The way that people approach the job search process has changed considerably over the years. We no longer spend considerable amounts of time visiting different companies, handing out our CVs in person or being passed from department to department trying to find out about any vacancies. We are shifting more towards the use of productivity apps and other modern job search techniques. 

Nowadays it’s much more effective to initiate our job search process online, whether you choose to do this apply for jobs directly on job boards, companies websites, Social Media channels, or sending an email to the company. In this competitive job market, it’s important to stay ahead of the other job seekers and to improve your chances of getting hired by staying productive and to keep job searching, even when you are on-the-go. You never know what opportunity might arise while you are on the train, walking down the street or simply scrolling through Social Media, but don’t worry, we are here to help! 

There are a number of useful productivity apps that can boost your job search process, take note:

Google Docs

First things first, your CV and cover letter. Personalising your CV and cover letter to each individual role is something that we strongly advise. Recruiters and hiring managers can always tell when they are receiving a generic CV or cover letter and of course, it can be extremely offputting and demotivating to them. 

Extra tip: Adding an app like Google Docs to your mobile phone can be extremely useful, this enables you to make changes to your CV on-the-go and most importantly, you have the ability to type out a whole new cover letter tailored to that particular position. By adding an app like this to your phone, you will hopefully increase your chances of employment, through your ability to edit on the go and literally apply from anywhere!

Evernote

Adopting an app like Evernote or similar is essentially the modern-day pen and paper. In a world where we are constantly meeting new people, hearing about new trends and advancements, it’s important to stay up to date and to keep a note of the things we learn. If you are a busy individual, it’s a good idea to take note of anything beneficial that you may hear that could support your job search or any ideas that come to mind that will come in use in your job search. Use Evernote as a place to store your ideas and any information that you are given by companies in interviews or other situations, literally anything that may be worth remembering for the next steps in your job search. 

Extra tip: Other advantages of using a productivity app like Evernote is that you can store web pages and other useful materials, so when it comes to company research or interview advice, it's all readily available to you. 

ToDoist 

Although it may seem somewhat obvious, using an organisation and productivity app like ToDoist during your job search can make a considerable difference. ToDoist is a great way of centralising all of your tasks in one place; meetings, interviews, emails, you can even integrate DropBox and Gmail with this app too. Using this kind of organisation app can really help to minimise stress and panic when it comes to the planning of interviews and other events. We recommend scheduling any meetings or interviews on these apps and make sure that they notify you in advance.

Extra tip: By keeping your arrangments and emails in one productivity app, nothing comes by surprise! Another beneficial aspect of having the app like this is your ability to schedule and accept meetings on the go and it enables you to be more immediate with your responses. 

Meetup 

Although the majority of your job search can be carried out online. We still recommend you to get out there and network. By far, networking still remains one of the most effective ways to find a job and this type of approach will help you to develop new skills and an enhanced ability to communicate with other professionals. By downloading a networking app such as Meetup or even by using Social Media apps, you will be able to find out about career-related events in your area, skills workshops, virtual meetups and general meetups! 

Extra tip: Whether you decide to attend a CV writing workshop, a skillshare or a more general event, these events will help you to meet relevant people in your industry and acquire new and valuable knowledge in time for your next interview. The things you learn and the people you meet can have a significant impact on the success of your future interviews, your applications and more, go for it! 

Dropbox 

Some of the best advice we can give is to always be prepared and this is especially relevant during your job search. As we stated previously, exciting opportunities can arise when you are least expecting it and as long as you have the right documents with you, you can still apply for your dream opportunities, wherever in the world you may be! In preparation of these unexpected job openings and opportunities, it’s a smart idea to have your CV, Coverletter and portfolio (depending on your sector) accessible from your mobile phone. 

Extra tip: Storing your documents in a cloud-based app is a great idea, you never know when you might need them and it’s a good procedure to take just in case your laptop or computer decides to break mid-job search. Download Dropbox, Google Drive or something similar to your phone and you will hopefully feel 100% prepared whether you are on the move or in the comfort of your own home. 

Social Media Apps

As we mentioned, it’s becoming more and more common for companies to hire candidates through Social Media. Apps like Facebook, LinkedIn and others, now have a job listing features. Now you can search for jobs whilst you are aimlessly scrolling through your social media feeds, which will help to reduce any procrastinating during your job search process. What’s more, a lot of these apps are made with a close focus on usability so you can usually apply for a job with just the click of a button! As a job seeker, you can really make the most out of these apps by joining relevant groups and connecting with or following people who inspire you.

Extra tip: From browsing social media apps, you can find lots of useful content such as career advice blogs, infographics, Q&A style posts and more. This kind of material can really help to boost your motivation and even offer some extra advice at times in need! We suggest searching for groups with job search-related keywords as “Job search help” “Career advice” etc. 

HireVue

You may have heard, video interviewing and prerecorded interviews are the next big thing in the recruitment world and in order to stay one step ahead in your job search, it's important to be prepared. We recommend downloading HireVue, a video interview tool. Although you can't use the app to help with the initial stage of your job search, it may come in extremely handy for on-the-spot video interviews or as a form of communication between you and interviewer, through their question features etc.

Extra tip:  Although you may not need it yet, by downloading it advance you can familiarise yourself with the functionality of the app, which will help you to stay one step ahead and remain confident in your next video interview. 

Glassdoor 

With the freedom to research your dream employers, Glassdoor is an extremely beneficial app for job seekers and pretty much anyone in the working world. Through Glassdoor you have the ability to investigate the working culture of the company and discover key inside knowledge from current and past employees. This is a great way to discover whether a company is the right one for you based on the information provided by the public and to analyse the expected salaries of each role. 

Extra tip: You can add your personal information, contact details, skills, experience to Glassdoor to be discovered by your dream employers! 

Headspace 

Last but not least, it's extremely important to stay focused and to maintain a healthy mind during your job search. Unfortunately, the job search process can be a somewhat draining and emotional process and in order to keep yourself motivated and positive, we recommend using productivity apps like Headspace. 

Extra tip: Sometimes, it's important to disconnect from your job search and take some time out to stay positive. 

As you can see, there are lots of ways you can maximise your job search using productivity apps, whether you are on-the-go or in the comfort of your own home. In a world that is so dependent on technology and Social Media, it's important to stay up to date and ahead of the competition! Are there any other productivity apps that you use in your job search? Leave a comment below to let other jobseekers know!