The COVID-19 pandemic has not only burdened the healthcare systems but also affected the economy of the country. With so many people out of jobs, it is becoming difficult for several to make ends meet.
During tough times like these, Nirmit Parikh, an Apple Inc. alumni has founded a job-portal for non-English speaking Indians called ‘apna’. This portal aims to help those who come from financially weaker backgrounds.
Being dubbed as the ‘desi LinkedIn’, apna is an app that works to connect workers at low levels of the chains with employers. The startup has already raised $8 million and has 1.2 million users since it was launched back in December 2019.
What’s unique about this app is that it bridges the gap that exists between people who are new to the internet and job opportunities by providing them with easy access to the latter.
‘Apna’ asks for standard information like name, age and skills. It then makes a ‘business card’ for the user using that information. The card can be shared among employers.
Reportedly, in the last month, there were over a million job interviews because of apna. Some even hired by bigshots like Amazon, BigBasket, and HDFC all because of this app.
While in conversation with TechCrunch, Parikh commented that:
They are daily-wage workers. They rely on their friends to find jobs. This makes the prospects of them finding a job very difficult.
With increasing job scarcity and financial strain all across the country, apps like apna play a very crucial role in paving a stable future.