Qandidates
Design Lead
3 months
13 workers
2022
Web application + Website
About the client
Qandidates is a hiring platform designed for IT professionals. It allows candidates to stay anonymous, create a profile based on their needs, and search for new job opportunities.
For recruiters, Qandidates provides a way to screen and search for IT professionals without the need for an intermediary, making it easier to find the right talent that fits a company.
My role
As the lead UX designer, I worked alongside two other designers to redesign the web app and website for Qandidates. I collaborated with a junior UX designer, visual designer, developers, and product manager.
My responsibilities included enhancing the product and overseeing the design process, as well as determining which features should be included in the MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Together, we created a platform that is intuitive, user-friendly, and effective for both candidates and recruiters.
Research
Survey
The team created a questionnaire to find out what the current state is of trying to hire IT specialists or developers switching jobs.
Some key points
- IT specialists want to know the salary offer up front before the application process.
- IT specialist are getting spammed with offers on LinkedIn that don’t take their needs into account
- Recruiters find it difficult to find IT specialists.
Interview
We did interviews with recruiters to see how they currently do their job and interviewed IT specialists to figure out how we can help them to switch jobs.
Some key points
- Recruiters want to be able to see the amount of years that IT specialist have in certain skills
- IT specialist care a lot about setting their own conditions to get job offers that match their needs
Competitor Analysis
To understand the market we did a competitor analysis to see how we can be different and compete with other products.
Some key points
- No product where you can be anonymous and get job offers
- Not many IT focussed products
- A lot of outdated products when it comes to UX and UI
Main goal
Let IT professionals and recruiters create an account on Qandidates
Other goal
Create a product that would help recruiters with hiring IT professionals
Other goal
Create a product that IT professionals can use to get new job offers
Other goal
Let Qandidates stand out from other recruitment platforms
The users
IT specialist
Our primary user group is IT professionals, specifically software developers. These users are in high demand in the industry and often receive a lot of job offers.
Some goals
- Set their own conditions so that the offers match their needs
- Stay anonymous so they can stay open for opportunities while their boss is not aware
Recruiters
Our second user group is made up of IT recruiters from companies and agencies. Their goal is to find the best candidates and make sure they are qualified for the positions they are interested in.
Some goals
- Find the right candidate
- Able to make use of extensive filters
- Be in contact with possible candidates
Wireframes
Qandidate product
My role was to enhance the design of the Qandidate product wireframes, which had been created by another designer and had some inconsistencies. Some of the wireframes had already been implemented, which meant there were some limitations on what changes could be made. However, I was determined to create a more cohesive and user-friendly experience, and I worked hard to improve the design despite these challenges.
Qandidates website
The second product I worked on was the Qandidates informational website. The goal of this website was to convert visitors into customers by encouraging them to create an account. I focused on creating a clear and compelling user flow that would guide visitors towards the desired action.
Validate designs
Qandidates application
We also tested the design of the Qandidates application by asking users to go through the interface, give them tasks and ask questions. Based on this feedback, we made some key changes, including:
Some key changes
- Removing unnecessary pages, such as the "About Us" page
- Changing the way users communicate with each other within the application
- Adjusting the filters
- Adding sections to the recruiter and company page
Qandidates website
To test the design of the Qandidates website, we asked users to go through the landing page and explain what the product was about. We also asked if they would be willing to create an account based on the information and design presented. Based on this feedback, we made some key changes, including:
Some key changes
- Changing the header image to showcase the product's unique selling points (USPs)
- Creating a full-screen video to showcase the product's features and benefits
- Adding more sections to the website, such as testimonials, to convert visitors into users
Final designs
I applied the branding, created by the visual designer, to my wireframes to create the final design. Our visual designer played a key role in establishing the overall style of the brand. He conducted research, gathered input from stakeholders, and analysed the designs of our competitors to make informed decisions about the look and feel of the brand. The result was a cohesive and effective design that accurately represented the brand's identity.
Saving used filters
Recruiters often use a lot of filters to find certain candidates. It is annoying to always enter the same filters over and over again. By letting the recruiters save the filters, they can filter the list of candidates instantly.
Candidate profile
The candidate's profile summarizes all crucial information that candidates want to share and recruiters want to see. As a result, recruiters can quickly determine if the candidate is a suitable fit.
Contact details
When candidates join the platform, they remain anonymous until they choose to reveal their identities. Recruiters can send messages to candidates with job offers, and candidates can decide whether or not to share their contact details if they are interested in the opportunity.
