gainful.io

Job Description

37signals is hiring a Visual Storyteller to demo and explain our software, Basecamp and HEY – primarily on video, but also using still pictures and great writing to weave a story. Maybe you do it as a hobby today. Maybe it's your business to review other people's products. Or maybe it's currently your full-time job for another company. However you do it, and wherever you do it, you love doing it and you're excited to bring your talents to 37signals and our products.

About the work
You'll go deep on our products and come up with at least a video a week that shows people how to use them, how to get the most out of them, how other people are using them, etc. Tips, tricks, obscure power-user stuff, surprises, that sort of thing. We may point you in a specific direction from time to time, say, if we have a new feature we just released, but for the most part, you'll be free to do your own thing.

Maybe quick 30 second videos. Sometimes a few minutes. And maybe a dozen minutes or more if you really feel like going in-depth. We're out to create a thorough library of video resources as permanent reference material, as well as a steady stream of current videos showcasing what's new.

The aim is to make customers — current and prospective — go "Ah ha!". Delighting and informing with motion, description, and real-world scenarios. "Ah, so that's how it works!" "Ah, I didn't know you could do that." "Ha, that's super useful." "Ha, how cool is that?!" "Oh, that would really help us do X, Y, or Z." You should tell people things they didn't know, in ways they can relate to.

About you
You should be adept at video production. You should have a knack for explaining things clearly. You should be a great writer. You should be good at avoiding long, arduous setups, and know how to get to the point with just enough supporting material so everything makes sense. You should be good on camera yourself, and you should be enthusiastic without being cloying or annoying. Nothing cheesy, clickbait-y, or formulaic. This isn't about picking up views or smashing like buttons — this is about showing off just how useful our products are.

As a manager of one, you’ll drive shaped projects over six-week cycles. You’ll set direction, take ownership, make calls, and see things through without a lot of oversight. You’ll be able to communicate clearly with your colleagues, work across teams, and lend a helping hand when needed.

Benefits and compensation
The salary for this position is $100,000. 37signals is a fully remote company, and this is a remote job.

Our benefits support a life well-lived away from work. Ample time off and all the resources you need to support you in doing the best work of your career. Our handbook has detailed information about the benefits we offer.

Applicants from outside of the US will be offered a contractor role on comparable terms and equal pay with our domestic employees.

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply for a job where you can do the best work of your career.  Basecamp is committed to remaining a calm company where we don't regularly work longer than 40 hours per week and take proper vacations.

What to expect
You can expect a mindful onboarding process with structured ramp-up time. You can expect a team that listens. You can expect to be counted on and the freedom to do your best work. We build our apps, our teams, and our company for the long haul, so you can build your career here if you choose to.

Whatever software or hardware you need, we'll get it for you. Nothing should stand in the way of you doing the best work of your career, here.

We respect everyone's right to participate in political expression and activism, but avoid having political debates on our internal communication systems. 37signals as a company also does not weigh in on politics publicly, outside of topics directly related to our business. You should be at peace with both of these stances.

How to apply
Please submit an application that speaks directly to this position. Tell us about yourself and what you can bring to 37signals. Be descriptive, but don’t feel the need to write a novel — 800 words or so should be plenty. Forget that generic resume, and there’s no prize for being the first to submit so take your time.

Show us some of your previous work, and send us one new video that takes no more than a day to put together (honor system here). It should be 60 seconds or less. You choose what to focus on, but the videos have to be about Basecamp or HEY, and they have to show and explain how something works. A feature, a flow, a scenario — your call. You'll own the video, we won't use it. It's just so we can get a sense of what you can do.

We’re accepting applications until Wednesday, June 1, at 5:00PM US-Central time.

You should not expect to hear for a few weeks, while we review all applications. Please note that we’re unable to offer individual feedback during the screening process. We usually see hundreds of applications for roles, and our small hiring team simply doesn’t have the bandwidth to offer personalized feedback before the interview stages.

Those who make it past the first round will be asked to produce two more videos, and one write-up. We'll pay you for your time on those. You can also expect 2-3 remote interviews with your future colleagues. We’ll talk through your background, your approach to this job, and dive into your professional knowledge. No tests, gotchas, or surprises.

We look forward to hearing from you!