I redesigned the job search and details experience to improve clarity and confidence
I redesigned the job search and details experience to improve clarity and confidence
I redesigned the job search and details experience to improve clarity and confidence
*NDA Notice
This project was completed under a confidentiality agreement. All details have been abstracted to protect proprietary information while preserving the integrity of the design process.
*NDA Notice
This project was completed under a confidentiality agreement. All details have been abstracted to protect proprietary information while preserving the integrity of the design process.
The Dish in One Bite
The Dish in One Bite
Project Overview
Project Overview
Problem
Problem
Applicants struggling to find suitable jobs on current platform
Applicants struggling to find suitable jobs on current platform
Business Goal
Business Goal
Increase qualified job applications by improving job details experience
Increase qualified job applications by improving job details experience
+Researching
+Ideating
+Testing
+Designing
+Researching
+Ideating
+Testing
+Designing
Results
Results
83% of users preferred the redesigned navigation and job detail layout
83% of users preferred the redesigned navigation and job detail layout
Ingredients for this Project
Ingredients for this Project
Project type
Project type
University project with sponsors
University project with sponsors
Product
Product
Website
Website
Time
Time
August - December 2025
August - December 2025
My Role
My Role
Lead UX Designer
Defined project strategy
Led research direction for the team
Facilitated meetings and interviews
Designed research-grounded mid fidelity prototypes
Lead UX Designer
Defined project strategy
Led research direction for the team
Facilitated meetings and interviews
Designed research-grounded mid fidelity prototypes
Qualitative research, user-centered design, prototyping, data analysis, literature review, leadership
Qualitative research, user-centered design, prototyping, data analysis, literature review, leadership
Skill
Skill
My team
6 UX Design students (2 sophomores, 2 juniors, 1 graduate)
6 UX Design students (2 sophomores, 2 juniors, 1 graduate)
My Team
Sponsors
Sponsors
Uline team (1 UX Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 Business Analyst, 1 Product Manager)
Uline team (1 UX Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 Business Analyst, 1 Product Manager)
User group
User group
Job seekers, including people looking for full-time, part-time, or internship positions
Job seekers, including people looking for full-time, part-time, or internship positions
Preparation
Preparation
What I did before finding solutions
What I did before finding solutions
I drove the team to define the right problem before moving into solutions.
I drove the team to define the right problem before moving into solutions.
At first, we thought that the project was a typical “improve the job search experience” problem. However, as we delved deeper, it became clear that the issue wasn’t about missing features or outdated designs. It was about how people could technically find jobs and what affects their confidence when applying for jobs.
At first, we thought that the project was a typical “improve the job search experience” problem. However, as we delved deeper, it became clear that the issue wasn’t about missing features or outdated designs. It was about how people could technically find jobs and what affects their confidence when applying for jobs.
They struggled to
Quickly scan through the website and understand what matters
Compare roles without repeatedly jumping between pages
Decide whether the role was worth applying for without reading everything
They struggled to
Quickly scan through the website and understand what matters
Compare roles without repeatedly jumping between pages
Decide whether the role was worth applying for without reading everything
Therefore, we stepped back and reframed the problem as
Therefore, we stepped back and reframed the problem as
How might we design a job search experience that supports fast scanning, clear comparison, and confidence decisions with less unnecessary effort from users?
How might we design a job search experience that supports fast scanning, clear comparison, and confidence decisions with less unnecessary effort from users?
How might we design a job search experience that supports fast scanning, clear comparison, and confidence decisions with less unnecessary effort from users?
This framing helped shift our focus in this project
This framing helped shift our focus in this project
What information is available to users?
What information is available to users?
How information is structured, prioritized, and consumed by users?
How information is structured, prioritized, and consumed by users?
I led the team to look outward with comparative analysis and literature review
I led the team to look outward with comparative analysis and literature review
This stage helped us recognize what the applicants already expect when using a career platform, including what feels familiar, what feels trustworthy, and where enterprise sites commonly break down. With this, we could avoid designing in a vacuum and assuming that current experience was wrong without context and norms.
This stage helped us recognize what the applicants already expect when using a career platform, including what feels familiar, what feels trustworthy, and where enterprise sites commonly break down. With this, we could avoid designing in a vacuum and assuming that current experience was wrong without context and norms.
Comparative Analysis
Comparative Analysis
I began the research phase with comparative analysis to step back and identify similarities, differences, and recurring patterns across career platforms before delving deeper into Uline's current platform in isolation. This allows me to make design decisions by benchmarking strengths and weaknesses, uncovering industry trends, and establishing a foundation for the rest of the research process. Our main subjects in this activity are:
I began the research phase with comparative analysis to step back and identify similarities, differences, and recurring patterns across career platforms before delving deeper into Uline's current platform in isolation. This allows me to make design decisions by benchmarking strengths and weaknesses, uncovering industry trends, and establishing a foundation for the rest of the research process. Our main subjects in this activity are:
Our Current Platform
Our Current Platform
Our Current Platform
Understand the existing pain points, usability gaps, and structural limitations of the current platform
Establish baseline for comparison
Understand the existing pain points, usability gaps, and structural limitations of the current platform
Establish baseline for comparison
Direct Competitors
Direct Competitors
Direct Competitors
Identify common industry design standards for career site
Investigate what competitor are doing well and where Uline's site falls short comparing to them
Identify common industry design standards for career site
Investigate what competitor are doing well and where Uline's site falls short comparing to them
Large Tech Companies
Large Tech Companies
Large Tech Companies
Explore current trends in career site design
See how large brands build trust and reduce cognitive load with clarity and professionalism
Explore current trends in career site design
See how large brands build trust and reduce cognitive load with clarity and professionalism
Literature Review
Literature Review
After understanding the competitive landscape, my team conducted a literature review to ground our direction in established UX principles and cognitive research.
After understanding the competitive landscape, my team conducted a literature review to ground our direction in established UX principles and cognitive research.
Human Behaviors
Human Behaviors
Readability and Scanning
Readability and Scanning
Cognitive Load
Cognitive Load
Job Information Prioritization
Job Information Prioritization
Design Principles
Design Principles
Brand and Identity
Brand and Identity
Navigation
Navigation
Content
Content
Accessibility/Responsiveness
Accessibility/Responsiveness
“
“
My secret spice
My secret spice
In this activity, I guided the team to approach research using frameworks from behavioral and cognitive psychology, including readability, scanning patterns, and cognitive load. I understand that the core of the design is still human; therefore, it is necessary to center on how people process information.
In this activity, I guided the team to approach research using frameworks from behavioral and cognitive psychology, including readability, scanning patterns, and cognitive load. I understand that the core of the design is still human; therefore, it is necessary to center on how people process information.
!
!
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Limitation
Limitation
We found that what works well on other job sites isn’t always transferable to our enterprise system. Also, looking at those patterns alone wasn’t enough for us to explain where users were actually getting stuck. This was when the user interview came into play.
We found that what works well on other job sites isn’t always transferable to our enterprise system. Also, looking at those patterns alone wasn’t enough for us to explain where users were actually getting stuck. This was when the user interview came into play.
I conducted observations of the current user experience
I conducted observations of the current user experience
Once we had the external context, our team moved into testing the existing design. This mattered as comparative analysis and secondary research only told us what users expect in common, and usability testing showed us where those expectations break and what actually works.
Once we had the external context, our team moved into testing the existing design. This mattered as comparative analysis and secondary research only told us what users expect in common, and usability testing showed us where those expectations break and what actually works.
As users navigated the current site in our usability testing, we paid attention to
As users navigated the current site in our usability testing, we paid attention to
Where they paused
Where they paused
When they reread the content
When they reread the content
Where they felt lost or struggled
Where they felt lost or struggled
Any moments of verbal uncertainty
Any moments of verbal uncertainty
I made sense of what I had found
I made sense of what I had found
And as research piled up, feedback and insight started to feel scattered. Therefore, I discussed with the team and decided to do:
And as research piled up, feedback and insight started to feel scattered. Therefore, I discussed with the team and decided to do:
Persona
Persona
Frame “Who is this for?” in our discussions
Resolve conflicting feedback
Choose what needs focusing on during ideating and testing
Frame “Who is this for?” in our discussions
Resolve conflicting feedback
Choose what needs focusing on during ideating and testing
Journey Map
Journey Map
See the gaps in a more structured and organized way
Identify breakdown between step, which couldn't be explained on a single screen
See the gaps in a more structured and organized way
Identify breakdown between step, which couldn't be explained on a single screen
Affinity Diagram
Affinity Diagram
Give clear connection between the information we discovered
Group gaps, patterns, and flows collaboratively
Decide what actually needs our intervention
Give clear connection between the information we discovered
Group gaps, patterns, and flows collaboratively
Decide what actually needs our intervention
Cooking
Cooking
How I created the final solution
How I created the final solution
My cooking process
My cooking process
Moving to Mid-fidelity Designs
Ideating from Research
Testing early flows
Final Testing and Selection
Design Decision
Design Decision
1. Expandable Job Cards with Immediate Role Summaries
We introduced dropdown job cards directly within the search results so applicants can preview key details, including responsibilities, qualifications, benefits, pay, and location, without navigating away from the results page. This interaction supports fast scanning and comparison, reduces back-and-forth page loading, and aligns with users’ preference for skimming before committing to full details.
Left-Side Filter Panel with Clear Label
Filters were redesigned into clearly grouped categories (e.g., Job Type, Location, Career Area) and anchored on the left side of the page. Keeping filters visible at all times reinforces user control, prevents disorientation during browsing, and creates a structured search-to-filter flow that users found more intuitive during testing.
Related Jobs Module to Support Lateral Exploration
We incorporated a related jobs section within the job details experience to encourage comparison and continued exploration. Rather than forcing users to restart their search, this module supports natural browsing behavior and helps applicants evaluate alternatives without losing context.
Limited Number of Job Listings per Page
We intentionally limited the number of visible job cards per page to prevent overwhelm and scanning fatigue. By introducing spacing, hierarchy, and breathing room between listings, the interface feels lighter, more organized, and easier to navigate, directly addressing user feedback about dense, text-heavy layouts, and endless scrolling feel.
Impact
Impact
83%
83%
Of testing participants preferred the redesigned design and navigation system
Of testing participants preferred the redesigned design and navigation system
Leftover and Lesson
Leftover and Lesson
What I learned
What I learned
Stepped into a stronger leadership role
Stepped into a stronger leadership role
Became better at using research to decide what not to design
Became better at using research to decide what not to design
Worked within real enterprise constraints
Worked within real enterprise constraints
Became clearer about what I was doing and why, and more confident in deciding the next steps
Became clearer about what I was doing and why, and more confident in deciding the next steps
Designed with research and psychological principles instead of assumptions
Designed with research and psychological principles instead of assumptions
What I would do with more time
What I would do with more time
Test designs with real task scenarios, not just user reactions
Test designs with real task scenarios, not just user reactions
Measure time-to-understanding and scan efficiency
Measure time-to-understanding and scan efficiency
Explore edge cases, including very similar roles, dense job listings
Explore edge cases, including very similar roles, dense job listings
Create high-fidelity screens
Create high-fidelity screens
Let's connect!
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