Americans have turned to social media and mobile technology as a new means of job seeking.
A 2011 survey conducted by StepStone Solutions found that 96 percent of recruiters considered social media and online recruiting vital in reaching out to global audiences. This has led job seekers to look to social media outlets in helping them demonstrate their qualifications.
Although there is no surefire way to land a job, here are some phone apps that can help.
1. Pocket Resume
Oftentimes, creating a resume precedes the job seeking process in most people's job search. Pocket Resume helps in creating and tailoring your resume, based on the jobs you apply for. The application works alongside your LinkedIn profile and takes information from that to build and update your qualifications. Once created, resumes can easily be made into PDF form if prefered.
2. iPQ Career Planner
The iPQ Career Planner app helps to assess which jobs you are qualified for. It does this by looking at your experience and recommending jobs that best fit your skills. This app is particularly useful for recent grads or those in search of entry level positions.
3. JobCompass
Using the phone's location features, JobCompass is helpful in finding openings that are local to job seekers. The app also provides information about employers, such as the contact information for hiring managers.
4. LunchMeet
LunchMeet uses contacts from your LinkedIn account, along with geotargeting, to locate local professionals who want to meet for lunch and network. The app helps you create or expand your own network of people, who could possibly help mentor or guide you professionally.
5. LinkedIn
If meeting a stranger for lunch is not really your thing, LinkedIn is another app that helps job seekers network. A recent report on social recruiting activity conducted by Bullhorn Reach, found that LinkedIn is used by close to 50 percent of all online recruiters, with an average network of 661 connections. This social reach is far beyond that of Facebook and Twitter's, showing how vital the app is to job seekers this year.
