Open Doors
2023
Open Doors is a job board dedicated to entry-level and junior design opportunities, assisting job seekers in finding suitable roles.
Project brief
Role
Product Designer / No-Code
Team size
1
Platform
Web
Tool stack
Figma, Notion, Webflow, G-Forms
Project duration
2 weeks
Link
Background
I founded Open Doors to help junior designers and recent graduates find jobs. I designed, built, and maintain the platform, which is constantly being improved.
My conversations with juniors and insights from the industry highlighted several problems they faced when searching for jobs, prompting further research and validation.
Research & Problems
I conducted a survey targeting junior and mid-weight designers to gather quantitative data about their job search experiences. I then held user interviews with selected survey participants to gain detailed insights into recurring patterns.
Junior designers faced several challenges in their job search:
- Difficulty in identifying suitable roles without examining job descriptions
- Reluctance to apply for roles requiring 3+ years of experience
- Reliance on large job boards with overwhelming amounts of listings
Users indicated they would use a niche job board if it was regularly updated and featured relevant jobs.
Competitor analysis
I analyzed large job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor to identify the reasons behind junior designers' challenges. Key findings included:
- Mismatched search queries and results leading to unsuitable job listings
- Incorrect tagging of suitable jobs, causing them to be missed
- Overly complex filters, resulting in overlooked opportunities
Designing the MVP
Based on my research, I developed a job board exclusively presenting relevant opportunities for junior designers. The MVP included three primary user tasks:
- View all jobs
- View a specific job
- Post a job
I created several iterations of wireframes, a prototype, and tested them with users, leading to several adjustments.
Launch
I developed high-fidelity designs and built the platform in Webflow. After additional testing and populating the platform, Open Doors was officially launched. Immediate follow-up items included:
- Email newsletter for user retention and potential monetization
- Viewing relevant jobs in a filtered view as the platform grows
- Reporting dead links/offline jobs to reduce frustration
Further iteration
I continued iterating on the platform based on user feedback, with the most significant addition being filters on the main page.
Users had difficulty finding jobs in specific locations and types (e.g., full-time, remote-only). I simplified filters to address these pain points without causing frustration.
Results
Since its launch, Open Doors has experienced consistent week-on-week growth. Returning users increased after introducing the newsletter and filters.
On average Open Doors is seeing around 400 unique users per day being engaged and exploring jobs. There have also been first reports of users getting a job they found on the platform.
While there is still untapped growth potential, the platform has received overwhelmingly positive feedback and addresses a fundamental problem for users.
Learnings
The product has already pivoted slightly by focusing more on newsletter subscriptions as a potential monetization strategy instead of solely relying on revenue from job postings.
By building what I designed, I gained a deeper understanding of designing within the constraints of feasibility and effort.
Visit Open Doors here.
