LinkedIn innovated the professional recruitment sphere by giving people the ability to search out jobs and apply directly. The formal nature of the platform makes it ideally suited to traditional office-based professions, leaving little room for other sectors. However, the Industry network is trying to change that.

Industry offers a professional network that solely caters for the service and hospitality sector. Workers can showcase their skills through videos and photos depicting their work, and it is particularly geared towards hotels and restaurants. Bartenders and chefs are likely to find the app useful.

The app is free for individuals; businesses must pay a subscription charge. With the high turnover in the hospitality sector in mind, the app provides an easy way to post jobs and opportunities and maintain a steady stream of talent.

The founder and CEO of Industry, Cody Barbo, described how the company hopes to sidestep the traditional approach of handing out CVs to restaurants by hand. He points out that it’s not an efficient use of either the individual or the business’s time.

The app also supports candidates in finding roles specific to their interests and qualifications. Some jobs are qualification-specific, and this can help candidates cut through the mass of adverts. It works well for people who are new to the industry by offering a career-building section that nudges users towards specific training and certification to help them advance.

The app is currently in beta testing in San Diego. There are 2,500 employees and 300 businesses helping to evolve the platform, with some popular California names such as Il Fornaio and Tender Greens involved. The company intends to launch throughout the US in the winter.