Tinder, but for careers. That’s the basic pitch of MiFuture, a new app developed by a Caerphilly-based company who want to shake up how today’s young people find a job.
MiFuture was founded by women’s rugby player Gemma Hallett, and provides an app for Generation Z (that’s you and I, most likely) to explore their career options. The company aims to “impact young people, unemployment, and the Welsh economy as a whole by engaging and mobilising those leaving education, those furthest from the labour market and in generational poverty.”
The app is out now for Android and iOS, and has three main features: generating a CV, swiping left or right on job matches, and tracking applications. I took a look at the app to see how easy it is to use.
Login screen
I tested the app on my Nexus 5- a phone that’s getting on a bit nowadays. It is, however, running the latest edition of Android, and more than capable of running such an app. The main issue comes with a 16GB memory- I had to delete a few apps to make some room.
Here’s what the login screen looks like, standard fare for this kind of app. You’ll need a password with capital letters and numbers, and you have to confirm your email before you can use the rest of the app.
Tutorial
It really is similar to Tinder- you swipe right if you like, you swipe left if you’re not interested! You can swipe up to have a look later, or press more info for a bit more detail.
Building my profile
Interestingly, the range of qualifications available is quite limited. I wanted to put in my degree, but there was no option for degree. If you are looking for a graduate role, I would have to recommend using a similar app such as Debut. It is worth noting that MiFuture might add these options in later.
This section of the app is all about building up a CV. Whilst the qualifications seem quite limited, the interests section is rather in-depth as you can see below. After building your profile you can export your CV as a PDF.
Remember that sometimes it is your interests which make you, well, interesting to employers! For example, if you’re into rally cars, I’m sure you can get a job as a mechanic better with that than if you have an A level in Physics.
Going on a job hunt
Initially, my opportunities section was empty, but after restarting the app I was able to find opportunities near to Cardiff in a number of different organisations.
I decided to swipe right on this one. This meant I automatically applied, and the CV I created earlier was sent to the employer for their consideration.
I wasn’t so sure if a post in the Army was for me, but I clicked “More Info” and it turns out this post is actually a good fit for me- I’ll be sure to tell them about all my Communications experience here at ProMo Cymru, which publishes The Sprout.
Much like on Tinder, I have exhausted all opportunities in my local area.
MiFuture are looking to get a lot more local companies advertising jobs on their platform, so watch this space.
Now we wait…
After applying for a few jobs with a simple right swipe, they are now queued for review. I don’t know how long it takes on average for employers to return a verdict, but if it’s anything like other job sites it will likely be a few weeks. MiFuture will send me a handy notification when they have made their decision.
The app, while still in its early days, definitely has potential, and I like that it is Welsh-based, so it’s not yet full of London-based jobs like many other career portals are. (Shout out to Creative Cardiff, which does a similarly great job on its website.) If you’re a young person in Wales, and especially if you’re either not going to university or yet to complete a degree, this app is probably perfect for you. It takes only about twenty minutes to install and fill in the CV, so if you have some extra space on your smartphone you really have nothing to lose. Give it a go!