Inspiration The job search process can be exhausting, especially when it comes to managing multiple applications and follow-ups. Many promising candidates miss out on opportunities simply because they didn't follow up at the right time. We wanted to create a tool that takes the hassle out of keeping track and staying in touch with potential employers—turning "cold" applications into warmer connections.
What it does Not So Cold is a cold email automation platform designed to assist job seekers in maintaining consistent follow-ups with potential employers. Users can input application details like company names, job titles, and contact emails, and the platform will automatically send timely follow-up emails. By keeping applications on the radar of hiring managers, Not So Cold enhances the job-seeking experience and boosts chances of response.
How we built it We built Not So Cold using Angular for the frontend and Firebase for backend services, including Firestore for data storage, Firebase Authentication for user access control, and Firebase Cloud Functions for scheduling automated follow-up emails. We also integrated Google’s Gmail API to enable seamless email sending. Stripe was included to manage subscription services for a monthly fee, enabling us to maintain and scale the app sustainably.
Challenges we ran into One of the primary challenges was managing secure access to Google’s Gmail API without exposing sensitive API keys, as well as ensuring that user emails were sent reliably without getting flagged as spam. Additionally, handling complex workflows between Angular, Firebase, and Stripe required precise coordination to ensure a smooth user experience.
Accomplishments that we're proud of We’re proud to have created a solution that solves a real problem for job seekers, providing a tool that automates one of the most tedious aspects of the job search process. Our seamless integration of automated email functionality, secure user authentication, and payment processing with Stripe is something we’re especially proud of.
What we learned Throughout this project, we deepened our knowledge in API security, Google Cloud integrations, and payment processing through Stripe. We also learned the importance of user-centric design, ensuring that our tool is not only functional but easy to use and reliable.
What's next for Not So Cold In the future, we aim to introduce customizable email templates, analytics to show users their follow-up engagement rates, and expanded integration with other job platforms. We will also introduce Lead Barter and Lead Generation
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