Do you have an App for that? Mobile computing and recruiting.
Posted by Jennifer Hitchens-Greenfield in The Daily Update
I’m always on the quest for discovering (and downloading) new and useful apps for my iPhone. News apps, career apps, social media apps, cooking tips apps, music apps, stopwatch apps for timing my mile pace, etc. I swear I even downloaded that level app and actually used it—seriously! I don’t think my weekends would be complete without checking Yelp or letting Google Maps navigate me through road trips.
And, as Alstin is developing an app of our own (coming soon to the App Store!), I started to wonder—there must be a huge demand for developers to create customized apps? I’ve talked with vendors and web sites about rolling out apps of their own in addition to providing customized app creation services for clients. And I was curious about the market, statistics and the potential revenue stream I could create for this type of product.
And, I discovered, I’m not alone. App stores have had more than $4.2 billion in revenue last year, according to Gartner Inc., which tracks information technology worldwide. Analysts expect that to increase to $29.5 billion by 2013. (And, no there aren’t any typos in that sentence—$29.5 billion!).
As mobile technology continues to advance (and become more accessible and less expensive) and innovations like the Apple iPad (a 10-in touch screen computer sized somewhere between a laptop and an iPhone) are created, you can be sure that this will help generate the demand and interest for more apps. From a Feb 1st, 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer article, “A bonanza for app developers.” (written by Carolyn Davis) she quotes Lisa Allen, a board director for Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic, the local chapter of a global group that aims to foster education and networking among the mobile-development crowd. “Today’s mobile phones are as powerful as many desktop PCs—more so, if you consider that they’re also location-aware and have a built-in billing and payment system…We’re seeing people run their entire lives, even their entire businesses, from their mobile phone.”
Apple announced in January that billion apps had been downloaded from its App Store from among more than 100,000 titles in categories such as games, business, new, sports and health. Blackberry App World has 4,000 titles and Google’s Android Market has 20,000.
From a recruiting, hiring, retention and online application perspective apps really have unlimited potential for opening up the communication process. Making it more direct, more efficient, more targeted, more everything. (Can you tell I’m really liking mobile technology??) Create an app so potential applicants can download employment-focused videos or podcasts interviewing a Hiring Manager. Or, create your app with the functionality to enable job seekers viewing your jobs (through your own app or through a job board/job aggregator site app) to easily download their resume and apply right from their mobile device. Or, develop an app function to stay in touch with prior applicants, send out newsfeeds about your company, update them on the hiring process—the ideas really are limitless. Does your company have multiple retail locations? Imagine being able to identify a smart phone user with your app and send them targeted career opportunities based upon where they are standing! Develop app for internal purposes and marketing…perhaps an “HR Welcome App” to stay in touch with recently on-boarded candidates (remind them to fill out specific forms, reiterate the rewards for your existing employee referral program) or create a retention-focused app to update employees of awards earned, milestone achievements or other positive news. And, one thing I love about apps is the metrics and measurability they provide—love my numbers!
So, when someone asks you, “Do you have an app for that?” You can say, “Yes! There’s an app for that!”
Author Bio:
Jennifer Greenfield, Director, Interactive Services, seems to have
coffee, not mortal blood, running through her veins. Juggling her bags
(laptop, spinning stuff, cool purse, projector) and array of web-based
duties with professionalism, composure and a random assortment of
funny faces, Jen, has been with Alstin for more than 13 years, lives and breathes the 'net. 
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First, I will say that I do NOT long for the days that resumes came in envelopes! I still wonder why people print their emails. Particularly the emails with the “please don not print this email” printed in green at the bottom. I recently became the proud owner of a Droid. I’m not sure this is a good thing although Jen thinks I will master it before my 2 year contract runs out.
Through Alstin’s support we have entered the world or recruiting via the social network; Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. As efficient as on line applicant tracking systems can be for seeing and moving information they prevent real dialogue between a candidate and the recruiter. I can access all of the networks at any time from my Droid. Whether or not you want to be available 24/7 you have the ability to access your information when ever you want. It’s pretty cool.
Thanks John! You’re already mastering the Droid!!!
I see that the Temple University Health System Careers Facebook Fan Page has 84 fans now! And, the TempleHealthJob Twitter channel has over 104 followers! The report on our promotional campaign will be completed soon – looks like we’re getting great results! Thanks (as always) for your comments!!