Can you imagine a world where starting a new job brought you more than a new set of responsibilities and challenging projects but co-workers who became your friends, too? For this trio, it’s a sweet reality, all stemming from a chain of employee referrals. Meet Isabel Saltzman, Senior Advertising Sales Planner, Emily Berger, Advertising Sales Manager, and Sara Glick, Senior Advertising Account Manager, who share their story of small-world connections leading to friendships and work partnerships across the Advertiser sales team at Taboola.
Close relationships in and out of Taboola
From acquaintances to living in the same midtown apartment building, Isabel, Emily, and Sara formed a wonderful friendship that has grown over the past few years due partly to those relationships expanding in their professional worlds. Emily shares, “The three of us are not only good friends outside of work, but we can lean on each other and help each other move forward in our roles here because we all work in different parts of the (advertiser) business.” With the mutual goal of closing deals and retaining clients, each has a specific focus that supports the other.
Sara adds, “When we have the opportunity to work together on the same account, it’s that much more rewarding, collaborative, and fun!”
What these referrals say about #TaboolaLife
In 2023, Taboola’s US hires accounted for 39% of employee referrals, on par with the average US employee referral hire count of 30-50%, according to Zippia.
To begin the story, Isabel takes us back to the start of the employee referral chain, beginning with Andrew Bellach, Search Ads Business Development Manager, who recently shared his #MyMoment story of his ten-year milestone at Taboola. Isabel shares, “A former Taboola colleague, also referred by Andrew, encouraged me to explore Taboola during my post-college job search. I immediately connected with the company’s culture and values, which led her to refer me.” After joining Taboola, Isabel later referred Emily and Sara, with the referral tree growing from there. After nearly three years at Taboola, Isabel emphasizes the uniqueness of Taboola’s culture, sharing, “Those around me know how passionate I am about my work and the company’s values. I feel incredibly fortunate to have grown into my role here, in that I’ve gotten to explore both my creative and analytical sides through media planning.”
Sara adds, “I’ve had an extremely positive experience working here, which has been demonstrated by my own referral track history. (Shout out to Emily Karr and Peter DeLuca!) Taboola truly is a great place to work with an inclusive, hard-working, caring culture that pushes people to be the best versions of themselves.”
An evening of unexpected recognition
The story evolves as the women describe an evening out to dinner in the West Village, where Isabel, Emily, and Sara chat about life and work. “We were nearing the end of Q1 and discussing how close we were to achieving our goals,” Sara added, “and probably with a lot of enthusiasm.” It was then that they were approached by an unexpected visitor at their table who overheard their enthusiastic conversation.
Enter Brooke Shields, who joined the women at their table and expressed what “smart, beautiful, career-driven women” they were and “how proud they should be of these traits.” Sara noted how Brooke went on to share with the women how they reminded Brooke of her younger daughters and how she hopes one day they are as passionate about their jobs as much as it sounded like the women are about theirs.
“We were excited to talk about our teams and what we think our futures look like at Taboola. Brooke could tell through our excitement that we enjoy our jobs and coming into the office. As three strong young women, it was nice to be recognized and viewed as equal to others,” Emily explained.
Women supporting women
“I love that we can go to each other for different perspectives,” Emily shares. Supporting each other’s growth isn’t a “check-the-box” experience here, as people genuinely want to help each other succeed. And what can be sweeter than your friends supporting you both in and out of the workplace?
“We all believe Taboola is a very inclusive place to work that cares about having equality in the workplace,” Emily shares. With the company’s commitment to ensuring that 45% of all promotions and new hires, including key leadership roles, are women and/or racially diverse by 2025, Taboola prioritizes creating opportunities to empower and inspire women.
Isabel emphasizes, “At Taboola, I’ve found inspiring female leaders and colleagues at all levels, from managers like Kathryn McGarvey to sellers and account managers. I have felt valued and heard, no matter the situation, big or small.” Many people across Taboola express the transparency and access to leadership, which is also seen through TaboolHer, Taboola’s Women’s collective employee resource group. Women across the organization can get paired up with mentors and gain access to females in leadership positions for professional development support, guidance and industry learning opportunities.
“I love the safe space TaboolHer creates for women in the workplace. I walk away feeling inspired, energized, and smarter after meeting with my mentor Evangeline McDermott,” Sara notes.
Taboola’s employee referral chain shows what #TaboolaLife is all about—a place where making real connections helps you grow professionally and where everyone can thrive, no matter who you are. As they progress in their careers together, Isabel, Emily, and Sara’s story proves how a supportive, encouraging environment can make a huge difference at work. Their transition from friends to colleagues at Taboola isn’t just about referrals—it’s about building upon a culture of trust and empowering one another, a story at the heart of the Taboola community.
To learn more about why we are consistently ranked as a great place to work, check out the Taboola Life blog. Visit our careers page and discover your moment. #TaboolaLife