🤔What's The Problem?

Whether they are just graduating college and starting fresh or looking to get into a new field after feeling unsatisfied with their current prospects, starting a new career should be an exciting time in someone's life. And yet, statistics speak for themselves. Out of a study group where people were looking for new job opportunities, 68% said they are actively and consistently searching. 42% say employers are unresponsive, 34% haven’t secured any job interviews, and 46% say jobs are too low paying. But that is compounded with more issues if you have no prior experience, even when the jobs you apply for claim you don't need any.

"You sit there and you go 'Am I doing something wrong? Is there something I'm missing?' ...especially when applying for entry-level positions. It's entry-level. Why are they asking for experience?" Many junior job seekers struggle with this pain point that overlooks the definition of entry-level.

So what's the solution? To create an experience that creates transparency and humanity. Instead of algorithms and auto-checkers, there are actual humans that run the site. Rein is a job career resource where information is curated, resources are given in a timely manner, and projects can be done to help fill in experience gaps.

We don't want a career change to be frustrating, hopeless, or demeaning, because we are just as excited as you are for your new path forward.

Laying the Groundwork📐

We started this process at the heart of the problem; the people. Research, surveying, and empathizing with new students from various universities revealed many pain points, ones that seem all too familiar to anyone that has applied for a job in the digital age.

The following image is unacceptable. The definition of entry-level is: at the lowest level in an employment hierarchy. Or, suitable for a beginner or first-time user; basic. Why are they requiring all this experience?

To further help with the entry-level job frustrations, we decided to implement was a project program where users could finish small assignments and quizzes that could be used in place of experience. This would help job seekers be more confident in their skills and have something to show for it on their profile.

Many people struggle with companies responding in a timely manner, which can lead to frustration or leaving candidates feeling as if they aren't valued. Rein strives to make communication clear and punctual.

🔍Research Findings

I started with the mobile app as my base as I felt a lot of applying nowadays is done on the convenience of your phone, but I knew that I wanted the look, feel, and functionality to be almost seamless between a small screen vs a large. While functions should not be missing from either version of the site, the desktop version would be recommended for more intricate interactions such as quiz / project work. The UI would be a simple one-column approach for the mobile versions with filter options kept as separate dialogue boxes to help with decluttering, while the desktop version would have these filters alongside the search results.

For the low-fidelity mock-ups, adjustments were mostly made on the structure so that sections were a bit clearer and easier to identify. This also helped with just the overall natural flow of how someone will go through the interface. The feedback on the high-fidelity prototypes helped with a lot of small detail-focused changes to help with the overall look and feel of the designs and assist with visibility and brand recognition.

Final aesthetics were very clean cut and structural, with little to no graphics. I wanted the look and feel to be secondary to the user experience, so fonts and colors were the only hard items used for guidance.

The Results🎉

Users now have a way to access curated help for their needs. No more worrying about how to prove themselves with a lack of previous experience, as specially chosen jobs and projects make sure that what they do have is evaluated properly. They now have the confidence that the tools offered will help them with their foot in the door. There is also less worry about 'ghosting', as a schedule of contact is established and enforced by site moderators.

"I hated the runaround! I try to keep professional and nice when job searching but it's either blunt rejection or ghosting. I don't have that issue with Rein. I'm not just drowning in a pool of other candidates and resumes. I feel seen."

Starting a new career is much easier, exciting, and professional. Just like it should be!

Though this is a strong start for the users of Rein, there should be more consideration and expansion on the interaction between users. Implementation such as messaging, groups, favoriting, scheduling, etc. would make the community even stronger, and help users feel more in control of their job search journey.

"It isn't just about showing off jobs...Rein really seems to want to help with where you want to be. They see us as humans wanting to achieve more with our career goals. It feels so validating."