Volunteer

A job platform better suited for bootcamp graduates

Summary: Bootcareer is a job platform that aims to help bootcamp graduates get noticed in the marketplace by more accurately showcasing their skillsets. I, along with a group of volunteers, planned and designed the initial concepts - interviewing potential users to infer our product offerings.

  • Role
    UX Designer
  • Team
    9 UX Designers, 8 Software Engineers, 1 Product Manager
  • Timeline
    6 months
  • Impact
    Designed product concepts and hand-off assets to engineers
1. User Needs2. Approach3. Results
In a pinch? Just read the headings
User needs

Unrecognized skills keep bootcamp graduates from staying competitive in the job marketplace

In recent years, bootcamps have become increasingly popular as a means for people to quickly learn new skills and transition into new careers. However, while bootcamps can be a great way to gain new skills, due to their seemingly lack of relevant experience, many graduates struggle to find job opportunities once they've completed their programs. In the same vain, employers may be missing out on strong prospects.

Bootcareer Thumbnail
Approach

Interviews with employed and unemployed bootcamp grads, bootcamp employees, and recruiters painted a better picture of the current landscape.

We started by conducting research and analysis to understand the challenges faced by bootcamp graduates in finding job opportunities. These user stories emerged:

Bootcareer Affinity Diagram

We saw high potential for recruiters to miss the relevant skills a bootcamp graduate had for the job.

Bootcamp graduates (both UX and Software Engineering) often came from a variety of backgrounds (i.e. Psychology, Business, Biology, Architecture, Law, etc.). This would keep them from matching with a job description, but did not necessarily mean they were not fit for the job. We hoped to find a better solution...

Bootcareeer Sketches
Bootcareer Collaboration on Miro
Bootcareer Wireframes
Results

A candidate profile screen that highlights duality of skills and diverse backgrounds.

Features:

If I were to takeaway one thing...

Researching early saves time. Conducting UX research early (Interviews, surveys, competitive analysis) early saved us a lot of time once we moved into conceptualizing the designs. By doing so, we were able to have a deeper understanding of user needs, preferences, and pain points which informed our discussions and decisions.