job search apps

When utilized smartly and kept in its proper place and context, technology can be a beautiful thing. Yes, we all tend to spend too much time looking at screens, and you definitely need to look up from the phone once in a while. But when it comes to looking for a job, never have we had a better set of tools than we do right now—many of which we can access right from our smartphones.

If you’re on the hunt for a new job or career, there are literally hundreds of job search apps you could browse through, and of course, going through all of them would be counterproductive. So for now, let me narrow it down to four job-related smartphone apps that are at least worth a look.

1. LinkedIn Job Search

First of all, if you aren’t already using a LinkedIn profile as part of your job search, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. (Look for a separate post on using LinkedIn in days to come.) This app focuses specifically on the job listing section of LinkedIn, lets you narrow the search by location and category, sends you alerts of job openings based on your preferences and even lets you apply with a press of a button. Having the app on your smartphone frees you from your desktop so you can check the latest listings anytime.

A couple of additional tips to make the best use of this app:

• Go into your LinkedIn account, go to the “Jobs” section and fill out the “career interests” section. Then at the top of the page, where it says, “Let recruiters know you’re open,” turn the switch to “on.” This helps people who are looking for your skill set know you’re available and reach out to you.
• When you look at job opening on LinkedIn, it also displays people on that page whom you may know in that company, whether from school or a direct LinkedIn connection. Make a point of reaching out to mutual connections as they may have an “inside scoop” on what the company is looking for.

Find the app here: iTunes or Google Play

2. Indeed Job Search

Indeed.com is currently the most comprehensive job listings site on the web right now, so it only makes sense to utilize its companion app to help with your job hunt. No super-deep features or innovations here—it’s basically a mobile extension of the website tailored for your smartphone—but it’s definitely worth having simply due to the number of job openings available at any time.

Find it here: iTunes or Google Play.

3. Switch

Do you use Tinder? (Don’t answer that.) Point being, if you like Tinder, you’ll love Switch because it’s like Tinder for job seekers. It uses a similar swipe-left-or-right engine to connect employers and employees. Browse the listings; swipe left if you’re interested in the job, swipe right if you’re not. On the other side, prospective employers are doing the same thing. When both you and the employer swipe right, you’ve got a match—along with a possible job interview.

Find it here: iTunes or Google Play.

LinkUp

Not to be confused with LinkedIn (seriously, maybe find a better name?), what this app does is better than how it’s named. LinkUp only aggregates job openings from legitimate company websites, virtually eliminating the scam element. The app itself is currently only available for iPhone, but it’s worth checking out the website version if you use Android.

Find it on iTunes.