Haitouwang - Job Hunting Platform
Haitouwang is a job-searching platform built to help international students navigate the U.S. job market more smoothly. As a Product Design Intern during my junior year, I designed an end-to-end responsive platform by creating wireframes, high-fidelity prototypes, and interaction flows. I developed generative AI–powered job application features that boosted user conversion rates by 12%, and conducted usability testing to identify pain points, driving iterative improvements to the overall experience.
Haitouwang is a job-searching platform built to help international students navigate the U.S. job market more smoothly. As a Product Design Intern during my junior year, I designed an end-to-end responsive platform by creating wireframes, high-fidelity prototypes, and interaction flows. I developed generative AI–powered job application features that boosted user conversion rates by 12%, and conducted usability testing to identify pain points, driving iterative improvements to the overall experience.
Date
Sep 2023 - Apr 2024
Date
Sep 2023 - Apr 2024
Industry
Job Searching
Industry
Job Searching
Build in
Figma
Notion
Google Doc
Build in
Figma
Notion
Google Doc
Role
Solo UIUX Designer ( along with 1 PM and 2 engineers)
Role
Solo UIUX Designer ( along with 1 PM and 2 engineers)
Skills
Project Development
Visual Design
UI/ UX Design
User Research
Competitor Analysis
Skills
Project Development
Visual Design
UI/ UX Design
User Research
Competitor Analysis
Project Overview
International students face unique challenges when searching for jobs in the United States, from navigating complex application processes to tailoring resumes for different employers. Existing job-search platforms often overlook these needs, leaving students with limited guidance and added stress.
The goal of this project was to redesign the existing job-searching platform that streamlines the application process for international students through responsive design and generative AI–powered features, ultimately creating a smoother, more supportive, and effective job-search experience.
International students face unique challenges when searching for jobs in the United States, from navigating complex application processes to tailoring resumes for different employers. Existing job-search platforms often overlook these needs, leaving students with limited guidance and added stress.
The goal of this project was to redesign the existing job-searching platform that streamlines the application process for international students through responsive design and generative AI–powered features, ultimately creating a smoother, more supportive, and effective job-search experience.
Impact
Final Screens
Problem
The lack of clear information and guides on job searchings for international students.
Users thought Haitouwang was helpful in providing the information of sponsorships. However, the function in the website is limited to provide further guidance and resources, resulting in a drop retention on Haitouwang platform.
Process
User Analysis & Pain points
User Interview
To understand the current pain points of current users better, I conducted a series of interviews with various international users on our platform to gain insight into the scope of the obstacles that they faced.
The interviews were structured around several key sections designed to provide a detailed understanding of users' experiences before and after applying for jobs on our website.
To understand the current pain points of current users better, I conducted a series of interviews with various international users on our platform to gain insight into the scope of the obstacles that they faced.
The interviews were structured around several key sections designed to provide a detailed understanding of users' experiences before and after applying for jobs on our website.
Defining the key metrics of the project
When I began the design phase of this project, I started with listing the key problems that were mentioned by our users repeatedly. With the help of communicating with PM and software engineers, I understood the techical and time restrains and possibilities to improve the current website.
Clarifying sponsorships → Turning sponsorship confusion into approachable, visualized understanding.
Simplifying communication → Turning complex jargon or visa information into clear understanding.
Guiding job success → Creating a workspace for students to track applications with clarity and ease.
By focusing on these objectives, I sought to create a more inclusive and comprehensible job-seeking experience that supports international students in navigating complex systems with ease.
When I began the design phase of this project, I started with listing the key problems that were mentioned by our users repeatedly. With the help of communicating with PM and software engineers, I understood the techical and time restrains and possibilities to improve the current website.
Clarifying sponsorships → Turning sponsorship confusion into approachable, visualized understanding.
Simplifying communication → Turning complex jargon or visa information into clear understanding.
Guiding job success → Creating a workspace for students to track applications with clarity and ease.
By focusing on these objectives, I sought to create a more inclusive and comprehensible job-seeking experience that supports international students in navigating complex systems with ease.
Personas
Based on the insights, I synthesized two representative personas to reflect the core users. The pain points reflect not only the emotional stress caused by a narrow OPT window, but also the structural challenges students face when navigating a complex job market with limited professional guidance.
Based on the insights, I synthesized two representative personas to reflect the core users. The pain points reflect not only the emotional stress caused by a narrow OPT window, but also the structural challenges students face when navigating a complex job market with limited professional guidance.
Users struggle with industry jargon, unclear qualifications, and misleading job descriptions—especially around sponsorship.
Pain points show that students aren’t just searching for jobs; they’re seeking clarity, direction, and confidence during a stressful visa-dependent job hunt.
The persona highlights the deeper emotional layer: pressure from the narrow OPT window and uncertainty around career shifts.
These insights helped me focus the design on reducing confusion, simplifying complex information, and providing structured guidance.
The persona ensures the solution directly addresses users’ real frustrations, not assumptions.
Users struggle with industry jargon, unclear qualifications, and misleading job descriptions—especially around sponsorship.
Pain points show that students aren’t just searching for jobs; they’re seeking clarity, direction, and confidence during a stressful visa-dependent job hunt.
The persona highlights the deeper emotional layer: pressure from the narrow OPT window and uncertainty around career shifts.
These insights helped me focus the design on reducing confusion, simplifying complex information, and providing structured guidance.
The persona ensures the solution directly addresses users’ real frustrations, not assumptions.
Final Design
Sponsorship Analysis
When clicking "Read More" under H1B insight, a pop up screen will appear with detailed information and history of sponsorship database such as job title, location, number of people, etc.
AI summary
When users open a job description in the home page, an AI summary appears to distill the key points.
Users can choose to continue for deeper insights or pause at any time for a quick overview.
Jargon Exmplaination
Colored terms indicate key jargon. When users hover over one, a concise definition appears, and all terms transition to colored underlines to maintain a simpler, more cohesive visual flow.
Job Track Board
When users click on an application card, they can edit the dates for each stage. A free space is also provided for taking notes or jotting down to-do lists for every application.
Reflections
User Centric Thinking
Leveraged user-centric thinking to understand the challenges international students face in cross-cultural communication and job applications, translating those insights into intuitive and inclusive design features.
User Centric Thinking
Leveraged user-centric thinking to understand the challenges international students face in cross-cultural communication and job applications, translating those insights into intuitive and inclusive design features.
Purpose-Driven Problem Solving
Combined visual creativity with functional thinking to ensure each design decision enhances clarity, accessibility, and user confidence throughout the job search journey.
Purpose-Driven Problem Solving
Combined visual creativity with functional thinking to ensure each design decision enhances clarity, accessibility, and user confidence throughout the job search journey.
Articulating the ‘Why’
Practiced presenting design ideas in a way that connects creative decisions to user challenges, making it easier for stakeholders to grasp the impact and champion the solutions.
Articulating the ‘Why’
Practiced presenting design ideas in a way that connects creative decisions to user challenges, making it easier for stakeholders to grasp the impact and champion the solutions.
