A view of the company's dashboard with an overview of all matches.

Project
Job Matching Web App (MVP)

Client
Schools of Next Practices, Steinbeis University

Many university students are unsure of the job application process and need guidance. On the other hand, companies seeking to hire are overwhelmed with applications that have nothing to do with the role. How to simplify this process for students? How can we ensure companies connect with the right candidates?

BUSINESS GOALS

From a business perspective, the app takes advantage of the fact that students are actively looking for jobs before graduation. By integrating the app into the school community, it gives companies access to a targeted group of students. The app would start with this specific group, with plans to scale to the entire university ecosystem. To generate revenue, the app offers companies two payment options: a monthly plan or to pay-per-match.

RESEARCH

After conducting user interviews, I found that most students expressed frustration with the lack of guidance when creating their profiles, often feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start (Fig. 1). Recruiters highlighted their challenges with traditional hiring methods, such as looking through irrelevant applications, and expressed interest in a solution that provides a curated list of matches (Fig. 2). These insights shaped the key focus areas for the MVP. 

(Fig. 1) Data was sampled from 10 students

(Fig. 2) Data was sampled from 5 recruiters

"If we could trust that every applicant presented to us is already pre-matched to our needs, it would save us hours. Having a system that filters candidates and shows us relevant matches would be a great help. Sorting through piles of irrelevant applications, makes the process very slow." — Quote from a recruiter’s survey

IDEATION

Based on the data I collected, I created an initial user flow (Fig. 3) to see how the app could guide students through their journey and deliver the desired user experience. This served as a basic framework to map out the overall process, from opening the app and completing initial setup to navigating the dashboard, including access to matches, preferences, profile, and payment options.

(Fig. 3) From app setup to navigating the dashboard, including matches, preferences, profile, and payment options.

From here, I decided what actions were crucial and made low-fidelity wireframes to refine the flow. My main focus was on creating an onboarding process that was simple, quick, and allowed many profiles to be ready for matching. This example (Fig. 4) shows how low-fidelity wireframes helped see different approaches. I chose to implement option B, with the profile setup as the first step before accessing the full functionality of the platform, making it easier for students to follow a structured onboarding process without feeling overwhelmed.

(Fig. 4) Two potential solutions. The one on the right is the version I chose to implement in the MVP.

Design Development

I created a design system specifically for this project and used it to design screens for both students and companies. The image (Fig. 5) highlights the refined onboarding flow, where students can create their CVs by either selecting predefined options or adding information step by step.

Refined Flow: Student Onboarding — Profile Creation

(Fig. 5) Onboarding flow for students, creating their profile and CV manually.

For the recruiter’s flow, it was crucial to provide a clear overview of the matches to facilitate easy access (Fig. 6). This access is offered in three ways: the first view provides limited profile information before selecting a plan. Once a plan is chosen, the overview becomes full, allowing communication to begin. It was important to find a strategic place within the platform to remind recruiters of the option to upgrade when needed (Fig. 7). 

(Fig. 6) ‘All Matches’ screen for companies, featuring filtering options and quick connection methods after subscribing to the monthly plan.

(Fig. 7) Subscription status cards. They serve to inform the user of their current plan and prompt action if needed.

Recruiter view of match profile. Messaging available after paying per match. Option to upgrade to a monthly plan.

‘All Matches’ screen for companies.

MOVING FORWARD

We successfully met our deadlines and delivered an MVP ready for launch at Steinbeis University. The next steps involve testing the app further through usability sessions and student interviews to identify improvement areas. Planned refinements include enhancing onboarding with engaging tutorials, adding personalized reminders, and introducing habit-forming features to boost engagement.