It’s not surprising that Zachary Senz Kamler created a unique matchmaking service for job seekers called Monikl (pronounced Mon-eh-kle). Both of Zachary’s parents are in the staffing industry and after hearing about the issues inherent to the industry at the dinner table since he was a toddler, Senz Kamler said to himself, “There has got to be a better way”. He then went on to create a platform that is unprecedented in the staffing industry.
Senz Kamler says, “Monikl’s proprietary algorithms match job applicants to employers based not only on required skill sets but also on work environment preferences and key personality traits – sort of a Match.com meets a job board like Monster.com meets a staffing service like Manpower.”
A Florida native from Boca Raton, Senz Kamler came to Tampa to attend the Entrepreneurship Program at the University of South Florida. In Tampa, he met his partner, the technologically savvy Ken Pomella, and they decided to make Tampa the headquarters for Monikl. The company’s name is inspired by the Monocle eyepiece, which enhances clarity of vision, and the idea that this clarified focus will help you land your ideal job at all levels of your career.
Senz Kamler has long been frustrated with the inefficiency of the staffing business model. “Most Human Resource people spend only seven seconds looking at an applicant’s resume or cover letter,” explains Senz Kamler. “This is unfair to the applicant and also unfair to the HR person weeding through hundreds of applicants, especially when a good skill set match does not mean the applicant will be a good hire or a happy hire.”
Senz Kamler’s epiphany occurred while on a hands-free phone call with Pomella while driving through Alligator Alley. Pomella was telling Zach how frustrated he was that he could not find any qualified IT people using a job board even with the incredible volume of candidates these job boards produced. He had received plenty of resumes from skilled candidates but none of them were the right fit. He then tried a staffing firm to find him the right employee. The staffing firm sent over senior-level IT candidates for a junior position, and when Pomella complained, he was then sent a few candidates that looked good on paper but didn’t make the cut when interviewed.
Senz Kamler had already been brainstorming new and better ways for companies to hire people but this late night conversation solidified his ideas into an actual concept. When he got home, he immediately checked the web to see if his concept already existed. After hours of web searching with no hits, Senz Kamler realized his concept was unique and, soon afterward, the Moniklplatform was born.
Senz Kamler, who worked after school at his parents' staffing firms since he was 12-years-old, is used to being busy. He keeps a hectic work pace, often putting in 80 to 90 hours a week. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” says Senz Kamler. “With Monikl, we have the opportunity to change the way the world works by changing how the world finds work. It’s exciting and I love the challenge.”
The future is bright for Monikl as Senz Kamler’s vision is already moving beyond Tampa to other Florida cities. Monikl’s platform is growing weekly, with future expansion planned for the entire United States before going global.
Senz Kamler admits it’s the same drive and patience to gain a black belt in karate that fuels his passion for Monikl. He says, “Without passion, there is no way to prepare yourself for the patience and drive it takes to start your own business. You need fortitude to overcome pain, setbacks and disappointments, and perseverance to keep building and moving forward.”
Perseverance pays. Since opening Monikl six months ago, Senz Kamler and Monikl has been featured on podcasts, news radio, and on the Tampa ABC affiliate’s news program. Monikl was accepted into the Tampa Bay WaVE, an accelerator program for startup businesses and won a coveted place to present Monikl at Emerge Americas, a Miami conference for entrepreneurs held this past June in Miami.
Monikl is free to job seekers. Unlike a job board where you have to search through all of the postings and apply in a vacuum, Monikl brings the jobs that are good matches to you right to your inbox. Monikl’s smartphone apps are fun and easy to use too. Stuck in a job that doesn’t feed your soul or meet your needs? Let Monikl help you find fulfillment at work that meets your needs. Monikl’s proprietary algorithms will match you to your dream job! All you have to do is sign up at Monikl or download the app on your smartphone.
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