By Tosa Two Heart
1. Evernote
With so much information we have to process in a day, let alone a semester, Evernote is a great app to capture information on the fly, such as business card info, articles on the Web, and personal notes, handwritten or digital, in one, organized and categorized place. This app can be synced with Google and the desktop version of the app, which makes access easily and readily available anywhere.
2. Meetup
Networking is a part of the business school experience. Beside career fairs, networking nights on campus and professional conferences, try meeting people who share your hobbies and personal interests. It could be dancing, film, food or interests you didn’t know there was an active group for! You can easily find meetups happening near you and join as many Meetup groups as you’d like.
3. Finish
Task managing isn’t easy when you are loaded with many and different complex projects. Personally, as a student leader who is taking five classes and working part time, I have to level up my time management skills. Maybe iPhone or Google calendar is not enough to manage everything you need to remember. Finish allows you to input tasks on a short, medium or long-term time frames and reminds you constantly to complete the task before your deadlines. This is great for people who procrastinate and need a nudge to get stuff done.
4. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the only social media platform framed around your professional life. New jobs are posted frequently and you have the advantage of seeking out alumni or connections who are associated with particular companies you are researching. Lastly, LinkedIn displays your extended résumé, in which you can be more comprehensive about your accomplishments. Employers and professionals use LinkedIn more than you would think.
5. Calm
No matter what your plate looks like each semester, being a graduate student is stressful! However, it’s important to keep calm and keep going, because we have so much to accomplish in so little time. Calm provides quick meditations, breathing exercises to help you rejuvenate in moments. It even features bedtime stories you can read to help fall asleep. Even just looking at the landing page of the app gives off a tranquil vibe.
6. Glassdoor
As graduate students, it’s important to always make well-informed decisions regarding your future career. Glassdoor is a great source to get honest reviews of companies and positions by people who have “been there, done that.” Even interview tips and experiences are included in some reviews. Well-known companies have thousands of reviews, so you can get a pretty good picture of the company culture is like, as well as the pros and cons of working there.
7. Accompany
Do you have an informational interview with a CEO of a company you’re interested in, or just happen to be in the same room as an executive you’d like to meet? Accompany is great for getting the 411 on the big shots minutes before you approach them. This app also has the capability to add your own notes on the individual or create new files on people you’re keeping tabs on, professionally speaking. With Accompany, get an advantage on your meeting skills and stand out as someone who did their “research.”
8. Google Photos
I’m a person whose hobby is taking photos and I know many graduate students that who do the same. I take tons of photos and, if I am traveling — like on my recent Bentley Global Business Experience trip to Japan — I take thousands. My phone does not have the gigabytes to carry all my photos and even iCloud has its max capacity storage unless you pay for more space. Luckily, Google Photos can store all your photos without having to sacrifice space on your phone.
9. Google Wallet
Getting dinner with classmates and friends is a common occurrence in graduate school. Splitting utility bills with roommates is even more frequent. Of all the money-transferring apps, I find Google Wallet to be the most convenient. You use your Gmail account to send money to another Gmail account. It’s quick to setup, easy to use, private and simple and doesn’t charge you a penny!
10. QBOT
QBOT is for those who buy food on campus at times, especially in LaCava Lower Cafe. If you download this app, you get a $1 off your first time using it, and each time you scan at the register, you rack up points. The points unlock 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent discounts on your future purchases. And the $1 off coupon resets every semester. QBOT can also be used on campus at Einstein Bagel and Bakery in the Library, as well as several other places to grab food on campus.
If you don’t already use these apps on your mobile device, give them try!
Tosa Two Heart is a graduate student in the Emerging Leaders MBA program.