Project Overview
Business Problem
LinkedIn is a platform for job seekers, yet fourth-year university students often struggle to navigate its features effectively. Our goal was to redesign LinkedIn to improve usability for soon-to-graduate students seeking employment and their ability to leverage the platform for career opportunities. As my 2nd UX/UI case study, and my 1st experience with UX/UI collaboration, I focused a lot more on the UX research and design process, constantly utilizing feedback to iterate UI prototypes.
Constraints
- The redesign needed to integrate seamlessly within LinkedIn’s existing interface.
- Features must maintain LinkedIn’s professional brand identity.
- The scope of changes was limited to improvements in front-end user experience.
Assumptions
- Fourth-year students actively seeking jobs are the primary users benefiting from these changes.
- Users prefer streamlined interactions over excessive customization options.
UX Research & Discovery
Key Insights from Interviews
Quotes
“Every time I log in, there are like 30 notifications — none of them about the jobs I actually care about.”
“I get way too many messages from people trying to sell me courses or weird spam I didn’t ask for. It buries the real opportunities.”
“I uploaded my resume thinking it looked great, but when I previewed it later, all the spacing was off — I have no idea what employers are actually seeing.”
Top LinkedIn Frustrations
70% – Too many notifications
60% – Inbox Clutter
55% – Resume formatting issues
After interviewing five fourth-year students actively seeking jobs, I identified common frustrations:
- Resume Verification Challenges – Users were unsure of how their resumes appeared to employers.
- Notification Overload – Job seekers struggled to filter relevant opportunities due to excessive notifications.
- Inbox Clutter – Unwanted or irrelevant personal messages created a distracting experience.
Persona Development
Using the interview findings, I created a detailed persona representing our target users: soon-to-graduate students looking for a job.
Design & Iteration Process
Initial Concept Exploration
Based on my research, I brainstormed and tested multiple feature ideas. Early concepts included a portfolio showcase, but I ultimately discarded it as it did not align with our persona’s primary needs, as well as it already being an existing feature. Instead, I focused on three core enhancements:
Early prototype for 2 suggested features to implement. The portfolio feature was eventually disregarded as it was not relevant to the persona’s theme.
Feature 1: Live Resume Preview
Problem: Users had no way to verify how their resumes appeared to employers.
Solution: Introduced an interactive preview feature allowing users to view and adjust their resumes directly on LinkedIn, streamlining the resume viewing process instead of having to download in order to view.
Feature 2: Quick Notification Management Dashboard
Problem: Users received excessive notifications that detracted from job search efficiency.
Solution: Designed a filtering system enabling users to customize and prioritize job-related alerts.
Feature 3: Inbox Request System
Problem: Unwanted messages cluttered users' inboxes.
Solution: Implemented an approval system allowing users to accept or decline incoming messages before they reached the inbox.
Wireframes for features.
Design Evolution & Testing
Key Iterations:
I developed wireframes to visualize these solutions and conducted initial testing to assess usability.
- Refining the resume preview UI to ensure clarity and accessibility.
- Adjusting the notification filtering system based on feedback about ease of use.
- Modifying the inbox request system for seamless integration with LinkedIn’s existing messaging UI.
A/B Testing & Refinements:
To validate my design decisions, I conducted A/B testing with 22 participants.
- Users preferred a cooler, blue-tinted (63.6%) background over a warm-tinted (36.4%) one for readability and professionalism.
- Users preferred having the search bar on the right side (68.2%), as it aligned with their expectations, familiarity, and standard website layouts.
- The resume preview feature significantly reduced user uncertainty about how their profiles appeared to recruiters.
- The notification filtering system improved engagement and was well-received, as users found it easier to identify relevant job opportunities.
Prototype Demo
Final High-Fidelity Mockups
Final Design & Impact
Prototype Implementation
The final redesign incorporated all validated features, ensuring:
- A seamless, intuitive experience for fourth-year job seekers.
- Reduced cognitive load by filtering job alerts effectively.
- Improved control over inbox interactions, fostering meaningful networking.
Project Outcomes
This project demonstrated the value of user stories, expert reviews, and iterative prototyping in UX design. By aligning my solutions with user needs, I successfully enhanced LinkedIn’s usability for job-seeking students. This approach provided a structured, research-driven framework that resulted in a more tailored and effective user experience.
Conclusion
This redesign showcases the importance of an iterative design process in solving real-world UX problems. By leveraging user research, wireframing, testing, and iteration, I crafted a LinkedIn experience that meets user needs by reducing cognitive load, ensuring graduating students can more effectively connect with job opportunities.