversity enables richer and more rewarding career perspectives. We invest not only in hiring with inclusion in mind, but have developed an intensive onboarding process that’s designed to connect team members across boundaries and empower them to learn from each other’s different experiences, backgrounds, and identities.

8. How does Lensa ensure the privacy and security of user data on the platform?

We have granular opt–in settings and a dedicated dashboard to ensure that no data is shared without users’ explicit consent.

9. How does Lensa approach user feedback and incorporate it into the platform’s development?

We have an array of channels where we collect user feedback, from on-site and in-app feedback forms to Trust Pilot ratings, reviews, social media platforms, and a dedicated email support team. Here, we want people to express their opinions as well as report issues, suggest improvements, and ask questions. All their feedback informs our product roadmap and lets us know where we’re meeting our goal of revolutionizing job search, and where we can improve.

10 What advice would you give to job seekers who are struggling in their search, and how can Lensa help them?

Be proactive in every aspect of your job search and career path. Technology like Lensa’s is a tool that can match you with opportunities you would otherwise never be aware of. But only you can decide which is the right one. To choose wisely, you need to understand your goals, strengths, and your preferred work style. Then: make your move!

About Gergo Vari

The founder and CEO of Lensa, Gergo Vari is on a mission to revolutionize the job search process for both companies and professionals. With a natural inclination towards entrepreneurship from a young age, the founder gained valuable experience through founding, funding, and exiting successful startups.

This journey led to the realization that the current hiring process and career development approach are flawed. As a result, Gergo Vari created Lensa, a startup that offers a technological solution to address the crisis in the career marketplace.

In 2001, Vari founded and launched Profession.hu, Hungary’s leading recruitment platform. In just 4 years, it reached an extraordinary market share of 75%. When SanomaMedia purchased the company in 2005, the transaction was the largest of its kind in Hungary up to that time.

Gergo Vari’s passion for startups led him to found and head e-Ventures, and later, in 2008, to the launch and sale of AffilateMedia, Network.hu, and Replise. These ventures opened his eyes to the need for recruiting and human resources technology that puts people first.

At Lensa, Gergo Vari and his team are working every day to share the transformative potential of this vision with the world