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.
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.
We started by conducting research and analysis to understand the challenges faced by bootcamp graduates in finding job opportunities. These user stories emerged:
As an Recruiter, I want effectively sift through thousands of applicants so that I can find the perfect candidate for my clients.
As a Bootcamp graduate, I want to apply to as many job postings as possible so that I can increase my chances of landing an interview. From there, I will be able to share the relevancy of my background and skills.
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...
Sketches and voting. Utilizing our research findings, each team member sketched ideas for what the new tool could look like.
Wireframing. We then took the winning idea and continued to expand on it with wireframes.
Stand ups. Every week, the UX team met to discuss our work to collaborate on potential features.
Features:
Desired Roles vs Backgrounds. Job seekers can tag themselves under a desired role (e.g. UX Design) and a background (e.g. Biology) that gives additional context to their skillset.
Tags and filters. Filters by skills and tools allow recruiters a quick way to find relevant projects.
Feedback. Recruiters are prompted to provide optional feedback for candidates to help them improve.
Journeys. Rather than separating education and experience, combining them gives a more accurate story of the bootcamp graduates' entire timeline.
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.
