Project 1

The Path to Opportunity: Improving LinkedIn’s Job Search Experience

Product:

LinkedIn (Job Search & Application Experience)

Partner:

Mentored by Megan McLean, the User Research Team Lead at Spotify

LinkedIn’s job search tool is a key driver for connecting users with career opportunities. I conducted UX research to identify pain points in the experience and proposed design solutions to improve engagement, streamline applications, and increase competitive advantage.

Why It Matters

Design Opportunities

Enhance Job Search Usability

Improve the visibility and intuitiveness of the search function to help users find relevant job listings more efficiently. Leverage smarter filter design to increase personalization and relevance of search results.

Streamline Job Description Readability

Use strategic visual design (typography, layout, white space) to guide attention and reduce cognitive load. Help users quickly extract key information without effort or confusion.

Optimize the Easy Apply Experience

Ensure the Easy Apply process feels familiar, intuitive, and time-saving. Reduce unnecessary steps and align interaction patterns with users’ expectations from other application platforms.

Data Collection

Contextual Inquiry with Embedded User Interviews & Competitor Comparison: Conducted in-depth interviews while observing users interacting with the LinkedIn platform in their natural settings; also explored how users compared LinkedIn’s experience to competitor platforms during sessions.

Data Analysis

Thematic Analysis

Affinity Diagramming

Insights

Users want more granular job filters for tailored results.

Standardizing job description layouts can reduce cognitive load and speed up decisions.

The Easy Apply process is generally positive but can be optimized to further reduce user effort.

Impact

Boost user satisfaction and platform stickiness
Improve job application conversion rates
Support both job seekers and recruiters