ApplyIQ

“Apply smarter. Land faster.”

Comment

Inspiration

The job-hunting process is often overwhelming. Job listings are scattered across platforms, resumes are generic, and great opportunities are missed due to lack of real-time information. We wanted to build something smarter, something that actively works for you, not just waits to be used.

What it does

ApplyIQ scans the internet in real-time using Perplexity Sonar to uncover hidden job opportunities that match a user's skills and interests.

How we built it

We used FastAPI (Python) for the backend and Next.js + React + TypeScript with Tailwind CSS for the frontend. The core intelligence comes from integrating Perplexity’s Sonar API, particularly the sonar and sonar-deep-research models. Everything will be hosted on Vercel for smooth deployment and access.

Challenges we ran into

  • Understanding and optimizing Perplexity Sonar’s multi-turn conversation and deep-research capabilities took time.
  • We were forced to use a lot of regular expressions and filtering both in frontend and backend in order to display clean data
  • Managing API usage limits and token costs while testing multiple real-time queries.
  • Time constraint (we are uni students and part-time workers so our time is very limited)

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Seamless integration of job discovery, research agents, and generative AI—all in one app.
  • Creating a functioning MVP with live job search + citation-backed insights.
  • Designing a clean, scalable frontend and a modular backend for future growth.
  • Unlocking the potential of Sonar’s reasoning API services for real-life productivity.

What we learned

  • How to work with advanced AI APIs like Perplexity Sonar for deep research and reasoning.
  • The importance of user-centric design (especially for job seekers under time pressure).
  • How to manage API efficiency and maintain performance with real-time querying.

What's next for ApplyIQ

As a part of the app extensions, we thought of the following features:

  • Add features that allow the user to input their skills or upload a resume, then query Sonar for job listings, role-specific insights, and personalized content generation.
  • Add a Chrome extension to scan job listings directly from LinkedIn or Indeed.
  • Integrate job tracking and alert features for new relevant openings.
  • Support multi-language resume/cover letter generation for international users.
  • Improve interview prep by including mock interview simulations.
  • Explore monetization strategies via premium features or resume templates.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates