Values

What they mean

Our values are values for Meilisearch - they represent abstract concepts that, in our opinions, only make sense if they are put in context. These values might mean completely different things in other companies, and we have tried our best to describe how they work at Meilisearch.

How they are used

We are defining these values not because we think they would look pretty written in the x-large font on our office walls (plus we are practically fully remote) but because we want to put them to good use:

• They are used in our recruitment processes, in the questions we ask candidates, and in the way we assess applications - we look for values fit rather than a culture fit.
• They are integrated into our Career Framework and are a basis for evolution
• We are intent on these values supporting company decisions. In that sense, everyone can remind anyone of Meilisearch values.

How we'd like them to evolve over time

Whenever we feel it is necessary. We're approximately 27 team members today and hope to be a lot more very soon; obviously, this will impact our values and culture. Team members' opinions will be considered regarding any potential redefinition, as they have been initially.

Our values

Commitment

• We are passionate about what we do. We care about the project. We disagree & commit.

  We are passionate about what we do

  At Meilisearch, you'll find that, generally, we all do what we do because it's what we love doing. Obviously, this doesn't mean we are all crazy about every aspect of our jobs, and there are definitely tasks we could do without. Nonetheless, we are aware that our affinities with our work have a strong influence on our commitment to our tasks and the company, and we, therefore, try to keep a healthy balance between work and passion.

  We care about the project

  More generally, we are all very committed to making Meilisearch a successful project which goes beyond our individual job scopes. When possible, we will gladly go further than our day-to-day tasks regarding any subject if it means it'll support the general evolution of the company.

  We disagree and commit

  Being committed, in our case, also means being opinionated and therefore disagreeing. Often. About a lot of things. However, we feel we have learned to do this in a constructive way that helps us move forward. We are strong believers in the "disagree and commit (opens new window)" philosophy.

Quality & simplicity

• We prefer quality over rapidity. We are pragmatic.

  We prefer quality over rapidity

  Building an open-source project means respecting certain standards and paying close attention to the work we produce and show. This forces us to take the time to search for further knowledge, to check our work, and have it checked by others. We would rather be rigorous than rapid.

  We are pragmatic

  Meili's interest is to offer a high-quality solution built on a healthy structure and not reinvent the wheel. This is something you will be able to find in all our jobs: we believe that aiming for perfection is counterproductive. We stand by the adage, "done well today is better than perfect next week.”

  Consequently, we have dealt with and will continue dealing with failure. For us, failing is ok if it means failing forward.

Openness

• We want to give back to open-source. We find solutions together. We value diversity.

  We give back to open-source what it gave to us

  The reason we have chosen open-source for our project is to share a high-quality search solution accessible to all, no matter their financial means. Sharing is the basis of what we do.

  Being open-source also means constantly collaborating with our community. We take pride in building a great solution thanks to their feedback and pay close attention to the information we give and the support we bring.

  We find solutions together

  One thing we know for sure is that no one knows everything. Not a day goes by without team members consulting each other on diverse topics to have a larger perspective and therefore strengthen the decisions they make. We constantly learn from others and are not afraid to say, "I don't know.”

  We value diverse views and backgrounds

  Meilisearch was built thanks to each team member's personality, skills, and experience. We value different opinions, regardless of our scope. Speaking up and creating your own approach is encouraged with the aim of giving space for individual initiative.

  We are interested in welcoming people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and opinions as we believe it is the only way to build a long-lasting company. In this sense, we are committed to avoiding being stubborn and believe it is important to be able to change views.