Hirefoster Testing Platform

Problem Statement

HireFoster's recruitment process lacked a streamlined and centralised system for assessing marketing professionals' skills. Recruiters struggled to efficiently monitor and manage the various stages of talent selection. Similarly, marketing professionals struggle to demonstrate their competencies, find suitable job opportunities, and secure positions aligned with their skills and aspirations.

Existing job platforms in the region did not cater specifically to the marketing industry, leading to inefficiencies and mismatches in the hiring process. HireFoster needed a centralised solution to streamline recruitment, enhance decision-making, and enable candidates to better showcase their skills.

Key Insights from Research

1. Mismatch in Skill Validation: Employers required candidates who had verifiable skills, while candidates often lacked platforms to validate their professional skills and expertise.
2. Time Constraints: Employers wanted a quicker hiring process that minimised time spent on filtering unqualified candidates.
3. Professional Progression: Job seekers were interested in showcasing their skills and progressing in their careers but lacked a platform designed for marketing roles.
4. Inefficiencies with Existing Platforms: Competitor analysis revealed that existing job boards lacked features for assessing specific marketing skills, leading to less effective hires.

How might we...?

How might we create a user-centred platform that facilitates efficient, reliable connections between pre-tested marketing professionals and employers looking to fill marketing roles?

Our Approach

• Prioritise skill assessments that validate candidates' abilities.
• Create an easy-to-navigate information architecture that supports both job seekers and recruiters.
• Develop dual-sided user flows catering to recruiters and job seekers, ensuring a seamless experience.
• Ensure integration compatibility with HR systems to streamline recruiter workflows.
• Design a scalable solution that supports future growth and evolving user needs.

The Key Users

The platform was designed to serve two main user groups:

1. Employers: Recruiters and HR Professionals
2. Marketing Talents: Job Seekers from Entry-Level to Executive Positions

User Personas

To better understand our users and their needs, we developed detailed personas for both employers and job seekers. These personas, based on our research findings, helped guide our design decisions throughout the project.

Persona 1: Employer

Jane urgently needs to fill a digital marketing role but has limited time for screening numerous applications. Using Hirefoster, she focuses on pre-screened candidates with verified skills, allowing her to shortlist candidates quickly based on experience, portfolio quality, and test scores—saving hours she’d otherwise spend sorting through CVs.

Persona 2: Marketing Talent

Daniel is eager to advance his career but has found it challenging to secure roles that fully utilise his digital marketing skills. By joining Hirefoster, he completes assessments in key areas, earning validated scores that help him stand out to employers. The platform’s focus on marketing roles further streamlines his job search, connecting him directly with companies prioritising candidates with his skill set.

Information Architecture

During the initial design phase, we noticed user misunderstandings with key onboarding and test-taking flows after interactions with users. These insights highlighted the need for a streamlined information architecture and user flow to optimise usability.

There were misunderstandings regarding:

• How users could clearly complete essential onboarding steps
• Where users would find test instructions and guidelines
• How users tracked their progress throughout a test

This led us to create a well-detailed information architecture and refined flow to enhance clarity and efficiency throughout the user journey.

Process Flow

The Solution

1. How can we optimise the onboarding process?

To enhance the onboarding experience for marketing talents, we streamlined the registration process by minimising unnecessary steps and required fields. A progress indicator was introduced to inform users of their status, along with a welcoming message.

After user testing, we decided to deliver notifications via email for timely communication and included helpful tips post-onboarding to further guide users. The onboarding was also made mobile-responsive, allowing users to complete it on any device.

2. How do users take tests?

We created a user-friendly test interface that guides candidates through each assessment step. We added clear instructions and a progress tracker help users understand their current status in the test. Results are displayed post-completion, allowing users to view their performance immediately. To enhance accessibility, a mobile version of the platform was designed, enabling users to complete tests from any device.

Key Decisions

• Provided practice tests to familiarise users with the testing format and reduce anxiety.
• Implemented progress tracking features to keep users informed of their completion status.
• Introduced time limits for each test to encourage timely completion and improve focus.

3. How do HR professionals create tests?

A dedicated section was developed for HR professionals to easily design and manage assessments. This feature allows them to customise test parameters, such as question types and scoring criteria, ensuring that each test aligns with the specific skills required for the role.

4. How is test marking managed?

To streamline the marking process, we implemented an automated grading system that delivers instant results and feedback. This allows HR professionals to concentrate on qualitative assessments rather than spending excessive time on manual grading.

Key Decisions

• Ensured immediate feedback is provided to candidates, enhancing their testing experience.
• Included options for HR professionals to review and override automated scores if necessary.
• Established reporting features that allow HR professionals to analyse overall performance trends across candidates.

Lessons Learnt

• Clear onboarding instructions are essential to keeping users engaged from the start and help prevent confusion, setting a positive tone from day one.
• Email notifications work great for delivering onboarding details and test instructions, ensuring candidates stay updated at every step.
• Adding tips after onboarding gives users a confidence boost, leading to better performance in assessments.
• Regular feedback loops with users are key to spotting pain points early, making improvements, and keeping the design user-focused.