WorkOnward

WorkOnward operates a map-based hiring marketplace that connects hourly job seekers with small businesses located near them. Job seekers browse live job matches on a map, create a profile without uploading a resume, and can chat directly with employers; the platform also supports video resumes so candidates can present themselves beyond a written CV. Employers post a job in about a minute and are promised two to three pre-screened local candidates within 48 hours. Profiles are ID-verified and reviewed, which the company positions as a safeguard against the scams and spam found on general community listing sites.

The product set spans search, scheduling, meetings, hiring and onboarding, combining human recruiters with machine learning, and includes a text-to-hire feature and AI tooling. Voice AI and a deliberately simple interface were built in to serve older adults, immigrants and non-native English speakers who struggle with conventional application flows. The company describes itself as free for job seekers and a fraction of the cost of traditional staffing services for small businesses. Typical employers on the platform include cafes, bakeries, restaurants, retail shops, childcare providers, auto services and local professional practices.

WorkOnward also runs a referral program in which job seekers earn between $30 and $1,500 when a referred friend is hired, and in which users earn a commission for referring a local business that begins hiring.

Founding story

Founder Holly Diamond, a first-generation Korean immigrant raised in New York City, conceived the company during the COVID-19 pandemic after her mother placed a "Help Wanted" sign outside the family's Koreatown BBQ restaurant in Midtown Manhattan and no candidates responded; Diamond concluded that hiring had moved online. Having studied social work at Fordham University and developed an interest in workplace discrimination and the barriers facing immigrants, refugees and international students, she first built a recruiting agency that matched candidates regardless of background before shifting to a map-based hiring platform for small businesses. She recruited co-founder and product designer Bhargav Sutariya, whom she had met while recruiting tech professionals for a client; Sutariya, who came to the U.S. as a student from India and was unable to work after his permit ended, led the emphasis on interface simplicity and Voice AI.

Business model

WorkOnward is a two-sided marketplace: free for job seekers, with small businesses able to post a job at no upfront cost and pay only when they hire. Published small-business pricing ranges from free for a single vacancy to $39 per month for unlimited postings, with no contracts and cancel-anytime terms. A referral program pays job seekers $30–$1,500 for referrals that lead to hires and pays commissions for referring businesses that begin hiring.

Revenue comes from small-business employers through pay-per-hire charges and monthly subscription tiers for job postings, ranging from a free single-vacancy plan to $39 per month for unlimited posts; job seekers are not charged.

Traction

The company's site reports more than 64,000 jobs listed and over 12,800 nearby job seekers, and states employers typically receive two to three candidates within 48 hours. As of December 2024, coverage citing the company's website reported more than 1,000 businesses using the platform, including Fulton Burger, Katz's Delicatessen and Tropical Juice Bar, with some employers hiring within 24 hours. Headcount is listed at 11-20 employees. The site also promotes a feature at Google I/O '26.

Latest developments

The company's website promotes a feature at Google I/O '26 with a keynote segment. In April 2025, co-founder and CEO Holly Diamond spoke on a panel about the New York startup ecosystem at The Korea Society's "Startups in Focus: Driving US-Korea Economic Synergy" forum in New York. The site currently advertises text-to-hire and AI products, a book-a-demo channel for businesses and a two-sided referral rewards program.