Networker

SaaS Web platform that connects freelance recruiters with companies to ensure successful placements for job vacancies.

Role: UX/UI designer | Product type: B2B SaaS Web application | Industry: Human Resources |

Tools: Figma, Figjam, Notion

Networker was founded by two experienced recruiters who identified the need to simplify business development and streamline processes for independent recruiters working with companies.

The client's objective was to build a platform that connects freelance recruiters with companies. Its offering is to ensure the successful placement of top-tier candidates for job vacancies.

The challenge

This was a new domain for me, so initially, I focused on gaining a better understanding of how the recruitment world works. I wanted to identify the pain points that recruiters and companies face, determine how the product can provide value to them, and reflect this in the features we wanted to build.

Also, we were a fully remote team, which means documentation and shareability were key aspects of enhancing collaboration.

How might we design a platform to help independent recruiters to connect with companies and establish a long-term relationship with them?

The design process

1. Kick-off workshop

2. Product discovery and Research

3. Defining: User flows and wireframes

4. User testing

Note: This project is currently on hold. This case study involves user research, user flows, wireframes, and initial user testing.

Kick-off workshop

I conducted a virtual workshop with stakeholders to understand the full picture of the product they wanted to build, where they were and what efforts were needed to launch an MVP.

To cover all parties and ensure collaboration and synchronicity, I focused on prioritisation based on the different stakeholders: understanding what was more important as a designer, as an engineer, and for business stakeholders.

Ways of working

We scheduled a meeting every two weeks to share the progress of the work, gather feedback and discuss topics that needed to be defined. The documentation was created in Notion, and designs were made on Figjam and Figma, so that all team members have access to the research and status of designs to provide feedback.

Product Discovery and Research

I created a research plan to conduct qualitative research, including interviews and surveys, and a comprehensive competitor analysis of companies that solve similar solutions.

Research goals

• Understand and document the way both types of users’ current journey and perceptions

• Make confident design decisions by gathering genuine, contextual feedback from real users

• Avoid costly mistakes and usability issues before they are implemented

First, I conducted market research on a new industry to understand how other platforms tackle similar problems. Then, in collaboration with the Product Manager, I created surveys and sent them to their network.

Snapshot of Survey responses

Insights

After consolidating user responses, I analysed the findings and identified the following key insights:

• Role clarity and clear expectations are vital for successful placements. Companies prefer to meet with the recruiter to communicate the role's expectations clearly and ensure a mutual understanding between the employer, recruiter, and candidate.

• Engaging with potential clients and speaking with candidates for future opportunities are crucial for business development and essential daily tasks.

• Working with agencies is established and safe for employers because they have a team and solid contracts with clear expectations for delivery timelines, as well as a larger talent pool to offer.

MVP features

After analysing user journeys, their needs, and the current market offerings, we identified four essential features required for the initial launch:

• Chat and messaging system

• Candidate status for job submissions

• Create a publish a Job Brief

• Hiring statuses

This prioritisation allowed me to start creating user flows for each feature.

Defining: User flows and wireframes

The fun part. I started creating user flows related to the MVP features for both types of users.

Snapshot of Employers user flows

Wireframes

Although I was designing low-fi wireframes for all the platform screens, I focused on creating Hifi wireframes for the user flows we wanted to test first.

Design considerations while designing screens

I will explain the design considerations I had for each screen based on research and insights that were aligned with business objectives.

Onboarding objectives

• Users to understand how the platforms work at a glance

• Company to set up their profile

• Create their first job brief (optional)

Onboarding screens

Job brief flow objectives

• "Mimic" the usual phone conversation between a recruiter and an employer while explaining a job brief

• Each job brief post have a specific service fee and won't be the same for all recruiters and companies

Snapshot of how companies would create a job brief for recruiters.

Messaging system objectives

The challenge in designing this screen was to address a scenario where a company could have multiple job postings, and within those postings, multiple recruiters could submit candidates. Additionally, each recruiter could submit up to two candidates per position. If this already sounds complicated, imagine how it could be for users🙃.

The goal was to make it clear and easy for users to find communications related to their job vacancies by:

• Grouping chats per job brief posting

• Displaying a clear application status

• Displaying the number and names of candidates submitted per recruiter