This was the very issue that inspired web and app development team, Lab19 Digital, to create Flagd: a work availability app that connects the right contractors with the right recruiters at the right time.
Flagd provides up-to-date availability information. What this means is that contractors now have a way to receive only the job notifications for roles that are relevant for them and when they are available for work, and recruiters have a way to find up-to-date lists of available, skilled contractors. It’s a tool aimed at helping both sides. It’s about streamlining the communication process, and ultimately, saving a large amount of time, resources and frustration when it comes to getting the right person into the right role.
Here’s how it works:
The contractor
• Creates a profile showing their location, job title and skills.
• Sets their current availability on a calendar.
The recruiter
• Creates job alerts (Flags) based on specific job titles, skill sets and available dates.
• Browses through lists of available contractors, flagging the ones that are most suited for the role.
Contractors will only appear in searches for their particular job titles, skill sets and available dates, and recruiters will see only those contractors that are available at the specified time and with the specified skills. Simple.
Version 1 of the app has recently gone live and is available for anyone to use. The app already boasts just over 550 users and is growing daily. So far, feedback has been good and users have found the site to be user-friendly, and the app a simple tool that addresses a very real frustration for a lot of people.
Flagd co-founder and product designer, Dave McMillan, had this to say about the creation of Flagd:
“Building apps and working to create products that are forward thinking and hit the nail on the head is what we do. It’s what drives us to stay on top of new developments in the technical world and create a working environment that stimulates the birthing of great ideas. This, we believe, is what lead us to the creation of Flagd. We came across a real issue in our own working lives and got to work on a product that would serve to solve this. We love the product so far and are excited about where it can go. Flagd is still in its early stages, and we welcome you to try it out and send us any feedback or concerns you may have. Also, catch us on Twitter at @getflagd to keep up with our latest news and developments.”
Lab19 Digital is a team of web and app development specialists based in both the UK and South Africa. The team has found that working as a tight knit development team that harnesses the skills of experts across the globe (London and South Africa, to be precise), has put them in a great position to stay on top of best technologies and create products that are relevant and effective.
The company partners with clients to build cutting-edge web products on tried and tested platforms, focussing on technologies such as Ruby on Rails, WordPress, HTML5, UX & UI Design, Parse, AngularJS, KnockoutJS, Responsive Design, HTML Emails, Facebook Apps, Native Apps and SEO.
Flagd: www.flagd.com
Lab19 Digital: www.lab19digital.com