SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Job seeking has gone high tech. Instead of going into businesses and asking for an application, the younger generation is applying for employment on their smart phones. Like with everything these days, there's an app for that.
"We really focus on the hourly paid workforce, so restaurant retail hospitality," Kim Costa of Snagajob.com said.
The website and app allows users specifically looking for hourly work to search for jobs nearby for free. Instead of filling out a separate application for each listing, you just create a profile that includes your experience and the days and hours you're available to work.
You can apply for specific jobs. Employers can also see your profile and invite you to apply for their jobs.
Probably the most unique feature is the "video selfie," which gives you a face-to-face introduction to potential employers -- 30 seconds to convince them you are the best candidate for the job.
"Job seekers told us if I could get my face in front of the employer and show them my personality, I could get called in for the interview," Costa said. "Employers told us they wanted to learn more about the candidate than what's on the piece of paper."
Costa admits sometimes there have been some questionable video selfies.
"You want to stand out to the employer, but you want to stand out for the right reasons," she said.
Their YouTube site includes tips geared for the less experienced job applicant.
Though critics have raised concerns over privacy issues with the site, Costa says Snagajob does not sell user information.
"Your privacy is extremely important to us," Costa said.
However, they do allow outside marketing opportunities. So you do need to pay attention when filling out your profile to check and uncheck certain boxes to avoid unwanted emails.
Employers are charged a fee, and Costa says in the last year, more than half of their traffic has been from people using the site on their smart phones.
"We're trying to make it as easy and as quick as possible for employer and job seeker," she said.
The company says right now they have 50 million registered job seekers, and more than 300,000 job postings.