Reducing the Number of Low-Performing Jobs

Client:

CareerPlug

Role:

Sr. Product Designer

Year:

2024

Problem statement

CareerPlug is an applicant tracking system focused on franchises and packed with features to help with the entire hiring process – from attracting applicants, to hiring, and retaining.

Our customers are small business owners who are not HR professionals, they often create job posts that don't follow best practices. As a result, a significant number of posted jobs—40%—are underperforming, receiving fewer than two applicants. This causes hiring managers to lose confidence in our platform and drives up our support volume and ultimately contributes to churn. The main factor is often the quality of the job description, which negatively impacts applicant volume and job board visibility. How might we help users follow best practices to increase their chanses of getting high number of quality applicants?

The struggle

  • 40% of jobs are underperforming, receiving fewer than two applicants.

  • This causes clients to lose confidence in our platform and drives up our support volume and churn.

  • Applicant quantity and quality are among the top three reasons clients reach out to support

  • The quantity and quality of applicants ranks as the third reason for client churn.


Desired outcome

  • Reduce the number of low-performing jobs to increase client satisfaction.

  • Reduce applicant quantity / quality as a cause of churn.

  • Decrease the volume of support calls for applicant quantity / quality.

  • Increase client satisfaction

Measurable Key Metrics

Commit. Implement and launch one or multiple solutions to address low-performing jobs whitin given timeframe.

Stretch. Reduce the number of low-performing jobs 10% (from 42% to 32%).

Transform. The top case scenario we foresee: reduce the number of low-performing jobs  20% (from 42% to 22%).


Solution - Summary

Imagine if we could help users integrate best practices in their job post directly from the app instead of clients calling to the support team. So based on that we:

  • Aligned with the client-facing team and documented best practices.

  • Redesigned the "create a job" experience to make it easier for clients to incorporate best practices naturally while building their job descriptions. (Added smart suggestions and other elements to help guide users)

  • Conducted a research to understand best practices from our partner job boards and identify what enhances post visibility.

  • Added an AI job description generator that automatically applies best practices and formats the job descriptions for optimal visibility and appeal. More impact, less effort required from our busy users.

Solution - Summary

Imagine if we could help users integrate best practices in their job post directly from the app instead of clients calling to the support team. So based on that we:

  • Aligned with the client-facing team and documented best practices.

  • Redesigned the "create a job" experience to make it easier for clients to incorporate best practices naturally while building their job descriptions. (Added smart suggestions and other elements to help guide users)

  • Conducted a research to understand best practices from our partner job boards and identify what enhances post visibility.

  • Added an AI job description generator that automatically applies best practices and formats the job descriptions for optimal visibility and appeal. More impact, less effort required from our busy users.

Solution - Summary

Imagine if we could help users integrate best practices in their job post directly from the app instead of clients calling to the support team. So based on that we:

  • Aligned with the client-facing team and documented best practices.

  • Redesigned the "create a job" experience to make it easier for clients to incorporate best practices naturally while building their job descriptions. (Added smart suggestions and other elements to help guide users)

  • Conducted a research to understand best practices from our partner job boards and identify what enhances post visibility.

  • Added an AI job description generator that automatically applies best practices and formats the job descriptions for optimal visibility and appeal. More impact, less effort required from our busy users.

The process

Data Analysis – Do Our Best Practices Actually Drive Results?

After meeting with client-facing teams and documenting our best practices, our squad dug into the data to see if they truly lead to more applicants—why would we recommend things we don't know if they work? Here’s what we learned:

  • Do shorter job descriptions (under 4k characters) attract more applicants? Yes—30% more.

  • Does adding benefits boost applicant volume? Yes.

  • Do shorter application forms lead to more applicants? Yes, less questions in the application form = more applicants.

  • Does including a salary attract more applicants? Yes, jobs with salaries got more applications than the ones that didn't included it.

Data Analysis – Do Our Best Practices Actually Drive Results?

After meeting with client-facing teams and documenting our best practices, our squad dug into the data to see if they truly lead to more applicants—why would we recommend things we don't know if they work? Here’s what we learned:

  • Do shorter job descriptions (under 4k characters) attract more applicants? Yes—30% more.

  • Does adding benefits boost applicant volume? Yes.

  • Do shorter application forms lead to more applicants? Yes, less questions in the application form = more applicants.

  • Does including a salary attract more applicants? Yes, jobs with salaries got more applications than the ones that didn't included it.

Data Analysis – Do Our Best Practices Actually Drive Results?

After meeting with client-facing teams and documenting our best practices, our squad dug into the data to see if they truly lead to more applicants—why would we recommend things we don't know if they work? Here’s what we learned:

  • Do shorter job descriptions (under 4k characters) attract more applicants? Yes—30% more.

  • Does adding benefits boost applicant volume? Yes.

  • Do shorter application forms lead to more applicants? Yes, less questions in the application form = more applicants.

  • Does including a salary attract more applicants? Yes, jobs with salaries got more applications than the ones that didn't included it.

Competitive Research - What we recommend is aligned with what job boards recommend?

  • I analyzed partner and external job boards (Example. Indeed, Workable, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter) to understand factors influencing visibility and what are their job description best practices.

  • I compared best practices with our internal findings to ensure alignment.

  • Me and my squad identified untapped opportunities for enhancing visibility and applicant attraction.

Competitive Research - What we recommend is aligned with what job boards recommend?

  • I analyzed partner and external job boards (Example. Indeed, Workable, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter) to understand factors influencing visibility and what are their job description best practices.

  • I compared best practices with our internal findings to ensure alignment.

  • Me and my squad identified untapped opportunities for enhancing visibility and applicant attraction.

Competitive Research - What we recommend is aligned with what job boards recommend?

  • I analyzed partner and external job boards (Example. Indeed, Workable, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter) to understand factors influencing visibility and what are their job description best practices.

  • I compared best practices with our internal findings to ensure alignment.

  • Me and my squad identified untapped opportunities for enhancing visibility and applicant attraction.

From Insights to Action: Now that we validated our recommendations, let's add those via "Smart Suggestions"


After validating our recommendations with data and aligning them with job board best practices, I compiled an extensive list of actionable suggestions. Since we couldn’t implement all the suggestions at once because of time, we prioritized the "quick wins"—changes that were simple to build but delivered big results.

The next challenge (and the fun part!) was brainstorming how to help users seamlessly apply these best practices directly in the UI when creating new jobs.

From Insights to Action: Now that we validated our recommendations, let's add those via "Smart Suggestions"


After validating our recommendations with data and aligning them with job board best practices, I compiled an extensive list of actionable suggestions. Since we couldn’t implement all the suggestions at once because of time, we prioritized the "quick wins"—changes that were simple to build but delivered big results.

The next challenge (and the fun part!) was brainstorming how to help users seamlessly apply these best practices directly in the UI when creating new jobs.

From Insights to Action: Now that we validated our recommendations, let's add those via "Smart Suggestions"


After validating our recommendations with data and aligning them with job board best practices, I compiled an extensive list of actionable suggestions. Since we couldn’t implement all the suggestions at once because of time, we prioritized the "quick wins"—changes that were simple to build but delivered big results.

The next challenge (and the fun part!) was brainstorming how to help users seamlessly apply these best practices directly in the UI when creating new jobs.

Design - connecting all the dots

For each one of these solutions we develop different design drafts
before arriving to the final solutions presented below.


Design - connecting all the dots

For each one of these solutions we develop different design drafts
before arriving to the final solutions presented below.


Design - connecting all the dots

For each one of these solutions we develop different design drafts
before arriving to the final solutions presented below.


Smart Suggestions

We created a dynamic to-do list with a progress bar to keep users engaged and on track with best practices. The suggestions are concise and easy to scan. For comparison, here is the old look of the page.

AI job description generator

Simply enter the job title and location, and with the click of one button our AI whips up a job description that follows all the best practices, saving users time and effort. Before there were so many rules to follow to have an effective job description, we removed all the work from user hands and help them offering a base draft with the right format they can edit.

Simply enter the job title and location, and with the click of one button our AI whips up a job description that follows all the best practices, saving users time and effort. Before there were so many rules to follow to have an effective job description, we removed all the work from user hands and help them offering a base draft with the right format they can edit.

Simply enter the job title and location, and with the click of one button our AI whips up a job description that follows all the best practices, saving users time and effort. Before there were so many rules to follow to have an effective job description, we removed all the work from user hands and help them offering a base draft with the right format they can edit.

New benefits section

We built a user-friendly feature to quickly select or add custom benefits. The output is a well formatted clean bullet-point list. Before we expected clients to add benefits and perks in the job description in a bullet point list and add over 3-5. That is a lot to remember, now we do all the work for them They only have to select them.

We built a user-friendly feature to quickly select or add custom benefits. The output is a well formatted clean bullet-point list. Before we expected clients to add benefits and perks in the job description in a bullet point list and add over 3-5. That is a lot to remember, now we do all the work for them They only have to select them.

We built a user-friendly feature to quickly select or add custom benefits. The output is a well formatted clean bullet-point list. Before we expected clients to add benefits and perks in the job description in a bullet point list and add over 3-5. That is a lot to remember, now we do all the work for them They only have to select them.

Soft Launch - Launching this to a small group to learn and iterate.

We launched these features to a select group of accounts to test before a wide release, following the Sense and Responded method. We monitored support tickets, quantitative metrics, hotjar recordings  and user feedback to gather feedback on the performance of all the new features.


We did a few updates based on client feedback. From adapting the copy to be clearer, to adding an empty state when there are no suggestions. Then when we felt confident we covered the most common issues, we did a wide release.

We launched these features to a select group of accounts to test before a wide release, following the Sense and Responded method. We monitored support tickets, quantitative metrics, hotjar recordings  and user feedback to gather feedback on the performance of all the new features.


We did a few updates based on client feedback. From adapting the copy to be clearer, to adding an empty state when there are no suggestions. Then when we felt confident we covered the most common issues, we did a wide release.

We launched these features to a select group of accounts to test before a wide release, following the Sense and Responded method. We monitored support tickets, quantitative metrics, hotjar recordings  and user feedback to gather feedback on the performance of all the new features.


We did a few updates based on client feedback. From adapting the copy to be clearer, to adding an empty state when there are no suggestions. Then when we felt confident we covered the most common issues, we did a wide release.

Results

AI Job Description Generator

In the first month we saw 65% repeated usage, higher than our 50% goal.

Smart Suggestions

Within the first month, 65% of new jobs used all "SS". After 3 months, over 73% of jobs.

Support Tickets

After 2 months fewer calls on low applicants! Dropped from #1 to #3 client concern.

Desired Goals

After 2 month we reached our stretch goal reduce our low perfoming jobs by 10%. After 3 months we reached our transform goal of reducing low performing jobs by 50%

Learnings and Iterations

After first release we learned a few things we iterated on.

  • Enhanced Bug Fixes: We meticulously addressed any bugs encountered to ensure a smooth user experience.

  • Smarter Suggestions & Clearer Copy: Based on user input, we refined our smart suggestions and streamlined the copy for optimal clarity.

  • Expanded Perks & Benefits: Client feedback prompted us to expand the list of perks and benefits offered within the job description.

  • Contextual Tooltips: Informative tooltips now accompany each suggestion, explaining how it helps attract top talent or improve job board visibility.

  • Empty State Implementation: An empty state now appears when no suggestions are available, providing a clear and helpful message.



After first release we learned a few things we iterated on.

  • Enhanced Bug Fixes: We meticulously addressed any bugs encountered to ensure a smooth user experience.

  • Smarter Suggestions & Clearer Copy: Based on user input, we refined our smart suggestions and streamlined the copy for optimal clarity.

  • Expanded Perks & Benefits: Client feedback prompted us to expand the list of perks and benefits offered within the job description.

  • Contextual Tooltips: Informative tooltips now accompany each suggestion, explaining how it helps attract top talent or improve job board visibility.

  • Empty State Implementation: An empty state now appears when no suggestions are available, providing a clear and helpful message.



After first release we learned a few things we iterated on.

  • Enhanced Bug Fixes: We meticulously addressed any bugs encountered to ensure a smooth user experience.

  • Smarter Suggestions & Clearer Copy: Based on user input, we refined our smart suggestions and streamlined the copy for optimal clarity.

  • Expanded Perks & Benefits: Client feedback prompted us to expand the list of perks and benefits offered within the job description.

  • Contextual Tooltips: Informative tooltips now accompany each suggestion, explaining how it helps attract top talent or improve job board visibility.

  • Empty State Implementation: An empty state now appears when no suggestions are available, providing a clear and helpful message.



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