How iPad Apps Are Transforming Job Search and Recruitment

By Stephanie Taylor Christensen

New apps make it easy for "discreet' job seekers to search for a new gig from the office, or find the most innovative companies at job fairs.

Just one year after the release of the Apple (AAPL) iPad , more than 15 million people are now proud owners of the mobile tablet device. While emailing, web surfing, playing games, and reading e-books top the list of user activities on an iPad based on a survey conducted by NPD Group, companies are also integrating the iPad into their daily operations. On a January investors call, Apple shared that more than 80% of Fortune 100 companies were using or testing the iPad. Despite that an iPad actually has less traditional functionality than a PC, iPad users are increasingly drawn to it thanks to portability and ease of Wi-Fi connectivity. Its slick interface and ease of use by practically anyone with a fingertip has transformed doldrum tasks like web surfing, checking email, and reading into a more sensory experience.

It stands to reason that more and more job seekers are turning to the iPad to seek new opportunities. A recent survey conducted by Robert Half International indicated “Forty percent of seekers will be more inclined to look for new hiring opportunities once the recession is over.” As such, companies who want to stay competitive must adjust their online recruitment functionality to work in tandem with iPads features.

Monster.com , the flagship brand of Monster Worldwide (MWW) reports that “the highest usage of Monsters website is during normal business hours.” Searches are conducted by what it terms “discrete seekers” -- those who search and apply for jobs at work. What better place to conduct a secret job search than on the handheld mobile device, easily concealed from prying eyes? In January 2011, the company announced the release of Monster for iPad, a free app that integrates existing Monster user accounts to work with the best features of the iPad, including the ability to utilize GPS technology in job searches, access application history, and stored resumes and cover letters. In its review of the new app, PC Mag summed up the new service as one that “makes looking for a job less of a job.”

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