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- The PFunc Pulse: My Job Post Went Viral (for the Wrong Reasons) [Issue #42]
The PFunc Pulse: My Job Post Went Viral (for the Wrong Reasons) [Issue #42]
The HR Insider Guide. Read by 2,100+ leaders.
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO’S DESK
Two weeks ago, I posted a job (Social Media & Content Manager at People Function) on LinkedIn and it went slightly viral. That was... not the plan. 🙂
I’m the kind of leader who leans into hard conversations, and so this post and the responses gave me the opportunity to practice what I preach in a very public way.
The responses to the job opening split into three pretty clear camps:
People who saw the role as a great opportunity.
People who were flat-out MAD at me because the role was too wide-ranging, salary was too low, etc.
Industry pros who showed up with genuine feedback and stayed in it with me (shoutout to Rissy La Touche & Sequoia Houston!).
After ~15 years of writing hundreds of job descriptions, benchmarking roles, and having painful conversations with hiring managers whose expectations were wildly out of touch with reality, I should have seen this coming.
What struck me most wasn't the debate over the job description itself, but the commentary that followed. It exposed exactly where candidates are right now. People aren't just frustrated; they’re completely burned out by a job market that has failed them for a long time, and they're rightfully pissed. They're being spread paper-thin, expected to wear five hats while being compensated for one. Benefits are shrinking, expectations are expanding, and the uncertainty is exhausting.
Here's what I keep hearing:
People are taking jobs without basic protections. The market is so bad that candidates are accepting offers with no health insurance and no paid leave.
Below-market offers are getting accepted, and it's not good for anyone. We had a candidate accept our offer and then rescind it to take the same role at her dream company in the music industry for less money. That's where we are.
Employers are burning out their teams. The 9-to-5 is dead. The 8-to-8 replaced it (not at People Function, but across tech). Burnout is not a buzzword. It's the reality for people stretched way beyond reason, with scope creep dressed up as "opportunity."
One job isn’t enough anymore. I had a conversation today with a DEI&B leader, and I have a friend who are both doing the same thing. They are giving about 75% or less to their day jobs because they’re underpaid. They’re meeting the basic requirements of the role, but pouring the rest of their energy into side hustles.
Ghosting has become standard practice. Candidates pour hours into multiple interview rounds, prep work, and emotional investment only to be met with total silence. Employers are taking candidates’ time and energy for granted every single day.
I happen to be very close to this role, so I’m an atypical employer… but I get it. It SUCKS out there.
I'm still hiring. And I'm still listening. If any of this resonates, or if you know a scrappy, curious generalist who wants to build something with a team that walks the walk, send them our way.
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THE HR BRIEFING 🗞️
THE LATEST NEWS TO KNOW
HR headlines and stories, curated with our perspective. 🤝
Driven by a stagnant market, both employed and unemployed workers are trapped in a “doomjobbing” epidemic of endless scrolling. Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait told Fast Company it’s rare for both sides of the hiring equation to simultaneously feel the system is broken.
↪️ PFunc’s Perspective: We talked about this exact challenge in Issue 31: The Recruiting Matrix is Glitching! To save recruiter time, pivot to high-friction, high-intent application processes. Requiring direct emails, brief Q&As, or portfolio links are easy ways to deter serial applicants and attract genuinely engaged talent.
According to ADP's 2026 Future of Work series, automated workflows and complex data governance are forcing HR and IT to merge into a single department; 64% of IT leaders expect the two departments to fully combine within the next five years.
↪️ PFunc’s Perspective: HR leaders need to become technology leaders to stay relevant in this new market. Both sides need to align their goals, co-manage tech governance, and blend IT's technical expertise with HR's focus on human impact.
A couple of other trending stories:
Be the first to know about openings in our network by joining our Talent Network.
COMPLIANCE CHECK
Watch out for these HR compliances going into effect (or hitting deadlines) this month.
Colorado (eff. 6/30): Employers using high-risk AI for hiring must implement formal risk management policies and oversight programs.
Multi-States (eff. 7/1): Hourly pay is increasing across multiple states and municipalities.
Connecticut (eff. 7/1): Warehouse facilities with 250+ single-site workers must provide written descriptions of performance metrics upon hire, ensure quotas don’t interfere with mandatory breaks.
THE OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE 📈
ROLES ON OUR RADAR
The PFunc job board is packed with open roles across our client companies, making it easier than ever to tap into our network.
This week, we’re highlighting job openings from the last week.
Confidential, Executive Assistant and Office Manager: A 40-person startup is hiring an operator for its NYC hub (3 days/week onsite). If you love leveraging AI tools like Claude to streamline operations and keep a team running smoothly, reply to this email for more details!
Product Lead, Luminary: Untangle complex wealth management problems to drive transformational change through user-centric design, data, and detail.
Customer Success Senior Manager, BackerKit: Lead this remote-first support team, driving process improvements to ensure an exceptional experience for creators on the platform.
See a role you’re interested in? Reply to this email and we’ll try to connect you with the hiring team. Hiring for an open role yourself? Reply to have your job featured in an upcoming PFunc Pulse issue.
Drop everything, because our Founder and CEO, Emma, just launched Hot Divorcées, a space to share stories, celebrate, and connect. Check it out on Substack & Instagram!
CLIENT CORNER
From high-growth startups to established enterprises, our community of partners is growing. Check out the latest addition to our roster.
Olfactory NYC: PFunc’s newest client is completely disrupting the luxury fragrance industry. Olfactory NYC strips away expensive designer logos and celebrity hype to focus on top-tier, custom scents at a fraction of the price.
WHERE TO NEXT?
Our team is always on the move, popping up at the HR events, conferences, and summits we actually love. Here’s what we’re up to this month.
JUNE
ATDNYC x MindShift (Savills New York): June 25 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Emma is joining a team of expert panelists to hash out how we build trust and leadership models that survive the AI boom. Refreshments will be served, and spots are limited. RSVP today!
CHRONICALLY ONLINE📱
Riding the wave of the Knicks victory, Emma catches up with the PFunc team for some post-work interviews. 😭
@peoplefunction Still buzzing from the Knicks' win, and now I'm convinced we need post-workday interviews. #goteam
STAY IN TOUCH 💌
If you’re interested in fractional HR support for your team, reply to this email or contact us to learn more about our offerings, pricing, and how we can support your growing company.
Join the Talent Network here (it’s free!). Whether you’re actively exploring new opportunities or happily employed but open to the right fit, becoming part of our network boosts your profile when roles align with your experience, skills, and career goals.💡
🗣️ Thoughts, feedback, requests? Let us know! 🗣️
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Every Tuesday, The PFunc Pulse delivers the HR news and compliance shifts you actually need to know about, without all the corporate fluff. Emma brings her unfiltered take on the trends keeping CEOs awake at night, served with the gritty, practical wisdom of a founder who’s seen it all. Real talk for better people decisions, week by week. (P.S. Do your work bestie a favor and forward this— friends don't let friends do old school HR. 🫢)