Sorted
Applications Made Easy
Product Experience
Problem Statement
Staying organised when job hunting!
Problem Background
This problem space originated from my own experience in struggling to keep records of my different edited resumes used in several job applications and not being able to track my rejected applications.The normal challenges faced by an average job seeker is heightened by the lack of organisation of submitted resumes and retracted job postings. The pandemic has made people rethink their lives and their work, and has increased the influx of job seekers from new college grads to mid level career transitioning candidates. The complexity of finding the right job, the company culture fit, inability to track resumes submitted are few of the issues that makes an already stressed deter from being consistent in the job search.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
- Using Linkedin, Whatsapp and Instagram, we identified a few different categories of prospective users and did 4 user interviews
Supporting Data
- 67% of people we spoke to mentioned they edit their resume everytime they apply
- 80% are more stressed with the inability to track resumes and rejected applications
Feedback
Our preliminary user research to validate this problem with entry level and career transitioning job applicants found out that absence of a tool like ‘Sorted’ increases the time spent on applying for jobs and in the event were a job application is successful and proceeds to the interview stage, they are often left with a string of uncertainty because they cannot remember the version of the edited resume submitted.
Future Steps
This is what we learned from speaking to users, they want a tool that can keep the resume and job posting for each application. The proposed solution is to create an app or web extension that can perform this task. It would also track the rejected applications and applications that proceed to the interview stage. There have been many options to pick from when it comes to the solutions because there are so many pain points in this problem space. Tracking the modified resumes and job listings, however, had the most significant broad and depth of an effect.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Lois Onoghojebi
Co.Lab was a very interesting experience for me, i’ve learnt the following;
- The relationship between organisational strategy and branding will inevitably have an impact on the product strategy.
- Making a product that people will enjoy and use is just as crucial as having effective marketing and PR.
- Being a PM is all about influence; how successfully can you motivate a group of people to work towards a common objective?
- Being a PM also means taking radical responsibility for all successes and failures.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.