Project Description
VanHack is a startup that helps graduates and IT professionals find job offers and streamlines the process of interviewing and hiring in countries such as Canada, Germany, Ireland, and others.
They were having trouble with their job board and they turned to the community to try to fix this problem.
Year
2017
Client
VanHack
Award
This project was a submission for the VanHackathon challenge in 2017, and I am proud to say that my solution was selected as the second-best among all submissions. As a result, I was awarded a one-month subscription to the VanHack service.
Challenge Description
Let’s face it, job boards suck! Specifically, the VanHack Jobs Board isn’t very good… We’re
offering a $500 Cash Prize for the designer who can create the best version of a Jobs Board
out there. They would like something that allows anyone to quickly identify the best position for
them in the location or locations they are interested in it. It should be very visual, intuitive, and
easy to use. Oh, and don’t forget to make it great on Mobile!!
Bonus points for being creative and thinking outside the traditional jobs board box.
I chose this challenge for the 2017 VanHackathon because I used to browse for jobs on VanHack, but it was always a frustrating experience due to inconsistencies and poor design choices.
Previous Job Board
Findings
While I was a user of VanHack, I experienced some pain points that I wanted to address. However, as a designer, it was important to remain unbiased in my solutions, as I was not the only user on the platform. To gather more information, I researched other job boards online and conducted short interviews with users through Slack, where VanHack users chat with community managers.
Previous Job Details
One of the biggest complaints from users was the lack of filters. At the time, they could only search for a job title or keywords, which did not always work. Users suggested having categories to filter job types such as Front-End/Back-End Development, Design, QA, and Management. Additionally, users requested an improved city filter, as the current one displayed many cities without any job postings. Therefore, the filter should only show cities with available jobs.
My process
In this project, my main objective was to provide an excellent user experience across all devices, including desktop and mobile, to enable “VanHackers” to find jobs more easily. Additionally, I aimed to revamp VanHack’s overall website while retaining its existing brand and color scheme.
First Draft
Solution
Given the time constraints, I focused solely on redesigning the job board and did not delve into the entire job application process, although it could also benefit from a redesign. However, this was not a part of the request. I brainstormed some ideas and sketched some prototypes to test with users. I also drew inspiration from other job boards but aimed to give VanHack a unique approach that blended the best of both worlds.
Job Description
As part of my redesign for VanHack’s job board, I aimed to improve the job description page for a better user experience. One of the main issues was the lack of information about each job listing.
To address this, I added more detailed job descriptions that included essential information, such as required skills, responsibilities, and qualifications. I also included crucial details like salary ranges and job locations that job seekers would want to know before applying.
To enhance the visual appeal, I added icons and images to break up the text and make it easier to scan. Additionally, I used a clean, modern design consistent with VanHack’s branding. My goal was to provide a more informative and engaging job description page to help job seekers find suitable opportunities and make informed decisions about their careers.
Filter
In my proposed solution, users are given more control over their job search. They can filter by job area, country, job type, and other options, allowing them to tailor their search to their specific needs.”
Additionally, I created a preview example for an iPhone, the primary focus was on making the website responsive and functional on both desktop and mobile devices.
Conclusion
This project was quite interesting, as I had some initial ideas to present to VanHack for their design and user experience. I received feedback from both Ilya, the founder of VanHack, and users from the platform, which helped me refine my ideas.
The VanHackaton was a challenging experience that pushed me to deliver high-quality designs and ideas within a tight timeframe. Although I was working on two challenges simultaneously, I believe I did a great job with the job board redesign, and I could have brought even more ideas if I had more time. In the end, I placed second and received a one-month Premium Membership at VanHack, which I plan to use in the future when searching for jobs abroad.
