LinkHug

Fashion jobs searching online platform

Overview

The Challenge

As international fashion design students, we are acutely aware of the distinctive employment challenges confronting students in today's fashion industry. In recent years, marked by economic downturns and increased competition, fashion design students have found themselves grappling with the dual challenges of limited opportunities and a lack of access to vital information about internships and job openings. The industry's exclusive and competitive nature can make it particularly difficult to establish connections with professionals and secure essential mentorship, making our journey in this cut-throat industry all the more challenging.

Design Goal

This fashion jobs searching platform provides a centralized hub for college students majoring in fashion design to access a variety of fashion-related opportunities, from real-time updates on internships and job openings to facilitating connections with industry experts, we aim to provide students with the essential tools to excel in their field and seek valuable mentorship within the fashion industry.

Our objective is to empower fashion design students with the tools they need to success.

Duration

4 Months (Summer 2023)

Team

Solo Project

My Role

Research
Visual Design
Interaction Design
Prototype Making
Usability Testing

Tools

Figma
Illustrator

Outcome

Research

32 online survey conducted with students majoring in fashion fields

Finding Fashion Related Opportunities

Acknowledgment of Existing Fashion Jobs Search Platform

In-depth user interviews

Top 3 Challenges

1. Limited Internship Availability
2. International Identity Affecting Acceptance Rate
3. No Reply From Brands

Existing online job platforms often fail to provide relevant opportunities in the fashion industry, spanning from corporate internships to designer workshops. Additionally, they lack support systems for streamlined access to vital information and simplified internship applications.

Interview

with Fashion Brand Owner

Interview

with Senior Director, Career Development & Experience of The New School

Infinity Mapping

Takeaways

Insight #1

Students desire effective channels to connect with former employees to gain valuable insights into company culture and personal work experience.

“Lots of people are looking at reviews nowadays. Reviews like: “I worked in this job!” “I agree… or I don’t agree…” can give lots of insights into this company’s work culture.”

- Sophomore from Pratt Institute

Insight #2

When exploring internship opportunities, students value the number of positions available, contact information for the HR recipient, and a brief overview of the brand's portfolio.

“Ways to allow mutual understanding is important, I want to see if this person is who I want to work for, I want to know this designer’s work, their style, their credentials.”

- Junior from Parsons School of Design

Insight #3

Students strive to align their preferences with the needs of the brand, evaluating compatibility based on the brand's style, current skill requirements, and the type of work interns will engage in.

“One brand I applied to had a job description that was very vague and was written in a creative way, but when I worked there, the work was not at all creative. Being specific about each other’s expectations, requirements, and style of work is so important to get the right fit.”

- Rising senior from Parsons School of Design

Insight #4

Students desire a consolidated platform that incorporates visual features to efficiently deliver comprehensive information.

“Everything is posted on social media, so having things connected to things like Instagram, where people have direct links, so they are not stagnant to what they see on websites and avoids the hassle to find this brand or individuals’ additional information.”

- Junior from Otis College of Art and Design

Insight #5

Networking platforms play a pivotal role for creatives, enabling them to cultivate professional connections that open doors to a multitude of work opportunities.

“Knowing people of your age, supporting each other, bounce ideas off each other, is so important. Also, as one person gets more successful, they can share their resources.”

- Senior from Parsons School of Design

User Persona

Painpoint

01 Hardship and Bias

Work opportunities are very competitive and selective
International students often face difficulty with visa sponsorship
Too many brands don’t pay their interns

02 Block of Information

Not aware of resources available from the career development office
Don’t know if it’s the perfect match for students and the brand

03 Networking

Have little confidence in networking skills and public speaking

How might we enhance the competitive edge and job stability for international students?

How might we facilitate students’ networking skills and confidence in job searching?

How might we increase students’ exposure to resources offered by the school and the design community?

How might we enhance the alignment of students' preferences in brand style, work, and required skills with their internship opportunities?

Opportunities

Concept 1

A platform for the career development office to connect with new students, providing them with school resources, one-on-one guidance, and interactive workshops to clarify their career goals and plan for future development.

Concept 2

An international student platform facilitates resource sharing, exchange of experiences, and insights on their job or internship journeys.

Concept 3

The career development office can design booklets and online tutorials to provide students with networking tips.

Concept 4

A platform where industry creatives share brands that provide fair pay, and equal rights to students. Students can network with these creatives for insights and advice.

Concept 5

Collaborative workshops where creatives in the field engage in small collaborative projects with Parsons students, fostering learning opportunities, and providing chances to build networks with valuable resources.

Concept 6

A dedicated platform for employees from brands to volunteer, providing guidance and portfolio reviews to support students who seek career advice or feel uncertain about their career development.

Concept 7

A platform for students and creatives to share work, gain exposure, receive feedback, and network with fellow artists.

Concept 8

A fashion job site lists internship and job opportunities from both big corporate and small independent fashion brands, incorporating specialized filters and features tailored for a focused fashion job search.

Concept 9

A platform categorizing internships and jobs based on sponsorship or pay, while also featuring reviews on the treatment of international students by employers.