1. GET PAID WHAT YOU’RE WORTH
There are a lot of salary comparison tools out there, but PayScale (web) is notable for the exhaustiveness of the data points it leverages. You can look up salary information for your current job, double-check that a job offer is what it should be, or research other jobs out of sheer curiosity. Strap in, though, and set aside some time for this one: PayScale asks you nearly a hundred questions. You don’t have to answer them all, but the more you answer, the more accurate your report will be.
2. LEARN SOME NEW TRICKS
If you’re looking to move up a few rungs at your current company, try Coursera (Android, iOS, web). You get access to more than 1,000 free courses spanning just about every subject imaginable from more than 100 colleges and learning centers around the world. Courses range from go-at-your-own-pace seminars to traditional schedule-bound classes, but if your company likes to hire from within, this is a great way to show some initiative while nailing down some helpful skills.
3. AUTOMATE YOUR RESUME
Pro tip: If you’re looking for a new job, you’ll want to make sure your LinkedIn profile is in good shape. While you’re at it, you might as well use the LinkedIn Resume Builder (web) so you don’t double your efforts elsewhere. The app pulls in your relevant LinkedIn data with a few clicks, and lets you review, edit, and share your robo-resume using one of several templates.
4. GATHER INTEL ON NEW EMPLOYERS
You spend so much of your life working, so you might want to make sure that the company you’re about to defect to isn’t run by lunatics. Glassdoor (Android, iOS, web) rounds up reviews from current and former employees for most companies of meaningful size, relaying tell-it-like-it-is pros and cons about what the work environments are like. It’s got a pretty well-stocked section of available jobs as well, so you can see who’s hiring while you’re there.
5. PREP FOR YOUR INTERVIEW
Ah, now comes the fun part: round after round of interviews. Use Job Interview Question-Answer (Android, iOS) to get a good sense of which questions you’ll be asked, as well as common queries you can expect to deal with while you’re on the hot seat. The app leverages your phone’s camera so you can record yourself answering each question, refining your delivery over and over again.
This story originally appeared on FastCompany and written by Doug Aamoth