The story of the global supply chain is one of growth. From the warehouse pallets of the 1920s and the World War II-induced mechanization of the ’40s to the shipping container and computerized boom of the ’50s and ’60s, every decade since the turn of the 20th century has observed marked improvements to supply chain logistics. In the advent of modern-day industrialization, the world’s $28.5 trillion economic interdependence has greased the growing machinery of its trade networks.
As the pandemic rocked supply chains worldwide, affiliated companies in the industry saw the need to innovate more than ever — chief among them DAT. The digital logistics company understands its critical role in keeping the North American supply chain moving. To keep up with an increasing demand for its product suite, the company had to accelerate recruiting efforts as well.
“Our growth is fueled by a fundamental shift in the way the world realizes its supply chains, and addresses and solves their problems,” said Lisa Henshaw, DAT’s vice president of human resources. For her, that means scaling the team alongside a dormant, mostly-analog industry that’s about to come online with the full economic force of globalization. The company must grow bigger to make the world smaller and more connected.
A boost in staff also means tackling products and projects on a grander scale. Working with the seller side of supply chains, Denver-based Cin7 is investing in more hands on deck to handle an influx of clients. “There’s still a lot of white space to define,” said Talent Acquisition Manager Jessica DeRubbo. There’s immediate economic value to be gained from more employees tapping into new markets and channels.
As with any company at the forefront of technological transformation, preparation meets opportunity in the form of hiring the best talent for the right roles. Built In Colorado sat down with leaders at DAT and Cin7 to discuss their hiring needs in a bullish industry that sees growing numbers — and requires a growing workforce to handle it.
DAT is a digital supply chain logistics company, with a suite of software solutions that allows clients to optimize their operations. As a freight marketplace and information provider, the company works with a huge amount of data and posts, and works to modernize the supply chain amidst recent challenges. To keep up with industry demands for its products, DAT is also looking to grow its teams, especially in technical roles. “The one thread that connects all of them is that they see and share the importance of what we’re doing here,” said Vice President of Human Resources Lisa Henshaw.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
DAT has approximately 500 employees, and we plan on growing to over 700 in the next two years. That’s a tall order, and it’s all hands on deck. The hiring mandate for us comes with an added layer of complexity because our tools play a pivotal role in keeping North America’s supply chain up and running. Users rely on DAT 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To that point, the focus of our growth is mostly on the tech side of the house — engineers, engineering managers, product managers, UX/UI professionals and more. That said, as any company grows, so will all functional areas, including finance, HR, sales, support and, of course, marketing.
Bottom line, we’re hiring people every day in all different disciplines. DAT is solving real problems that impact an entire supply chain, and that supply chain is an enormous interconnected network that touches consumers, now more than ever. This means that DAT’s mission is everyone’s mission.
What’s fuelling your current growth?
Our growth is being fueled by a fundamental shift in the way the world realizes its supply chains, addresses its supply chain problems and solves those problems.
The hallmark of the shift is the movement from analog to digital with respect to supply chain logistics. It’s taken decades to come to fruition, but it’s here now, and players in the industry have come to rely upon the benefits of optimizing their operations with software tools. DAT was the first one to offer those tools to our customers in 1978, and we’ve been the market leader since.
We now operate the largest marketplace of its kind in North America, with 227 million freight posts in 2021, and a database of $137 billion of annual global shipment market transaction data. What this means is that, as the industry comes online, our suite of products is even more top of mind and center stage.
We’re not a bubble business — we’ve been doing this for 44 years, and despite the global supply challenges facing us all now, the supply chains that provide goods to our largest cities and smallest communities across this country will never go away.
What sets your company apart for potential applicants?
I’ll put on my recruiting hat, but I’ll do it for good reason. Why? Because I work for an extraordinary company that people need to know about. As vice president of human resources, I’m in the business of caring about people. It’s my responsibility to let candidates know why DAT is a place they can call home.
Highlights of Working at DAT
- A market leader in digital supply chain logistics
- There's job stability amidst market downturns
- A growing team that seeks to highlight individual voices
- Award-winning workplace, including Built In's Best Places To Work 2021
- The culture is people-driven
Cin7 offers inventory management software that connects brands to the sales and retail ecosystem, from suppliers and marketplaces to apps and channels. The all-in-one solution makes it easier for sellers or retailers to manage their product pipeline and break into new markets. For the employees working on the automated platform, they are looking to add new talent to the team. “We’re a late-stage startup with stable funding, keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive,” said Jessica DeRubbo, the company’s talent acquisition manager.
How much will your team grow over the next 12 months?
We’re in rapid growth-mode. We expect to grow our team by 30 to 50 percent over the next 12 months, as a direct result of the success of our inventory management products for product sellers. As we onboard more clients, we’ll hire additional internal resources to support them, with a heavy focus on engineering, customer success, customer support and onboarding.
We expect to grow our team by 30 to 50 percent over the next 12 months.”
What’s fuelling your current growth?
Multiple factors are fueling our fast growth. We’ve made immense improvements to our products, like our recent release of pre-built automation tech stacks to accelerate product seller success. We’ve also invested in strategic partnerships, like our recently announced partnership with Intuit to help businesses move to the cloud, add channels and thrive. And, we’re very focused on enhancing our company culture, as one of Built In’s Best Places to Work for 2021 and as a finalist in PwC’s Hi-Tech Awards for Company of the Year 2022.
What sets your company apart for potential applicants?
Though we have some things figured out, there’s still a lot of white space to define, and we welcome those who are hungry to help build and add immediate value. Joining Cin7 means collaborating with like-minded individuals in our mission to empower product sellers to thrive.
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