Love it or hate it, Tinder has made the art of swiping right (or left if you so prefer) into an indelible action that has brought about similar features on apps that came out after it.
With a slew of clones directly competing with it in Singapore itself, it was only a matter of time that other industries got in on the swiping fun for their apps. And true enough in Singapore, there’s one for property called The Edge Property.
Now one more app has arisen to answer the question of, “What if you could swipe right to a job you fancy?”
Swype Jobs
Here comes Swype Jobs, and as its name implies, all you have to do is swipe your way to your next career opportunity.
Currently available only on the Apple App Store (sorry Android users), it is a job searching mobile application that won’t cost you a cent for their basic account.
They are advertising the app as somewhere you can easily search for jobs without the need to endlessly scour job websites or go through shady recruiters – only to not hear from them again.
So, does it work as claimed? I downloaded the app and tried it out.
First Impressions
They say in a job interview, first impressions count.
Well, the app gave me a negative one with the pixelated logo on the welcome screen. Maybe it’s just my inner designer aching at the sight, but I’m actually using an iPhone SE which has a 3 year old screen technology…so I shudder just imagining how this looks like on a newer iPhone.
Ok maybe I was just nitpicking, so let’s move on.
Continue to swipe right, and you will be greeted with a user guide of how the app works, and what you can expect when using it.
It also gives you a glimpse into what you, or your potential employer, will see when applying for, or posting a particular position.
Just as you can easily swipe left to a job that you do not fancy, employers can also do the same to you should they find you unsuitable, and should there be a mutual right swipe, you will get a pop up notifying you of a match.
Tinder-esque indeed.
Let’s get cracking and create an account.
After a quick introduction to the gestures available for you in the app, you can proceed to register for an account.
You will be then brought to a screen where you will be able to find links to the app’s Terms and Conditions, as well as their Privacy Policy. As much as we all hate to read them, it is still good to at least skim through to make sure your data will not be misappropriated after you register for their services.
Tap to accept it, and the next screen will ask you the kind of employment that you’re in search of. For example, Full Time, Part Time, Freelance, or Internship.
Afterwhich, you will proceed to the inevitable process of filling in your personal particulars and your employment and education history.
Jobs? What Jobs?
Lazada, Hyflux, 99.co, Carousell, Garena, Burpple, The Smart Local, Charles and Keith, Uber, and Grab – these are all big brand names they hope to have on-board to the platform, according to their media statement.
Well, I suggest they hurry the process because as of now, job postings are exactly what this app needs.
These are the only jobs that I managed to find, even after cycling through each of the listed industries and keeping other values and preferences unchanged.
This is basically what I see whenever I try to find jobs on the app.
They say that they want to streamline jobs to better fit the profile of individual users, especially through the use of specially coded algorithms.
Maybe it’s because I’m not special enough, but I’d prefer that they get more job listings on the app before filtering anything. Minimalist may be a thing, but this is taking things a bit too simply.
There is potential though, if 1) they have more jobs listed, and 2) they deliver on their promise for the big names to appear.
Personally, I am all for supporting the disruption of the traditional online job hunting landscape in Singapore – hey, I even got my first job at a startup from an online platform started by a university student! However, there is still much to be done to create a lasting impact – Swype, your move.