Total Applications LLC
Innovation: Applymate.com, an online job/school application tracker
Two years ago, Tim Murphy, the founder of Milwaukee-based Total Applications LLC, found himself in a similar situation that many people experience when they are looking for a job or applying for admission to a school.
He had applied to so many positions at numerous companies he could no longer keep all of the deadlines or interview times straight.
Murphy noticed many of his friends and family were struggling with the same issues. So, he decided to create ApplyMate.com, an online platform that can track multiple school and job applications.
“It really stemmed from my own frustration, and what I saw as problematic for friends and family of mine,” Murphy said. “Sometimes, especially in today’s business climate, people have multiple applications out, multiple user names, passwords and multiple websites to visit to find due dates and other important information.”
According to Murphy, ApplyMate.com can store and track unlimited number of applications and has the ability to sync with Google calendar and other tools for reminders on application deadlines and closing dates.
In the future, Murphy said he plans to add additional reminder tools including possible text message reminders and smart phone applications.
“It isn’t designed for the hyper-organized person,” Murphy said. “Someone who is extremely organized can do something similar with a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. It’s designed as an easy-to-use platform for someone who needs a secure convenient place to store information about all the jobs or schools they’ve applied for.”
Users at ApplyMate.com can sign up for a free account, and then input individual job or school applications, update application progress and status, enter company website, position information and set reminders about due dates, interview times and contact information.
“Entering information about the position and the HR contact person can act as a recall when someone calls you about the job,” Murphy said. “Many people apply to so many positions that when someone calls about one it is sometimes difficult to remember what the company specialized in or what the job entailed. All of that can be saved on the ApplyMate.com account.”
Because the website is free, Murphy hopes to initially grow the revenue base with noninvasive advertising.
“The site currently has one ad box, and we might explore the possibility of layered membership capabilities. But for now I just want to help people stay more organized throughout the school and job hunt process.”
Murphy worked with local developer Aaron Saray and designer, Mark Skowron to develop the site. He plans to first grow ApplyMate.com’s membership and then build strategically from there.
“I want to see where the demand is first,” Murphy said. “I welcome user feedback and hope to see what our users want and form some partnerships with some universities or career building and recruiter companies.”
The site currently has more than 100 members from all over the country. So far, the feedback has been positive, Murphy said.
“It’s easy to use, there’s no download necessary and people can use it as a one- stop convenient place to store and track every application, either job or school they’ve started or submitted,” he said.
