Inspiration
As an active job seeker applying to hundreds of positions monthly, I found myself wishing for a tool that could bring LinkedIn's EasyApply functionality to every job application. The frustration of repetitively filling out similar forms across various job portals sparked the idea for Job Hunter. In today's tough economy, where finding a job is harder than ever, I realized that being quick to apply could be the key to standing out in a crowded market.
What it does
Job Hunter is a Safari extension designed to streamline the job application process. It helps users auto-fill job applications faster, getting their resumes in front of recruiters before the crowd, allowing job seekers to apply early and stand out in a competitive job market.
From Idea to Reality
Despite my enthusiasm, life's demands kept pushing the project to the backburner. It wasn't until I received the "ship a ton" email that my motivation reignited. I knew this was the time to built Job Hunter, but I faced a dilemma: I couldn't abandon the pending feature for my other app, TrainersKit. Embracing my inner indie hacker, I made a pact with myself. I would complete the TrainersKit feature first, then dive into developing Job Hunter.
How I built it
I'm an iOS guy, and as you know browser extension are mostly JavaScript which I have no experience at all so this was new territory. But thanks to Claude it made things much easier.
I started this journey not even sure if what I wanted was possible, especially the tricky bit about attaching resumes. So, I broke it down into baby steps. First up: could I just detect and fill an email field? I hardcoded "email@email.com" and after a few tries... boom! It worked! I was over the moon - autofilling text fields was actually possible!
Next challenge: attaching the resume. I tossed a dummy PDF into the project bundle and gave it a shot. Nope didn’t work. After trying many times, I thought, "Maybe I need to host these CVs somewhere?" So I set up an S3 bucket, uploaded my CV, and tried downloading it from the extension. Success! But then reality hit - I'd need my own server to play middleman between the extension and S3.
I started a Vapor project (for those who don't know, it's this awesome server-side Swift framework - total love for it). But something nagged at me. Did I really need all this extra infrastructure? I gave it one last shot, trying to attach the CV locally by loading it as base64. And holy moly, it worked! No S3, no server, no databases - just the iOS app. Talk about a eureka moment!
That's when I knew my awesome idea is actually possible. From there, it was full throttle on building the actual app, ditching all the hardcoded stuff. What a ride!
Challenges I ran into
Definetly NOT adding subscriptions :D
Building Job Hunter wasn't all smooth sailing. I hit a few roadblocks along the way that really tested my problem-solving skills.
First off, debugging the extension was a real head-scratcher. I'd never worked with Safari extensions before, so I was pretty much in the dark about how to track down issues. It took a lot of trial and error, and I spent more time than I'd like to admit just figuring out how to effectively debug.
Time management was another tricky one. I was juggling this project with my commitments to TrainersKit, my other app. Trying to balance both, making sure I didn't drop the ball on either side, that was a constant challenge.
And let's not forget the learning curve. Coming from an iOS background, diving into web technologies for the Safari extension felt like learning a new language. JavaScript and I weren't exactly best friends at the start.
What's next for Job Hunter
Expand form support: We've noticed that our auto-fill and resume upload features don't play nice with some forms out there. It's a bit of a mystery why, but I'm determined to crack it. Our goal is to make Job Hunter work seamlessly across a wider range of job application forms, no matter how they're built.
Custom fields: Every job seeker is unique, and so are their applications. We want to add the ability for users to create and manage custom fields. This way, you can tailor Job Hunter to fit your specific needs, whether it's a special skill you always want to highlight or a particular piece of information you frequently need to include.
Application tracking: Keeping tabs on all the jobs you've applied to can be a job in itself. We're planning to implement a logging feature that will automatically record each application you submit through Job Hunter. This will give you a clear overview of your job search progress, helping you stay organized and on top of your applications.
Multiple CV support: We know one size doesn't fit all when it comes to resumes. That's why we're excited to introduce the ability to manage multiple CVs within Job Hunter. This feature will let you tailor your resume to different industries or companies, ensuring your application always puts your most relevant experience front and center. You'll be able to easily switch between different versions of your CV, keeping your job applications targeted and impactful.
These updates are all about making Job Hunter more versatile, personalized, and helpful in your job search journey. We're excited to bring these features to life and continue evolving Job Hunter based on what our users need most.
By continuously evolving Job Hunter, we aim to stay at the forefront of helping job seekers navigate the challenging employment landscape efficiently and effectively.
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.