Modeled on the operation of the dating application Tinder, PIF is not intended to be a Cupid of the web but rather to be your “guardian angel” of your professional network. The name “PIF”, for us Indians, is probably not synonymous with glamor and encounters. But don’t get me wrong, PIF stands for “Pay It Forward”, which could be translated as “Pay in advance”. But understand by this that it is a system based on the principle of “one lent for one rendering”.
This new application lets you quickly contact your “work” favorites. Application that can be very practical, especially if you are self-employed or a young start-up! Probably encountering difficulties in creating a professional network, PIF allows you to overcome the usual barriers of hierarchy, e-mails condemned in advance to Spam or lack of contacts thanks to a connection devoid of intermediaries.
PIF: A Mix Between Tinder And Linkedin
Inspired by the ultra-simple operation of Tinder, PIF thought it would be a shame not to take up this brilliant idea of matching for professional meetings.
How Does It Work Concretely?
Easy to use, this application only requires you to complete a mini-biography and upload a photo of yourself. Once you have completed your profile, you can search for the professionals that interest you. Indeed, you will be able to see the other users who are near you (like Tinder, PIF uses geolocation) and decide if you want to start a conversation with one of them.
When there is a “match” between two professionals, and both have “liked” the other’s profile, they are automatically placed in a conversation. This is the condition for talking to each other; the “match” must occur between the two people. Otherwise, you will not be able to contact the other… This is the basic principle of the Tinder app. But PIF goes further by adding a feature that bypasses this blockage.
The application has the advantage of allowing users to contact their professional favorites, without mutual request from the other person, by being placed in a private chat. This functionality bypass can call into question the very principle of the application with conversations by mutual matches. Yes, why make a matching system when it can be circumvented? It seems pretty pointless, right?
However, this application appears to have real added value via its algorithm system based on “Pay It Forward”. Indeed, this system allows users to have “unsolicited” conversations with other professionals, provided that they have agreed in advance to answer questions from another professional whom they do not necessarily know. In short, it’s give and take. PIF wants to be a professional network where the connection is uninhibited and without barriers.
What Are The Advantages Of Using The PIF Application?
Available on iOS and Android, the PIF application can be helpful in the following situations:
- Gain contacts within a company, for example, by thanking a colleague for his wise advice or a manager for his involvement with his team.
- If you already have many internal contacts, collecting new contacts may seem more difficult. PIF has identified this problem, which Linkedin also encounters. There are often few influencers for many people who want to follow them. However, it turns out that we often do not know who these influential people are within our company. In start-ups, PIF can be a good boost in bringing together, for example, investors and entrepreneurs who otherwise might have had difficulty meeting. The functionality of “unsolicited” conversations is then a good asset. You can reach entrepreneurs, investors or other players in the start-up ecosystem.
- Carry out BtoB prospecting to contact future professional customers in the same geographical area as you.
- Spot new talent if you are looking to recruit.
Not a fan of its name; not very telling; PIF is a new application to test, I think. Complementary to LinkedIn, this new app represents another way to develop your professional network more openly and fun. Nevertheless, PIF currently seems to emphasize professional contacts around start-ups or recently created companies because connections in these two cases are essential to a company’s success. Will the assimilation to the Tinder app hinder the pros from adopting this system of professional meetings by matching?
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