CV Quest
Challenge: Creating and optimizing resumes is a complex and time-consuming process that often clashes with daily responsibilities, making it difficult for job seekers to effectively present their skills and experiences.
Project Vision for CV Quest: CV Quest is designed as a supervised learning system that uses advanced AI to help users tailor their resumes to job-specific descriptions. The platform improves job application success rates by optimizing resumes for clarity and relevance. It supports multiple file formats and integrates seamlessly with professional tools. The addition of guided features like the stepper ensures a smooth experience for first-time users while maintaining flexibility for advanced users. This vision emphasizes both customization and user empowerment throughout the resume-building process.
Problem Statement: The user is a job seeker with a busy schedule who needs a tool to efficiently revise, edit, and optimize their resume to increase their chances of securing job interviews. They struggle to find time and energy to manually adjust their resume for each job application outside of their daily commitments.
Who? Job seekers across various industries looking to enhance their resumes.
What? An AI app that helps users revise, edit, and optimize their resumes to meet specific job requirements, featuring tools for grammatical correctness and template customization.
When? Users are preparing for job applications, such as during career transitions or active job searches.
Where? Anywhere with internet access, such as home, office, or on-the-go, facilitating updates and applications in real-time.
Why? To simplify the process of refining resumes, helping users quickly adapt their credentials for diverse job opportunities and enhance their employment prospects.
Personas
Jasmine, 23: Is a recent college graduate seeking a high school teaching position. With a few internship experiences under her belt, she needs an optimized resume that can capture the attention of potential employers in the education market.
Miguel, 34: Is on the hunt for a new job after a recent layoff. In a competitive job market, he requires an app that can help his resume stand out from the crowd.
Amarjit, 47: Is a top executive eyeing new career opportunities. With a vast and diverse background, his resume often becomes overly detailed and complex. He seeks an app that can effectively streamline and tailor his resume for specific roles he aims to pursue.
Competitive Analisys
Direct Competitors:​
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Resume.io: Offers extensive customizable templates and editing tools for professional resumes.
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My Perfect Resume: Provides detailed resume-building tools and resources for crafting effective resumes.
Indirect Competitors:​
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Canva: Features user-friendly graphic design tools including resume templates.
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Google Docs and Microsoft Word: Both platforms offer a variety of editable resume templates.
CV Quest's Key Insights:​
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User Focus: Tailoring features to meet the specific needs of job seekers looking to stand out in a competitive market.
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Feature Enhancements: Opportunities exist to advance editing tools and integration with job platforms.
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Market Positioning: Differentiates with AI-driven customizations and user-centric design features to enhance the job application process.
User Flow
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This CV Quest user flow shows the process from login to creating or editing resumes. Users can choose templates, use AI tools, and make adjustments before saving or downloading for job applications. It highlights a streamlined resume refinement experience.
Site Map
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CV Quest Site Map: A comprehensive overview of the app's structure, showcasing key navigation paths and features, including resume editing tools, account management, pricing plans, and support options. Designed to ensure intuitive user experience and seamless functionality.
Storyboards
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The Big Picture Storyboard showcases a user’s journey with CV Quest, starting from frustration with disorganized resumes to discovering the platform, selecting a template, and generating an optimized resume. The user confidently applies to jobs and attends interviews, highlighting CV Quest’s effectiveness.
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The Close-Up Storyboard details the process: the user logs in, selects a template, uploads their resume and job description, and uses CV Quest’s AI to optimize their resume. The user then downloads the final version and applies for jobs seamlessly.
Wireframes
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Page 1: This wireframe showcases the initial user flow for CV Quest. Starting from the homepage, users can select a resume template, log in or sign up, and explore tips for navigating the platform. After choosing a template, users can preview it, paste their resume content, and upload a job description. The interface then transitions into the AI Editor for refining and enhancing the resume.
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Page 2: The continuation of the wireframe illustrates advanced editing features, including AI analysis, saving files, and downloading resumes in multiple formats (PDF, TXT, DOCX). The design emphasizes ease of navigation and seamless integration of resume building with job-specific optimizations.
CV Quest Low-Fidelity Prototype
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The low-fidelity prototype for CV Quest provides a clear visualization of the user flow, from accessing the homepage to creating or editing resumes. It showcases essential features like the login page, navigation to tools, AI-powered editing options, and customization settings. The design emphasizes intuitive navigation and simplicity, ensuring users can efficiently create, refine, and download their resumes.
Usability Testing
PROMPTS:
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1. Log in and Explore
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Action: Log in and browse the CV Quest homepage.
2. Resume Creation Simulation
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Action: On the welcome page, select "TEMPLATES," choose one, paste your job description and resume, then click "Next" to engage with the AI Editor.
3. AI Editor Simulation
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Action: In the AI Editor, review and edit your resume using AI suggestions. Save your changes and return to the homepage.
4. Revisit and Edit a Past Resume
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Action: From the homepage, select "Open Files," choose a saved resume, and make any necessary revisions.
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5. Download and Export
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Action: After customizing your resume, download it in PDF format from the "Download" section.
Insights
Issues and Suggestions
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File Download Clarity: Users expressed confusion about the "Download Files" feature, particularly in understanding available formats. They suggested adding clearer commands or visual indicators to better guide them through the download process and clarify which formats are being selected for export.
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Mobile Version Request: There was strong interest in a mobile version of CV Quest, with users highlighting the need for on-the-go functionality.
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Progress Indicator: Users suggested a visual stepper to track progress and indicate remaining steps during the resume creation process. They also proposed alternative workflows to improve first-time user adaptability, making the process more intuitive and efficient for new users.
Positive Qualities
High Usability: Users found the interface intuitive, making it easy to navigate CV Quest without needing additional instructions.
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Robust Functionality: All key features of the app, including resume creation, editing, and exporting, performed reliably with no reported technical issues.
Excellent Responsiveness: Users experienced fast responses from the system with a smooth, clear flow from task to task, which enhanced their overall experience.​​​​​​
Adjustments
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File Download Clarity: Users found the "Download Files" feature unclear, particularly regarding available formats. The redesigned interface now includes a pop-up with clearly labeled buttons for file formats (PDF, DOCX, TXT, RTF) in distinct colors. This visual improvement enhances the download experience, making it easier to identify and select formats at a glance.
Mobile and Tablet Adjustment: In response to user feedback, CV Quest has been optimized for device flexibility, allowing users to seamlessly create, edit, and export resumes across mobile phones and tablets.
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Progress Indicator: A visual stepper has been added to break down the resume creation process into manageable steps, helping users track progress. This also enhances adaptability for first-time users by guiding them through each stage, improving efficiency and ease of use.
Style Guide
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The CV Quest style guide ensures a professional and user-friendly design with a clean logo, intuitive icons, and a cohesive color palette of blue, teal, and red accents. It features Roboto and Montserrat fonts for clear text, and essential UI components like the AI Chat Box, CV Preview, Download Box, and navigation bars. These elements work together to streamline resume creation and customization, providing a seamless experience for users.
High-Fidelity Mockup
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This high-fidelity mockup of CV Quest showcases a user-friendly resume-building platform with an AI editor that provides real-time feedback on dates, formatting, and resume improvements. It includes a job description panel for easy reference and a simple download interface for exporting resumes in various formats, offering a seamless, efficient user experience.
High-Fidelity Design
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CV Quest – High-Fidelity Prototype
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CV Quest is an AI-driven resume builder designed to simplify the job application process. This high-fidelity prototype emphasizes an intuitive user experience, featuring a clean layout and easy navigation.
Features:
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Dynamic Templates tailored for various industries.
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AI Suggestions to refine resumes based on job descriptions.
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User Dashboard for profile and resume management.
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Secure Integration with platforms like LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter.
The design uses a professional color palette, subtle gradients, and clear typography for a trustworthy, user-friendly experience. Created in Figma with responsive design in mind, CV Quest combines functionality with modern aesthetics to help users stand out in their job search.
Takeaways
​CV Quest was created to blend a user-friendly CV builder with the power of supervised AI learning, offering flexibility in design and job-specific optimization. Unlike rigid AI tools, CV Quest allows users to create polished resumes while aligning them with job descriptions seamlessly.
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User feedback shaped key improvements, such as clearer download instructions, a progress stepper, and flexible workflows for first-time users. This process taught me the importance of adaptability, especially with mobile features, which I would prioritize earlier in future iterations to meet modern job seekers' needs.