NextGeneric
User Research
Key Takeaways
- Applicants do not like ATS tracking.
- Applicants would like transparency on salary, benefits, and on the hiring process while they are applying.
- Applicants are applying to a lot of positions and spend a lot of time on each application.
User Behaviors
Applicants are applying to jobs in their free time if they have a job.
Applicants spend several hours searching for jobs to apply and having to submit a full application. This includes catering their resume to each job description, creating cover letters, and answering questions.
Quotes
“Matching keywords to job descriptions doesn’t make me more qualified for the position.”
“If a job requires a cover letter, I do not apply because they most likely won’t even read it.”
“I don’t like companies that require you to create an account just to apply to a position.”
“Why do we need to attach a resume and then have to input out experience again? That make it redundant to even include a resume.”
“Recruiters reach out to me. I speak to them several times. Then they ghost me.”
“I rarely get rejection emails, but when I do, I get them weeks/months later.”
“I made it through three rounds of interviews, got excellent feedback on a demo assignment, only to be old that they will not be considering me for the position moving forward. Then, they re-posted the job listing on their website.”
Competitive Analysis
Positives
- Networking
- LinkedIn Pro, compares you to other applicants
- Recruiters
- Easy Apply – makes it easy for applicants to apply with just a resume and little info
Negatives
- Seen as social media
- Introvert’s nightmare
- Lack of privacy for users – Any registered Linkedin member can look at the user’s profile
- Easy Apply allows for the job posting to be oversaturated
- Salary not usually listed
- Redirects you to other pages
Indeed
Positives
- Lots of Job postings available
- Easy apply – makes it easy for applicants to apply with just a resume and little info
- Have the ability to make your profile visible to employers
Negatives
- Have to use standard resume each time
- Salary not listed
- Redirects you to other pages
- No networking
Affinity Mapping
Status + Process
- Wishes to receive updates.
- “I never know where they are in the process. I rarely get rejection emails, but when I do, I get them weeks/months later”.
- Finds it difficult to know how to schedule an interview while currently having a job.
- Wishes said how many rounds of interviews there was to be able to plan accordingly.
Resume & Cover Letter
- Doesn’t like to create multiple resumes for different companies.
- “I do not like having to change my resume because of ATS”.
- ATS doesn’t actually help employers get the best applications. It’s just a way to filter out people.
- “Why do we need to attach a resume and then have to input out experience again? That make it redundant to even include a resume”.
- Doesn’t like having to create an entire account for a specific company just for one job.
- Cover Letters are time consuming.
- Would prefer to answer short questions instead of having to write a Cover Letter.
Networking
- Networking is an introvert’s nightmare.
- Finds it awkward having to Cold Calling someone in their network.
- Does not have a network of people to reach out to.
- “It’s weird when I haven’t spoken to you in 10 years, please give me a job”.
- “I reached out to some one in my network, and they seemed eager to help. Then they ghosted me”.
Recruiting
- Thinks recruiters are not helpful.
- “Recruiters reach out to me. I speak to them several times. Then nothing”.
- Recruiters never follow up after reaching out.
- “I’ve never had success with 3rd party recruiters. In house recruiting is better”.
Skills
- Likes that skills are includes.
- These assessments ask basic information and are a waste of time.
- “I apply to entry-level or junior positions but they say I am over-qualified. Then I apply for mid-level positions, and they say I am underqualified”.
Compensation + Benefits
- Wants to know salary before an interview.
- Never knows what to say for salary range.
- Would like to know what the actual benefits are before.
- Entry-level jobs ask for several years of experience, but pay as if they are interns.
- “Don’t get paid what I’m worth. My degree is useless”.
Noticeable Trends
“There’s too much competition among people with the same skillset. There’s no way to stand out.”
User Persona
Alex
“There has to be a better process for applying and interviewing for jobs.”
Demographics
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Income: $120,000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Needs & Goals
- Being able to track your application.
- Not having to dedicate hours to catering each application and creating a cover letter.
- Knowing what the salary is or the range.
- Wants transparency when applying to jobs.
Challenges/Pain Points
- Doesn’t have any connections or people who will refer her.
- Is an introvert which doesn’t help scope of socializing with the people in her industry.
- It is difficult to look for other opportunities while having a full-time job.
Behaviors
Every morning, Alex checks her emails before she goes to work so she knows what she’s walking into before she arrives. At work, she feels stress and overwork. She does not have time to look for other jobs. After work she stops at the grocery store before she goes home. When she arrives at home makes dinner, which usually take about an hour/hour and half. By the time she is done, she is tired. She looks for jobs on the internet and finds one that is perfect fit. She wishes that the salary or any of the benefits is listed so she could compare it with her current job, but she wants to apply anyway. She realizes that she needs a cover letter and a custom resume. She doesn’t apply, but ends up bookmarking the position apply at a later date when she has more time
Problem Statements
Alex needs transparency when applying to jobs because she never knows where she is in the process.
Alex needs a way to match and apply to jobs she is interested in because she finds it difficult to tailor each application.
Storyboard
Information Architecture
User Flows
Card Sorting
Results
- Help Center was placed under account or resources.
- Home – Progress, To Do, Insights –Saved Jobs, Pinned Searches*, Pinned Careers*, Recent
- Search – Job Search, Career Search, Career Match, Pinned Searches, Pinned Careers
- Profile – Edit Profile
- Account – Setting, Privacy, Help Center
- Resources – Know the Law, NextGen Blog
Results
- *Participants were unsure where to put pinned searches and careers. The participants placed it under Search or Home. Two placed it under search. Two placed it under Home. One put pinned career under home, while putting pinned search under search. (Shown Below) When asked about their reasoning for choosing one over the other, several participants stated they have previously seen “pinned searches” on the search sections or the home page.
- One participant asked if it were possible to place profile and account together.
- Participants asked about filters when searching as a feature they would like to have.
Sitemap
Wireframing
Search Bar with Search Icon
Menu Button with Hamburger Menu Icon
Saved Searches (previously called “Pinned Searches”)
Cancel Icon
- Percent of Match
- The saved search job post listing
- View More Button
- Insights Section
- Image corresponding to the Blog Post
- Insight Post Information
- Navigation Bar
- Back Button
- Search Tabs
- Location Search Bar
- Drop Down List and Save Search
- Cancel Button
- Search Button
- Focus Search Area section
- Drop Down Filter
- Drop Down List within Drop Down Filter
- Drop Down Arrow Icon/Button