Job Matched, a recruitment startup bootstrapped by a first-time female founder, is using AI to get the cultural fit right in hiring

A recruitment platform that combines the simplicity of dating app swiping with AI-powered soft skills matching was launched in Sydney by a first-time founder this week. 

Job Matched is the brainchild of Australian-American Kayla Parry, who set out to make hiring faster, smarter and more human.

Parry was on Startup 360 this week, where she revealed that her ADHD means her head is always filled with ideas to solve problems.

Parry, who already runs a small business in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs originally set out to make Job Matched in three months, but as a non-technical founder, spent the next two years dealing with the harsh realities of tech building and startup life.

The end result combines AI-powered soft skills matching with a swipe-based interface to connect job seekers with roles that align with their personality, values, and culture fit.

Kayla Parry working on her Job Matched designs

Parry said Job Matched is on a mission to revolutionise the way people hire and find jobs, arguing that a typical resume fails to capture the applicants personality, values, or cultural alignment, leaving employers guessing if a candidate will truly thrive in their organisation.

“The recruitment industry is stuck in the past,” she said.

“Job seekers are drowning in irrelevant listings, while employers waste time and money hiring the wrong people. Job Matched flips the script by prioritising personality, culture fit and soft skills alongside qualifications. We’re not just matching skills—we’re matching people.”

Parry wanted the swipe-based interface to make job discovery quick, fun, and engaging. It also delivers auto-generated résumés and portfolio uploadsto  streamline applications, while personalised onboarding helps candidates identify and highlight their top soft skills and strengths. It spans everything from full-time to part-time, contract, apprenticeship, internship, and disability-assisted roles.

For employers, the AI-powered “suitable candidates” feature lets businesses view those with the best fit, even if they haven’t applied. Meanwhile, the ad management dashboard makes it easy to track applications, view detailed profiles (including résumés, video intros, and portfolios) and customise job postings to stand out.

Parry said affordable, scalable subscription tiers cater to businesses of all sizes, while data-driven insights and analytics help optimise hiring strategies.

She’s now set her sights on going global.

“This is just the beginning,” Parry said. “We’re not just building an app, we’re building a movement and creating a future where everyone finds work that doesn’t just pay the bills—it fulfils them.”