CAREER LAUNCH
CASE STUDY
July 2023 to October 2023
The job search app I designed is for young adults seeking entry-level jobs. It posts job listings, helps users connect with industry professionals, and offers in-app chat with mentors. Users can also create and personalize their resumes with custom colors, making the job search process more engaging and supportive.
Project duration:
Responsibilities:
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
The problem:
Young adults struggle to find jobs suited to their skills, often feeling overshadowed by more experienced candidates and unsure how to create strong resumes.
The goal:
The app aims to simplify the job search for young adults by offering tailored job listings, professional connections, and resume-building tools to help them confidently start their careers.
My role & softwares used:
Ux designer. Designing an app for Career Launch from conception to delivery.
Figma, Adobe photoshop, Adobe Illustrator.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
User research: summary
In interviews with young adults, several key pain points emerged in their job search experience. Many struggled to find jobs suited to their skills and felt overshadowed by more experienced candidates.
They also faced challenges in building effective resumes and understanding employer expectations. Additionally, users highlighted the lack of networking opportunities and the absence of crucial salary information in job listings. These insights shaped the design of the app, which addresses these issues by offering tools for professional networking, resume creation, and personalized job postings with clear details to meet the specific needs of young job seekers.
User research: pain points
Users struggle to connect with professionals and expand their job-search network.
1
Missing salary info
Job listings often lack crucial salary information, making it hard to evaluate offers.
2
Limited resume writing skills
Users find it challenging to create effective resumes without guidance or templates.
Limited networking opportunities
3
The process is often unclear and frustrating to navigate.
Limited networking opportunities
4
Brand colors
#FFFEFE
#FCE762
#038C85
#0A0A0A
Personas
I created personas to ensure the design remains focused on the real needs and behaviors of our target users. These personas were developed based on insights gathered from interviewing real users, allowing me to capture their goals, challenges, and preferences.
By using these fictional profiles, I can better empathize with users and make more informed design decisions. Personas help guide the team in prioritizing features, aligning design choices with user goals, and ensuring we create a product that truly addresses the challenges and preferences of our key audience. This approach helps us avoid designing based on assumptions and instead centers the experience around the people who will actually use the product.
Paper wireframes
I took the time to draft iterations of each screen of the app on paper to ensure that the elements that made it to digital wireframes would work and address the pain points.
Digital wireframes
Creating your resume in the app.
Have 2 separate section on the message page for job inquires and connections like mentors etc.
Based screen designs from feedback I had collected about what the user wanted.
Option of changing resume design
Low-fidelity prototype
I created a low-fidelity prototype to visualize the core structure and functionality of the design. You can explore the prototype by clicking the button below, which will take you to Figma. From there, you can scroll through the screens and interact with the prototype to get a better sense of the user flow and layout.
Low - fidelity prototype
Usability study: findings
Round 2 findings
I conducted two rounds of usability studies. Findings from the first study helped me approve the design from the wireframes to the mockups. The second study used a high-fidelity prototype revealed what aspects of the mockups needed refining.
Users expressed the need for more pre-designed resume templates to simplify the creation process
1
Job Recommendations Too Broad
2
Round 1 findings
1
The job search filters were not intuitive, making it hard for users to find jobs that matched their criteria.
2
Many users expressed difficulty in deciding which career field to pursue and wanted more tools or resources to help guide their decisions.
Mockups
I added a new page with additional resume templates to give users more options when creating their resumes. This feature allows users to choose from a variety of designs, making it easier to find a template that suits their personal style and professional needs.
After usability study
Mockups
I created a quiz to help users determine which career field might be the best fit for them. At the end of the quiz, users receive a tailored result that offers guidance on potential career paths, helping them make more informed decisions about their future.
After usability study
After usability study
high-fidelity prototype
I created a high-fidelity prototype to showcase the final design with detailed visuals, interactions, and functionality. You can click the button below to view the prototype in Figma. From there, you can scroll through and interact with the design to experience the full user journey and polished interface.
high - fidelity prototype
Final Thoughts
The development of this job search app aimed to address common challenges faced by young adults in the job market. By incorporating features like professional networking, resume customization, and personalized job recommendations, the app provides a comprehensive solution tailored to the needs of early-career individuals. The addition of a career field quiz and expanded resume templates further enhances the app's ability to support users in making informed career choices and creating standout applications. Overall, the app is designed to simplify the job search process, empower users with the tools they need, and help them navigate their early careers with greater confidence.
