Haitouwang - Job Hunting Platform
Haitouwang - Job Hunting Platform
STS Consulting is a premium executive search firm dedicated to connect clients with best fit candidates. While interning at NextTie as the product Design Intern, I designed an end-to-end responsive CRM website with human-centered design principles and ML-powered features that increased user retention by 18.9%. I built a scalable Figma design system encompassing components, typography, iconography, and grids, which improved engineering implementation accuracy by 24.1%. Through iterative design processes and leadership review sessions, I helped clarify MVP versus long-term strategies to accelerate decision-making, and defined and launched 3 MVP features that drove monetization and raised user acquisition by 11.5%.
STS Consulting is a premium executive search firm dedicated to connect clients with best fit candidates. While interning at NextTie as the product Design Intern, I designed an end-to-end responsive CRM website with human-centered design principles and ML-powered features that increased user retention by 18.9%. I built a scalable Figma design system encompassing components, typography, iconography, and grids, which improved engineering implementation accuracy by 24.1%. Through iterative design processes and leadership review sessions, I helped clarify MVP versus long-term strategies to accelerate decision-making, and defined and launched 3 MVP features that drove monetization and raised user acquisition by 11.5%.
Date
Aug 2024 - May 2025
Date
Aug 2024 - May 2025
Date
Aug 2024 - May 2025
Industry
Executive Search Firm
Industry
Executive Search Firm
Industry
Executive Search Firm
Build in
Figma
Notion
Google Doc
Build in
Figma
Notion
Google Doc
Build in
Figma
Notion
Google Doc
Role
UX Designer
Role
UX Designer
Role
UX Designer
Skills
Project Development
Visual Design
UI/ UX Design
User Research
Competitor Analysis
Skills
Project Development
Visual Design
UI/ UX Design
User Research
Competitor Analysis
Skills
Project Development
Visual Design
UI/ UX Design
User Research
Competitor Analysis
Impact
Problem
The lack of centralized, synchronized CRM across fragmented communication channels.
The lack of centralized, synchronized CRM across fragmented communication channels.
Headhunters manage complex, multi-touch candidate relationships across disconnected platforms (WeChat, LinkedIn, CRM, Excel), leading to incomplete communication records, manual data synchronization, and collaboration blind spots that risk duplicate outreach and missed follow-ups.
Headhunters manage complex, multi-touch candidate relationships across disconnected platforms (WeChat, LinkedIn, CRM, Excel), leading to incomplete communication records, manual data synchronization, and collaboration blind spots that risk duplicate outreach and missed follow-ups.
Final Screens
Process
User Interview
User Interview
To better understand the current pain points of users, I conducted a series of interviews with the internal execute search headhunters 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 in the progress of finding the best fit candidate.
To better understand the current pain points of users, I conducted a series of interviews with the internal execute search headhunters 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 in the progress of finding the best fit candidate.
User Analysis & Pain points
User Analysis & Pain points
Personas
Based on the interviews and insights, I synthesized 2 representative personas to reflect the core users inside an executive search team: the Research Analyst and the Senior Recruiter. Their pain points reveal not only the operational friction caused by scattered communication tools and manual data entry, but also the deeper structural challenges of managing high-volume candidate pipelines with inconsistent systems.
Based on the interviews and insights, I synthesized 2 representative personas to reflect the core users inside an executive search team: the Research Analyst and the Senior Recruiter. Their pain points reveal not only the operational friction caused by scattered communication tools and manual data entry, but also the deeper structural challenges of managing high-volume candidate pipelines with inconsistent systems.
Users struggle with fragmented workflows across WeChat, LinkedIn, Excel, and CRM tools.
Candidate ownership is unclear, and tracking progress across multiple roles is difficult.
Headhunters aren’t just managing candidates—they’re seeking clarity, visibility, and confidence while juggling fast-paced sourcing and client expectations.
Personas reveal emotional pressures: fear of missing follow-ups, constant context switching, and frustration with messy information.
These insights guided the design toward unified communication, simplified data management, automated repetitive tasks, and clear at-a-glance visibility.
Grounded in real behaviors and frustrations, the personas ensure the solution addresses actual user needs—not assumptions.
Defining the key metrics of the project
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.
Final Design
AI-Powered Internal Search Tool
AI-Powered Internal Search Tool
When headhunters need to reach out to candidates or find matches, an AI assistant instantly drafts personalized messages, searches the internal database for best-fit candidates based on skills and relationship history, and suggests conversation starters tailored to previous interactions.
When headhunters need to reach out to candidates or find matches, an AI assistant instantly drafts personalized messages, searches the internal database for best-fit candidates based on skills and relationship history, and suggests conversation starters tailored to previous interactions.
Candidate Resource Book
Candidate Resource Book
When headhunters need to identify top talent, the Candidate Resource Book allows them to upload, organize, and instantly find best-fit candidates. Using smart filters and AI-powered matching, it highlights profiles based on skills, experience, and past interactions—streamlining the search process and turning every outreach into a warm, informed connection.
When headhunters need to identify top talent, the Candidate Resource Book allows them to upload, organize, and instantly find best-fit candidates. Using smart filters and AI-powered matching, it highlights profiles based on skills, experience, and past interactions—streamlining the search process and turning every outreach into a warm, informed connection.
Action Board
Action Board
When headhunters need to stay on top of their workload, the Action Board lets them customize task lists and navigate their priorities with clarity. By organizing items by urgency, client, and workflow stage, it provides a clear snapshot of what needs attention—helping recruiters allocate their time effectively and move through their day with confidence and focus.
When headhunters need to stay on top of their workload, the Action Board lets them customize task lists and navigate their priorities with clarity. By organizing items by urgency, client, and workflow stage, it provides a clear snapshot of what needs attention—helping recruiters allocate their time effectively and move through their day with confidence and focus.
Reflections
Adpability
Quickly adapt to shifting directions and tight turnarounds, often reworking designs on short notice. I rapidly learned new user research tools, applied insights in real time, and confidently presented refined concepts to the team under pressure.
Adpability
Quickly adapt to shifting directions and tight turnarounds, often reworking designs on short notice. I rapidly learned new user research tools, applied insights in real time, and confidently presented refined concepts to the team under pressure.
Culture Sensitivity in Design
This is a Chinese executive search firm operating in a uniquely Chinese business ecosystem. Cultural sensitivity isn't just "nice to have" — it's critical to product adoption and effectiveness. Constantly reminding myself to design in the Chinese ecosystem and reflect on what the users actually need is important as I design and make changes.
Culture Sensitivity in Design
This is a Chinese executive search firm operating in a uniquely Chinese business ecosystem. Cultural sensitivity isn't just "nice to have" — it's critical to product adoption and effectiveness. Constantly reminding myself to design in the Chinese ecosystem and reflect on what the users actually need is important as I design and make changes.
