You already know that a good LinkedIn profile can be an essential tool to showcase your work experience and skills, but an increasing number of mobile apps could complement the professional networking site and help you find a job, a mentor or networking opportunities in your field.
For job hunters, the application process has changed so rapidly in recent years that the paperwork used for generations may soon be finding its way to a museum. Recent research shows that an increasing number of us prefer to browse and apply to job listings on our smartphones, with Pew Research reporting that just over half of American millennials use a smartphone as part of their job search.
In many cases, the mobile job hunt and networking experience is now focused on using your profile and location data to “match” with potential connections. Just as GPS-based dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble rely on location-based “matching” technology, apps are now using that technology for job searches, allowing employers and candidates to connect in a quicker, more casual way than ever before. Bumble has even announced that it will add a job-matching and professional networking feature to its dating app.
The eight apps below could give you a job-hunting and career-building edge.
Related: How Networking Pays: Not Just a Job, but More Money, Too
For Job Seekers
Jobr
(available on Apple App Store and Google Play)
Founded two years ago, Jobr was one of the first apps that used Tinder-like swiping to let job hunters express interest in a position. You can set up a profile, fill out an online resume and see if you “match” with employers. The app, which was acquired by jobs listing site Monster Worldwide in June, features listings that span a range of professional fields. If you know of someone who would be a good fit for a job, you can refer other members to job postings. Employers are able to view your name and profile once you apply. Job-seekers are also able to chat directly with Jobr staff to get advice through its Career Concierge feature. The company claims that since the app was founded two years ago, job seekers have swiped over 100 million times, though it doesn’t say how many jobs it has filled.
Switch
(available on the Apple App Store and Google Play)
“Switch was created for people with jobs who are looking for their next opportunity in mind,” says CEO Yarden Tadmor, who founded the company in 2014. Like Jobr, once you’ve filled out a profile, the app’s algorithms send you job recommendations based on the details provided. If you express interest in a job and an employer wants to talk to you, the app lets you open up a conversation through email or chat. A potential employer won’t know who you are unless there is a match, and the app automatically blocks your current employer from viewing your profile. The app’s target markets are currently New York City and San Francisco, and the jobs posted lean toward the tech sector. Recruiters include NBC Universal, ebay, Crowdtap and Apester. The most popular postings include ads for software developers, product and user experience managers, visual and graphic designers, marketers and sales/account managers.
Related: The 6 Fastest-Growing Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree
Indeed
(available on the Apple App Store and Google Play)
Indeed.com has long been one of the world’s busiest job sites, with 16 million jobs posted and 70 million resumes uploaded. Its app allows users to take advantage of millions of listings from online job boards and company websites. It has a GPS-based capability to find jobs near you, search capability by job title, company and location, and seekers can find full-time, part-time, contract, freelance and internship job postings. Users are able to apply to jobs with one click, and job seekers have access to company reviews and salary information. Indeed has also been active in trying to get more offline local job postings on its site through its Job Spotter app launched last month. Job Spotter users can take pictures of local “help wanted” ads and upload them to the app.
Ziprecruiter
(available on the Apple App Store and Google Play)
Many high-profile companies, including PayPal, AT&T, Target, Pandora, Wells Fargo, Ford and Volkswagen, use this app. Like other job listing services, Ziprecruiter allows users to search jobs based on location and keywords, and provides users with curated job suggestions. Users can also decide to opt into a resume database for employers proactively seeking candidates. Job seekers can apply to jobs with a click, and Ziprecruiter provides updates on application progress, including when the employer views the resume. High-skilled jobs including nursing and IT are well represented.
Related: The Job Market Is On Fire, but Can It Stay This Hot?
Snagajob
(available on Apple App Store and Google Play)
Snagajob lets users apply for hourly jobs across the country with large companies such as Taco Bell, Papa John’s, Time Warner Cable and Macy’s. The website has been around since 2000, but the app has caught on as a way for service-industry employers to quickly recruit workers.
Glassdoor
(available on Apple App Store and Google Play)
Glassdoor has long been a go-to site for researching prospective employers by reading employee-generated company reviews, salary and benefits information and interview questions. “It’s where to find the scoop on what it’s like to work at a company,” explains spokesman Scott Dobroski. The app combines this research function with job postings, along with the ability to apply with one click. Dobrowski recommends reading as many reviews as possible to get a balanced perspective on an employer. Glassdoor works with over 4,000 recruiters, 39 percent of which are Fortune 500 companies.
Related: Fast Food Is Booming and Teens Are Getting the Jobs
For Networking
Shapr
(available on the Apple App Store and Google Play)
While Jobr and Switch offer you a tailored job search based on your profile, Shapr uses your profile information to suggest professional contacts. If there’s a mutual match, the app notifies you and you can chat within the app and set up an in-person meeting. And using Shapr doesn’t have to be a chore. “We’re taking an approach that emphasizes checking in each day for just a few minutes and swiping through a few profiles, rather than spending hours browsing endless lists at one point and then never coming back,” reads the app’s FAQ.
Related: The Ugly Truth Behind Last Week’s Big Jobs Numbers
Let’s Lunch
(available on the Apple App Store)
The app uses your profile and your calendar availability to suggest contacts or mentors who are nearby and have similar professional interests. It also has the capability to set up last-minute meetings. And don’t worry about etiquette questions: Each person pays for his or her own lunch. The service is currently available in San Francisco, Silicon Valley and New York, as well as in the U.K., the Netherlands, Italy and New Zealand. Since the app was launched five years ago, founder Syed Shuttari says, it has signed on 100,000 users who have set up over 90,000 lunches.
