Concept
Almost everyone in tech has a mid-career crisis at one point. Am I doing something that improves the world? Am I working just for money? We launched Impactful for people just like you, who desire to do something meaningful. Impactful is an AI-based platform that aims to take your tech capabilities and navigate you to a job that does good in the world.
Challenges
MVP
One of the guidelines I received from development was to create a platform that is as simple as possible, both in terms of design and content. I had to make decisions as to what is the minimum needed to go through a clear process.
Target audience
“Positions in tech״ is a broad category. The target audiences of developers and designers, for example, are significantly different. I had to conduct research to understand the nuances of each world.
Questionnaire match
Finding the right position can help create a sense of alignment with one’s identity. Unfortunately, it is difficult to evaluate whether a selected job is relevant to you in reality. What are the criteria that need to be met in order to find the most suitable job?
User Research
We followed up with user interviews to understand motivations, user behavior, and the pain points of searching for a job. We conducted five interviews to learn more about how job seekers search and apply when looking for impactful job opportunities. One of the questions we asked was:
"What would make you leave your current job for a job that does good in the world?"
All interviewees brought us back to the same point – they would only strongly consider such a move if people they trust recommended that they do.
So how do we simulate that feeling of trust and the feeling that a platform is like a friend?
Reflection
Working on a job search with my former employer was a great learning experience, as I had a chance to observe my colleagues’ continuous learning and iteration on this feature area. I, like, many users, take high-quality search for granted thanks to the high bar set by Google search. I learned how difficult it is to get search just right and to find the balance between giving users control and making assumptions on their behalf.
My Solution
People who come to our platform are already flirting with the idea of moving to a job that does good. We don’t need to persuade them that this is an interesting option. We should create a process that gives a sense that we’re like a trustworthy friend who recommends a job to them. For starters, the design language is the opposite of formal LinkedIn-like, it’s friendly and simple. The copywriting matches with slang and offers encouragement to the user to continue the process. The process is extremely short and in the end, there are carefully selected positions that show exactly how you will contribute to society.
The user interface
Micro copy
Micro copy is part of the visual experience. I wanted to make the user feel that I understand who he is, we used everyday slang from the tech world and a friendly language for that purpose.
filter
We implemented a rich set of filter options, including full- and part-time options, company size, location and/or remote options, experience level, and role filters.
friendly style
To create a friendly and informal feeling instead of the dark colors and stiff language that characterize most job search platforms, I used light colors and round and cheerful shapes that create a sense of optimism and possibility.
User flow
