• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, January 9, 2015

As the U.S. economy finally appears to be picking up, job seekers are looking at a very different competitive landscape, due in large part to technology. The next generation of online recruitment and job-hunting apps are incorporating mobile interactivity, social media, and online video into their systems for matching employers with candidates.

On that note, this week one of the more interesting mobile recruitment startups, Apploi, announced that it has raised $7.4 million in its first round of funding, led by Mistral Equity Partners CEO Andrew Heyer. Currently operating in 36 states, Apploi will use the funding to expand to all 50 states by summer of this year. Over 3,000 companies are already using the service.

As noted in a previous post, Apploi has created a video platform that allows job applicants for service industry positions to use mobile devices to respond to interactive questionnaires and upload clips demonstrating their skills -- for example, a bartender making a cosmopolitan, a retail sales associate folding a pile of 10 jeans in two minutes, or a hair stylist crafting a new look.

Founder and CEO Adam Lewis said the mobile focus allows Apploi to serve underprivileged populations that often don’t have access to the Internet via desktops. Apploi also operates a network of interactive kiosks at community colleges, shopping malls, and employment fairs, so job-seekers without mobile devices can still use the service.

The video component also allows applicants to show some of their personality and demeanor, which of course can be all-important in service industry jobs. Lewis told TechCrunch: “Hiring cycles for these jobs are less than 24 hours, and personality, commitment, passion and time-availability are much more important for many of these jobs than exam results.” According to Lewis, by helping employers find better-suited employees, Apploi helps reduce turnover in service industry jobs by 30%.

Across the pond, this week brought the launch of another recruitment startup targeting the temporary employment category. TABS (Temporary Assignment Booking System) promises to make it easier for employers to recruit and manage temporary, shift-based workers through a smartphone app that handles functions including scheduling, timesheet management, accounting and compliance.