Please note that English is not my ﬁrst language. So please me to apologize if I made  some grammatical mistakes. Thank in advance for your review.

Challenge

I work for a Job board (employment website).  We have B2B customers (Employers: companies and recruitment agencies) and B2C  users (active or passive jobseekers).  All services of our website are totally free of charge for B2C users.  B2B customers have to pay to advert for jobs, seek CVs on CV-Database or to promote  their Employer branding.

We are leader on our market but one of our challenge was to increase the use (therefor  the sales) of our CV-Database.

Previously, we made a lot of B2C marketing actions to increase the number of CV on the  Database.

One important thing to know is that using a CV-Database to search proﬁl and recruit was  not an habits for a great majority of customers in our country.  Nevertheless, some of them are experts of this and search proﬁls on a regular basis on  internationals job boards or LinkedIn for exemple.

To use our CV-Datase, a B2B customer had to buy a subscription (6 or 12 months).

The challenge was to have a big and clear visualization of the situation to be able to  explore opportunities.

Selection

We decided to work on a new B2B interface for our CV-Database, to develop and  implement news features and also to change our pricing model on this service.  Goals were to make it more easy to use and more easy to sell.

Even though we already had ideas, we decided to used interviews to received feedback  before starting to work on the new CV-Database.  Then we made mock-ups and prototypes to show what it could be in the future and to  received users feedback.  And at the end, we made a beta version for the annual recruiting trade show to present  the futur of our CV-Database to our visitors.

In meanwhile, we studied our sales history via Salesforce and system logs to identify the  using trends of the CV-Database.

So we selected a large range of dimensions to explore.  The objective was to visualize to be able to think and create, and not to start thinking  before. We wanted to be sure that we seen all the elements.  And the key point was to be able to visualize all the dimensions.

Application

To start, we made interviews with our « CV-Database’s experts » clients to received their  feedbacks about the existing Database.  We asked them to describe how they use the CV-Database in their daily business of  recruiters.  • For which kind of proﬁle ?  • When it’s hard to ﬁnd appropriate candidates with a traditional job posting ?  • Or on contrary when it’s easy and they don’t want to received a lot of CVs ?  • To ﬁnd experts in a domain ? • …

We also asked them to told us what they like on the product, which features.  What they would like to see or use on a new product.  What kind of feature they like on other Databases or on LinkedIn.  And by the way which kind of feature could be very cool and very useful for them, like a  magic wand.

With system logs analysis, we saw that only a little part of clients whose bought a CV- Database access use it on a regular basis.  With sales analysis, we identiﬁed that the sales trend was ﬂat with a majority of renewal  but we really didn’t make new business with CV-Database.

We made interviews with clients who didn’t have access to CV-Database to ask them  why.  We also asked them what might make them changing their mind: which kind of feature,  use case, price model, circumstances, kind of proﬁl to hire…

We made a lot of diagrams, draws, mock-ups to visualize informations feeds and  interactions.  It was essential to be able to integrate all the diﬀerent informations and feedback.

Insight

We received a lot of good insights and informations with the interviews and analysis.

The most important point is that we have understood that the CV-Database must be  integrated as a central part of our application and not only as an option.  CV-Database tools should be connected to our job posting tool as well as our  applications management tools.  Like this, the journey in our website for our clients could be easy and natural.

It was a strong mindset change: stopping to think our website like a platform with  diﬀerent optionals bricks, but think it like a global application.  It’s the point and it’s asked us to realize a lot of draws, diagram, data maps to integrate all  in one application.

So we designed a new interface, with news features and a new design.  We made it also more collaborative because there’s not only one person in a recruiting  process (HR, line manager, Assistant…). Some features are inspired by social media  website.

We made mock-ups and presented it to a pool of clients (CV-Database users and not  users).  We received good feedbacks and all participants were really enthusiasts.

To push our sales, we decided to review our price model. We understood that a 6 month subscription (at least) was not really incitative for people  who never used a CV-Database.

So our new CV-Database included an open-window to our CV-Database.  Every B2B users could make proﬁl search, mark proﬁle as a favorite, send proﬁle to a  colleague (line manager for exemple) and also using a new important feature: our CV- Mailer.  The CV-Mailer send you every morning an email with the new and updated CVs matching  with a registered search.

We also aded a new feature: job posting auto-matching.  When a client post a job ad, we show him automatically the CVs who match with the job  criteria’s.  For B2B clients with an access to our CV-Database, it’s a full view to the candidate  proﬁle. For the others, we blinded Name, Address, and company name.

We changed our E-com interface to push our CV-Database sales and we added new  progressive subscriptions durations (1 week to 12 months).

We presented our Beta-version on the annual trade show.  We made the decision to not present it as big show but to present it on one to one , to be  able to received new feedbacks.  It was a good decision which allow us to received speciﬁc and constructive feedbacks.  It was a success and after last adjustments, we launched the new CV-Database.

Approach

My feedback and conclusion about what we did is that at we explored ﬁelds and use  cases, where wee didn’t imagine to go before we started.  But we were open-minded and we knew that we need to question et listen our B2B  customers to do the best product.  We also need to understand our sales and not only to say: « we want to sell more ».

We didn’t started with a unique idea and a minimum valuable product in mind.  It was a chance and I know that sometimes in Business, value creation is stiﬂed by non  cooperative mindset between stakeholders.

User’s feedbacks are essentials in the process.

A big chance was to have the opportunity to work together with IT, Product Management,  Sales, CRM and our clients.  Diagrams, draws, mock-ups and Beta version were essentials in the reﬂection process to  show and received feedbacks.  It make the project really more collaborative.  In the future, I would like to use the same tools et to have the chance to work with a same  team spirit.


Please note that English is not my ﬁrst language . So please me to apologize if I made some grammatical mistakes . Thank in advance for your review . Challenge I work for a Job board ( employment website ) . We have B2B customers ( Employers : companies and recruitment agencies ) and B2C users ( active or passive jobseekers ) . All services of our website are totally free of charge for B2C users . B2B customers have to pay to advert for jobs , seek CVs on CV - Database or to promote their Employer branding . We are leader on our market but one of our challenge was to increase the use ( therefor the sales ) of our CV - Database . Previously , we made a lot of B2C marketing actions to increase the number of CV on the Database . One important thing to know is that using a CV - Database to search proﬁl and recruit was not an habits for a great majority of customers in our country . Nevertheless , some of them are experts of this and search proﬁls on a regular basis on internationals job boards or LinkedIn for exemple . To use our CV - Datase , a B2B customer had to buy a subscription ( 6 or 12 months ) . The challenge was to have a big and clear visualization of the situation to be able to explore opportunities . Selection We decided to work on a new B2B interface for our CV - Database , to develop and implement news features and also to change our pricing model on this service . Goals were to make it more easy to use and more easy to sell . Even though we already had ideas , we decided to used interviews to received feedback before starting to work on the new CV - Database . Then we made mock - ups and prototypes to show what it could be in the future and to received users feedback . And at the end , we made a beta version for the annual recruiting trade show to present the futur of our CV - Database to our visitors . In meanwhile , we studied our sales history via Salesforce and system logs to identify the using trends of the CV - Database . So we selected a large range of dimensions to explore . The objective was to visualize to be able to think and create , and not to start thinking before . We wanted to be sure that we seen all the elements . And the key point was to be able to visualize all the dimensions . Application To start , we made interviews with our « CV - Database ’s experts » clients to received their feedbacks about the existing Database . We asked them to describe how they use the CV - Database in their daily business of recruiters . • For which kind of proﬁle ? • When it ’s hard to ﬁnd appropriate candidates with a traditional job posting ? • Or on contrary when it ’s easy and they do n’t want to received a lot of CVs ? • To ﬁnd experts in a domain ? • … We also asked them to told us what they like on the product , which features . What they would like to see or use on a new product . What kind of feature they like on other Databases or on LinkedIn . And by the way which kind of feature could be very cool and very useful for them , like a magic wand . With system logs analysis , we saw that only a little part of clients whose bought a CV- Database access use it on a regular basis . With sales analysis , we identiﬁed that the sales trend was ﬂat with a majority of renewal but we really did n’t make new business with CV - Database . We made interviews with clients who did n’t have access to CV - Database to ask them why . We also asked them what might make them changing their mind : which kind of feature , use case , price model , circumstances , kind of proﬁl to hire … We made a lot of diagrams , draws , mock - ups to visualize informations feeds and interactions . It was essential to be able to integrate all the diﬀerent informations and feedback . Insight We received a lot of good insights and informations with the interviews and analysis . The most important point is that we have understood that the CV - Database must be integrated as a central part of our application and not only as an option . CV - Database tools should be connected to our job posting tool as well as our applications management tools . Like this , the journey in our website for our clients could be easy and natural . It was a strong mindset change : stopping to think our website like a platform with diﬀerent optionals bricks , but think it like a global application . It ’s the point and it ’s asked us to realize a lot of draws , diagram , data maps to integrate all in one application . So we designed a new interface , with news features and a new design . We made it also more collaborative because there ’s not only one person in a recruiting process ( HR , line manager , Assistant … ) . Some features are inspired by social media website . We made mock - ups and presented it to a pool of clients ( CV - Database users and not users ) . We received good feedbacks and all participants were really enthusiasts . To push our sales , we decided to review our price model . We understood that a 6 month subscription ( at least ) was not really incitative for people who never used a CV - Database . So our new CV - Database included an open - window to our CV - Database . Every B2B users could make proﬁl search , mark proﬁle as a favorite , send proﬁle to a colleague ( line manager for exemple ) and also using a new important feature : our CV- Mailer . The CV - Mailer send you every morning an email with the new and updated CVs matching with a registered search . We also aded a new feature : job posting auto - matching . When a client post a job ad , we show him automatically the CVs who match with the job criteria ’s . For B2B clients with an access to our CV - Database , it ’s a full view to the candidate proﬁle . For the others , we blinded Name , Address , and company name . We changed our E - com interface to push our CV - Database sales and we added new progressive subscriptions durations ( 1 week to 12 months ) . We presented our Beta - version on the annual trade show . We made the decision to not present it as big show but to present it on one to one , to be able to received new feedbacks . It was a good decision which allow us to received speciﬁc and constructive feedbacks . It was a success and after last adjustments , we launched the new CV - Database . Approach My feedback and conclusion about what we did is that at we explored ﬁelds and use cases , where wee did n’t imagine to go before we started . But we were open - minded and we knew that we need to question et listen our B2B customers to do the best product . We also need to understand our sales and not only to say : « we want to sell more » . We did n’t started with a unique idea and a minimum valuable product in mind . It was a chance and I know that sometimes in Business , value creation is stiﬂed by non cooperative mindset between stakeholders . User ’s feedbacks are essentials in the process . A big chance was to have the opportunity to work together with IT , Product Management , Sales , CRM and our clients . Diagrams , draws , mock - ups and Beta version were essentials in the reﬂection process to show and received feedbacks . It make the project really more collaborative . In the future , I would like to use the same tools et to have the chance to work with a same team spirit .