Tag: Linkedin »

LinkedIn has released a new app that they hope will help people to find their dream job. The LinkedIn Job Search app allows users to search for jobs based on title, location, or keywords and get notifications for jobs based on their location and previous searches, with applying for the job done via a couple of taps within the app. The app will also make recommendations based on jobs the user has previously viewed and their LinkedIn profile.

The LinkedIn Job Search app is available now for free on the App Store in the US.

LinkedIn has launched a new service called Intro that connects with the iPhone email app, allowing users to see the LinkedIn profiles of those who sent the email. The Wall Street Journal reports that users don't need to leave the email app to see the sender's profile, which includes their name, picture, workplace, and title.

Make sure you check out the video below to learn more about LinkedIn Intro!

LinkedIn has released a new app, LinkedIn Contacts, that provides you with an easier way to keep in touch with your contacts. The app alerts you on job changes and birthdays, and offers a new way to discover more about your business contacts.

Foursquare is a great app for messing around with and letting friends know where you are and what's going on. That geo-spatial technology could be used for much more useful means, however. How about as a business networking tool for when you're at a conference or simply flying out from LAX and want to hook up with some like minded business people? That might sound a little like a form of dating app but networking is extremely important in all walks of business. Recently released app, CanWeNetwork, hopes to take out much of the stress of meeting up with folks.

The app works using a LinkedIn login to ensure that its users can find like minded people around them, whether they happen to be. Users can then introduce themselves through the app before physically meeting up. Using some quite impressive matching algorithms, the app finds matches according to skills, experience, interests, education, location and personality.

It's clever stuff and having used it, I can confidently say that it found some appropriate matches for me. I can only imagine how much more useful it would become in a large public arena. Besides being able to see where the person is located at the current time, it's very simple to connect via LinkedIn through the app.

We checked in with company evangelist James Sinclair to learn more about CanWeNetwork and plans going forward.

148apps: What was the inspiration behind making the app?
James Sinclair: The inspiration behind this technology is that there are so many people that cross our paths every day that could be so relevant, so helpful, that we are just a second – or a chance opportunity – away from meeting. Our founders are road warriors and hardcore data scientists who looked at this as a problem to solve. They believe the evolution that this market - of business intelligence between people - was a great opportunity to solve a real world problem in an underserved marketplace. It’s also an incredible journey of learning why people get on or why people work well together. This has been a big evolution of ideas, a few pivots, some hurdles and all the time building an engine first, a platform first as we identify the verticals and marketplaces for which it is viable.

148apps: How long did the matchmaking algorithm take to work out?
James Sinclair: We spent nearly a year building our recommendation engine. It's at the heart of everything we do so it had to be amazing. Whilst a majority of users only care about the answer of "good" or "bad" match, and technically we could have shipped earlier with a less accurate or less complex engine, we are not trying to be a social network; we are trying to be a utility/tool and that requires delivering the right answer out the gate. We are a decision science company not an app company, and the real answer is we have not worked it out, it never stops, machine learning constantly trying to better itself, learn from the data, understand the reasoning and deliver strong results to our users. Usage drives intelligence.

148apps: Are there any plans to introduce other social network integration such as Facebook or Twitter?
James Sinclair: For us, we are thrilled to be part of the LinkedIn ecosystem. It is the largest, most robust and most intelligent business network on the planet and therefore makes it the first step on this journey for us. It is currently only one of the many data sets we pull, it just happens to be the only public one. We are actively looking at other networks, cross network integration and so forth, but we are very happy with the results we are currently getting that we are not racing to add more.

CanWeNetwork is available now for free. Why not let us know how you get on with finding appropriate matches?

If you've read our review of the iPhone version of Business Card Reader, you know we think it's pretty fantastic. Our reviewer gave it a best in class rating, saying, "Business Card Reader is a solid, reliable, visually aesthetic business card reader that performs as advertised, with minimal effort on the user’s part."

Well, now developer SHAPE Services has released a second iPad version of the business card reading app, cleverly named Business Card Reader HD. For those of us who use our iPads for business, this is a solid treat.

The app itself - at the same price point as the iPhone version - allows you to import contact info right from business cards using your iPad camera. Simply aim the camera at any card given to you by your business contacts, and Business Card Reader HD will scan, OCR, and create a contact in your iPad contact list. It can do so in English, French, German, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Whew.

There's also optional integration with enterprise-level customer relationship management (CRM) systems and LinkedIn support. As with any scanning technology, good light and a flat, unmoving surface are collecting the data well.

Business Card Reader HD works on iOS 4 and later and on all iPad models, including iPad 1 (you'll need to import pictures of business cards from the photo roll or LinkedIn).

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Keeping track of your contacts isn't as simple as keeping a Rolodex anymore. We have contacts in our phone's contact app, on LinkedIn, and on various other sites and networks. For those of us with tons of contacts across these platforms, an app like Savi People can be incredibly useful.

Savi People allows users to quickly organize, view, and communicate with their contacts on their phone as well as contacts on social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter). The app includes grouping and filters as well as some advanced features like batch operations. The app will let users import information from social networks into the contacts on their phones (like pictures, notes, and more). The goal of Savi People is to keep users from constantly hopping between apps to check statuses, send messages, and look up info; now all of that can be done in one app.

Savi People is currently on sale at an introductory price of $0.99. Grab it while it's cheap!

Sometimes it’s tough to get a job. And making new business contacts isn’t the most entertaining task. Well the folks at Intro Labs have a new networking solution, Intro, that helps grow user’s business networks and aids freelancers in finding new projects.

Intro uses social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare) and location to match potential business contacts. After users give Intro all of their networking information, it suggests potential business matches in a customized and ranked list (based on location). It even lets users “teleport” to other locations that they may be associated with to rank and list business contacts at multiple locations.

When contacts are suggested, Intro displays exactly what overlaps between users (follow the same Twitter users, worked at the same businesses, work in the same industry, etc). Users set both who they’re looking for and what industry they work in. Intro even alerts users when another user is close enough to meet up and shake hands.

Intro is available for free. The only social network that’s absolutely necessary to use the app is LinkedIn. All others are optional.

There's a lot of competition when it comes to social networking tools. The likes of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are all vying for users' attention. So how about consolidating them all into one app? Stroodle isn't the misspelling of a popular pastry, it's an app that allows users to do just that - easily check all their social activity from one place.

The app allows users to add one or more of these networking tools in a matter of seconds. They can then crosspost to all their networks simultaneuously and check the activities of all their friends from one place. Individual abilities such as the Facebook ability to like or wallpost is still there, as well as the ability to @ reply, retweet or DM people on Twitter, with similar functionality for LinkedIn also.

There's not a lot missed out in Stroodle, excluding a few more complex Facebook and Twitter commands, which makes it an ideal app to quickly consult for social networking information.

Stroodle is out now and it's a free download, with the option of paying $1.99 for an ad-free version.

Within all the iPad coverage last week, some of you might have missed Jeff’s Favorite Four: Apps for Baseball Fans. If so, check it out here.

This week I’m looking at apps that help the millions of job seekers out there. With the economy the way it is, and no clear determination on when these troubles are going to end, it’s important to equip yourself with as many tools as possible when looking for a job. Competition is fierce, and employers are able to choose from a much larger job pool.

Here are a few to search and prepare for job interviews:

1. Career BuilderCareer Builder boasts an impressive library of almost 2 million jobs at any given time. The Career Builder app takes this powerful database and makes it available on the go. This free app is a powerful tool for any job seeker. The only downside is that Career Builder is focused on U.S. jobs only.

2. Indeed: I’ve included two separate job search apps on purpose. Where Career Builder is a website specific search engine for jobs, Indeed takes finding the job that next step. Instead of one specific search, Indeed accesses thousands of websites and millions of job postings to find the most accurate jobs you’re searching for.

3. Audio Job Interview Professional : If you didn’t get it drilled into your head by your mother, coach, teacher, or director, I am here to tell you that practice makes perfect. Luckily for you, developers Halosys Technologies Inc. & ImageTek agree. They’ve put together a set of standard questions from an interview that can be replied to, saved, and sent out as part of an electronic application. If that’s a bit much for you, the questions are excellent study tools.

4. Linked In: Last, but certainly not least, is LinkedIn. LinkedIn for iPhone puts your professional network just a touch away. I just recently started a LinkedIn profile and I was shocked at how powerful this networking database really is. The LinkedIn app gives you immediate access for real time updates and on the go advice.

I’m not a job expert, but I know it doesn’t help to get discouraged in the job hunt. There are many other apps, and plenty of websites, out there to access. Use these resources, and everything you can get your hands on, and best of luck in your job hunting!

Know of any other job finding apps? Let us know!