Skip to content
Gallery
Never Search Alone - Platform
Job Search Council Platform Playbook
Moderator Training
More
Share
Explore

icon picker
Job Search Council Platform Playbook

Creating a sustainable and values-driven community platform for a global market of working professionals in transition
Prepared by
Paul (Bilaal) Ahmed
⁠
and
Omar Corona
⁠
⁠

Overview

This document explores challenges and opportunities for the Never Search Alone peer career guidance community known as Job Search Councils. It evaluates potential solutions, and outlines a future vision to increase impact through improved engagement, operations, and sustainability.

1. Business Context and Vision

Foundational aspects of Never Search Alone, detailing its mission, core values, and long-term vision for impacting the job-seeking and career development landscape.
christmas-star

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this project is to understand the current state of the Never Search Alone community, including its operations, challenges, and market landscape. Through research and analysis, we will identify problems areas and metrics, assess market opportunities and trends, and explore potential solutions to create a more sustainable, impactful and value-driven community experience aligned with the vision of peer-supported career development.

About Job Search Councils

Never Search Alone is a free, volunteer-run community that helps job seekers through a method called Job Search Councils - small peer support groups that meet regularly to provide accountability, advice, and emotional support throughout the job search process.
The community was created by Phyl Terry and is operated by volunteer moderators who facilitate the Councils. Members are matched to Councils after signing up on the website.

Strategic Goals

Impact & Value: Deliver a high-impact experience that significantly improves job outcomes, growth opportunity, and emotional wellbeing for members.
Accessibility: Enable access, including financial barriers, to peer-supported Job Search Councils.
Volunteer Engagement: Develop a thriving base of skilled, motivated volunteer moderators to facilitate Councils.
Funding Model: Build a mix of funding sources to provide sustainability without compromising the organization’s principles.
Market Penetration: Increase awareness and membership within target demographics.
Optimized Operations: Efficiently manage and allocate resources, ensuring maximum impact and sustainability.
Fostering Community: Reducing friction and increasing the probability of relationships that serve us in life and work.

Desired Future State

Proven Value: Quantifiable metrics demonstrating improved job search outcomes for members. Testimonials validating support experience.
Volunteer Support: Scaled programs for moderator recruitment, training, motivation, and retention. Automation to match members.
Funding Streams: Grants, corporate training partnerships, premium tools/training offerings, public funding, member-based revenue sharing.
Targeted Growth: Focus marketing on high-opportunity demographics, diversity, and partners. Listen to evolve the model.
Member Experience: Intuitive platform and tools that connect members to Councils and resources.
Operational Excellence: Effective systems to support volunteers and core operations to enable scaling.

Benefits of Improved JSC Platform

For Job Seekers:
Opportunities for “finding your people” in work and life
Improved probability of job search success through peer accountability and support
Impactful candidate-market fit discovery, aligning abilities and outcomes
Increased emotional resilience during a challenging period due to community
Development of self-advocacy, interview, and negotiation skills to obtain better job offers
Expanded professional network and insider job market knowledge
Access to a wealth of resources, including personalized career advice, industry insights, and job search tools
For Volunteers & Moderators:
Opportunity to pay it forward and make a meaningful impact in others' lives
Development of leadership, coaching, and facilitation skills
Expanded professional network by interacting with members
Potential future job opportunities through member connections
Formal recognition and rewards for volunteering efforts
For The Company (Never Search Alone):
Fulfillment of mission to provide accessible career support at scale
Increased reach, awareness, and social impact
Improved organization and systematization of operations
Ability to quantify and demonstrate member outcomes
Sustainable and profitable business model
Strategic partnerships with leading institutions and businesses
Valuable data and insights on job market needs and trends
Recognition as an innovative leader in career development and employment services
In summary, successful execution of the strategic goals will create a dynamic ecosystem where job seekers are empowered, volunteers and moderators are enriched, and the company strengthens its position as a pivotal platform in the career development and job-seeking sphere.

2. Problems & Opportunities

Key challenges faced by the platform and potential opportunities, setting the stage for strategic improvement and growth.
for-experienced

Problem Statement

The Never Search Alone community faces challenges in delivering value and scaling impact in a sustainable manner. While the peer-supported Job Search Council model has shown promise, issues exist around member engagement, volunteer support, and operational effectiveness.

Problem Breakdown

Member Engagement and Retention: Inconsistent member engagement. Member dropout rates indicate problems with value delivery and council experience.
Networking & Relationships: Vast and growing network of motivated and generous professionals is underutilized in terms of fostering broader connections and opportunities.
Volunteer Engagement: High moderator turnover rate shows lack of support. Open councils/members caused by insufficient volunteers. Infrequent council meetings undermine effectiveness.
Operational Effectiveness: Long member wait times to get matched. Low training completion rates. Tool adoption issues. Lack of metrics to track performance.
Content Relevance and Quality: Challenges in producing and updating content that is both high-quality and aligned with the evolving needs of the job market and members.
Volunteer Training and Support: Unstructured training and support for volunteers.

Opportunities for Exploration

Strengthen Value Proposition: Evolve model to better address "jobs to be done" and pain points through research.
Improve Member Experience: Optimize touchpoints and community-building. Leverage technology tools.
Support Volunteers: Develop training, incentives, and automation to grow/retain volunteers.
Refine Operations: Implement systems for matching, training, and analytics.
Funding Model: Explore mixed funding model to provide sustainability.
Increase Reach: Focus marketing and partnerships to drive awareness. Identify new market segments, expand demographically and geographically.
Community-Driven Innovations: Leveraging community feedback and ideas to drive innovation and improve service offerings.

3. Market Analysis

The market dynamics, including trends, competition, and the platform’s positioning, providing insights into external factors influencing its success.

Market Forces

Headwinds:
Fluctuating labor market and uncertainty of job prospects in growth industries
Potential economic downturn on the horizon exacerbated by technological disruption
Growing competition from numerous career development platforms and job-seeking tools
Job searching stigma and barriers to asking for help
Tailwinds:
Increased openness to remote work expanding opportunities
Growing acceptance of adult learning and career shifts
Mainstreaming of community learning, peer support, and coaching models
Adoption of technology improving job search and career development activities.

Trends & Data

Increased Demand for Personalized Guidance: Job seekers increasingly seek personalized career advice and mentoring.
61% of job seekers want customized career advice (ZipRecruiter)
33% of job seekers lack guidance on career development (Forbes)
US spending on career counseling expected to grow at 4% CAGR to $19B by 2025 (IBISWorld)
Growing Importance of Soft Skills: Rising awareness of the importance of soft skills alongside technical expertise in career development.
92% of hiring managers say soft skills are equally or more important than hard skills, with critical thinking, collaboration, and communication topping the list of desired traits (LinkedIn 2022 Global Talent Trends report)
The World Economic Forum predicts demand for social and emotional skills like leadership and managing others will rise by 24% by 2025.
Digital Networking: Networking has become predominantly digital, with a focus on building connections online.
70% of job seekers say online networking is essential to a successful job search (Jobvite 2021 Recruiter Nation Survey).
The top digital networking platforms used by job seekers are LinkedIn (92%), Facebook (51%), and Twitter (34%) according to Social Talent.
Virtual networking events on platforms like Gather saw 6X growth during the pandemic.
Mental Health Challenges: Job seekers are recognizing the need for added support beyond traditional job search services.
77% of job seekers report anxiety and depression in process (American Psychological Association)
68% of job seekers value emotional support during transition (Pew Research)

Market Sizing

Total Addressable Market (TAM):
The global market for career coaching and job search related services is estimated at $19 billion (IBISWorld).
Serviceable Available Market (SAM):
In the US alone, the addressable market is approximately $15 billion. This includes services like career counseling, job search assistance, resume writing, interview prep, networking platforms, and more.
Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM):
Target market is the approximately 5 million Americans unemployed and actively job seeking at any given time; beachhead will be college-educated professional segments with established careers.
Focusing specifically on services addressing the emotional, community, and relationship aspects of job searching, the current obtainable market at $5 billion.
This is based on data showing 33% of job seekers lack career guidance and 68% value emotional support.

Market Positioning

Address unmet needs through free, peer-to-peer model vs paid coaching/counseling
Leverage relationships and community vs impersonal online platforms
Focus on career transitions and emotional support vs skills-based training
Build a brand and resource that starts from college students and entry level professionals

4. Stakeholder Analysis & Hypothesis Exploration

Examination of the needs and behaviors of different stakeholders, coupled with hypothesis testing to validate assumptions and inform strategic decisions.

Profiles of Stakeholders

Customers (Job Seekers)

Goals: Seeking efficient and effective ways to find job opportunities, build relationships, acquire career advice, and navigate career transitions.
Methods: Utilize online platforms for job searching, networking, and accessing career development resources.
Motivations: Desire for career advancement, financial stability, and personal fulfillment.

Moderators (Community Facilitators):

Goals: Facilitate productive discussions, ensure community guidelines are followed, and support a positive environment for members.
Methods: Monitor interactions, provide guidance, and mediate discussions.
Motivations: Commitment to supporting others, building a vibrant community, and personal satisfaction from contributing.

Administrators (Platform Managers):

Goals: Oversee the platform's operations, strategize for growth, and ensure the platform meets its objectives.
Methods: Coordinate resources including documents, manage teams, and analyze platform performance.
Motivations: Ensuring the success and sustainability of the platform, achieving organizational goals.

Employers:

Goals: Find qualified candidates, promote company culture, fill vacancies efficiently.
Methods: Post job listings, engage in community activities, utilize platform tools for recruitment.
Motivations: Hiring the right talent, reducing recruitment time and costs, enhancing employer branding.

Entrepreneurs:

Goals: Network building, resource acquisition, market insight.
Methods: Leverage community for networking, advice, and market trends.
Motivations: Growing their business, finding collaborators or customers, learning from peers.

College Students and Entry-Level Professionals:

Goals: Seeking internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level jobs; building networks; gaining career guidance.
Methods: Participate in college-specific councils, attend career development workshops, use platform resources for resume building and interview preparation.
Motivations: Transitioning successfully from academia to professional life, securing early career opportunities, building a strong foundation for future career growth.

Hypotheses & Testing Approaches

Hypothesis: A dedicated platform will improve engagement and operations.
Assumptions: Platform features will facilitate community interactions. Automation will assist moderators. Centralized learning resources will improve knowledge sharing.
Stakeholders: Job seeker members, moderator members, administrator members
Interview Questions: How could a specialized platform improve your community experience? What features would help facilitate your role? How could a platform assist with learning and development?
Approaches: Demonstrate Circle.so platform capabilities to stakeholder focus groups. Survey on potential improvement to experience. Pilot platform with sample of councils and members.
Hypothesis: A peer-to-peer model provides more relatable and cost-effective support than paid coaching.
Assumptions: Members value relatability over expert guidance. Peer exchanges are sufficiently personalized.
Stakeholders: Job seekers, Moderators
Interview Questions: Do you find peer exchanges or expert coaches more helpful? What makes peer exchanges more relatable?
Approaches: Survey members on helpfulness of peer councils vs. expert coaches. Interview former members who dropped out.
Hypothesis: Enabling members to offer each other services increases engagement.
Assumptions: Members have demand for each others' skills/services. A structured exchange system is valued.
Stakeholders: Job seekers
Interview Questions: What skills could you offer other members? What services would be helpful to you? How could we facilitate valuable exchanges?
Approaches: Survey members on skills/services they could offer and demand. Pilot a service exchange program.
Hypothesis: Focus on community improves engagement over transactional models.
Assumptions: Members highly value relationships and belonging. Strong communities increase participation.
Stakeholders: Job seeker
Interview Questions: How important is community and relationships vs. transactional exchanges? How does a sense of community impact your engagement?
Approaches: Survey member satisfaction across councils with varying sense of community. Correlate community strength to participation rates.
Hypothesis: Structured training expands value offering.
Assumptions: Self-paced courses address unmet needs. They complement peer councils.
Stakeholders: Job seekers
Interview Questions: What training needs are unaddressed? What format preferences? How would courses complement councils?
Approaches: Survey members on training interests. Research training best practices. Develop pilot courses.
Hypothesis: Paid offerings will not compromise core value delivery.
Assumptions: Free council access remains unchanged. Paid value-adds increase sustainability.
Stakeholders: Job seeker, administrators
Interview Questions: If premium features were available, would you still use the free council experience? How could paid offerings expand value?
Approaches: Survey willingness to pay for supplemental features. Test introducing premium tools/training in small samples.
Hypothesis: Proper support enables volunteers to scale.
Assumptions: Automation assists with operational tasks. Training and incentives improve retention.
Stakeholders: Moderators, administrators
Interview Questions: What tasks could be automated to help you scale? What incentives would improve your experience? What additional training would help?
Approaches: Identify tasks to automate. Test training programs and incentive structures with moderator focus groups.
Hypothesis: The community can serve as a talent pipeline.
Assumptions: Members are open to job opportunities. Screening and matching can be systematic.
Stakeholders: Job seeker members, employer members
Interview Questions: Are you open to job opportunities identified through the community? How could we best connect you to relevant openings? What value would the community provide in your hiring process?
Approaches: Survey member openness to community job matching. Develop pilot screening and matching process.
Hypothesis: Providing business formation guidance expands impact.
Assumptions: Significant need exists for this support. It aligns with existing capabilities.
Stakeholders: Job seekers
Interview Questions: Do you need support turning a business idea into reality? What aspects are most challenging? How could the community help with this?
Approaches: Survey members on business formation needs. Research market demand. Pilot a business formation track.
Hypothesis: College-specific resources and networks significantly improve job placement for students and entry-level professionals.
Assumptions: Educational institutions are not aligned with the needs of the market; students not equipped with necessary skills.
Stakeholders: College students, recent graduates, apprenticeship participants, entry-level professionals.
Interview Question: What did you wish you knew about the job market when you look back at your college experience? What kind of exposure would you like from prospective employers?
Approaches: Conduct surveys among college users before and after their job search to identify pain points and opportunities.

5. Evaluation & Exploration of Ideas

Assessing various innovative and conventional ideas, evaluating them against critical criteria to determine their potential impact and feasibility.

Evaluation Criteria

Impact - Number of members supported and career outcomes improved
Feasibility - Effort required to implement given existing capabilities
Cost - Budget and resources required for development and rollout
Distinctiveness - Uniqueness of value proposition compared to existing solutions
Sustainability - Ongoing revenue and resources generated after launch

Ideas Exploration

Platform & Process Ideas

Implement a dedicated community platform (e.g. Circle.so) providing tools for moderators, centralizing resources, enabling peer-to-peer connections, and facilitating measurement.
Working in Favor (Impact): Enhances member support and improves career outcomes through centralized resources and peer connections.
Working Against (Cost): Potentially high budget and resource requirements for development and implementation.
Metric: Member engagement rate and resource utilization statistics.
Develop tiers of volunteer roles (e.g. moderator, community leader, ambassador) with clear responsibilities. This provides progression and recognition. Automate administrative tasks to support human roles.
Working in Favor (Feasibility): Clear structure is implementable.
Working Against (Sustainability): Added complexity may deter volunteers
Metric: Volunteer retention and satisfaction rates.
Implement quality mechanisms like moderator certification, council evaluations, member feedback surveys.
Working in Favor (Impact): Directly improves member experience
Working Against (Cost): Initial setup and ongoing management and audit of these mechanisms could be resource-intensive.
Metric: Quality scores based on member feedback and platform metrics.
Structure moderation to distribute workload, such as having multiple co-moderators share responsibilities.
Working in Favor (Impact): Helps prevent volunteer burnout.
Working Against (Feasibility): Requires finding added commitment within an existing group or redistribute volunteers.
Metric: Moderator attendance and engagement at regular meetings.
Enable group cohorts combining councils to create more connections alongside larger community events.
Working in Favor (Impact): Facilitates deeper connections and more diverse interactions.
Working Against (Feasibility): Coordination and alignment of multiple groups may be challenging.
Metric: Number of active cohort groups and member satisfaction within cohorts.
Gamify participation through incentive programs and recognition. Use leaderboards, challenges, rewards to motivate engagement.
Working in Favor (Distinctiveness): Offers a unique engagement model to motivate members.
Working Against (Feasibility): Requires ongoing effort and resources to maintain and update.
Helpful Metric: Complex development, hard to sustain excitement.
Leverage AI chatbot and automation for high volume queries and routine moderation to assist human volunteers.
Working in Favor (Sustainability): Efficiently scales support.
Working Against (Distinctiveness): AI chatbots are becoming common and may not strongly differentiate the platform.
Metric: Number of queries resolved by AI and user satisfaction with AI interactions.
Incorporate networking features like member profiles, 1:1 messaging, mentorship matching.
Working in Favor (Impact): Enhances networking opportunities, crucial for career development.
Working Against (Cost): Development and integration of these features might require significant resources.
Helpful Metric: Number of connections made and frequency of messaging/mentorship interactions.
Implement college-specific councils and networking events.
Working For: Tailored support and networking opportunities for college students and recent graduates.
Working Against: Requires dedicated resources and content tailored for the college demographic.
Metric: Engagement rates in college-specific councils and successful job placements.

Business & Growth Ideas

Expand marketing to increase job seeker membership and raise awareness.
Working in Favor (Impact): Raises awareness and potentially increases the number of job seekers supported.
Working Against (Cost): Requires investment in marketing without immediate revenue generation.
Metric: Growth in new memberships and engagement post-marketing campaigns.
Develop training programs and materials to improve moderator capabilities
Working in Favor (Sustainability): Enhances long-term platform quality and efficiency.
Working Against (Cost): Requires investment in creating and maintaining training materials.
Metric: Moderator performance improvements post-training.
Introduce premium educational offerings for members alongside free councils.
Working in Favor (Sustainability): Generates revenue to support free services.
Working Against (Distinctiveness): Premium offerings are common and may not differentiate the platform.
Metric: Revenue generated from premium offerings and member uptake rate.
Form strategic partnerships for direct job placements, apprenticeships, and specialized training.
Working in Favor (Impact): Directly improves career outcomes for members.
Working Against (Feasibility): Building and maintaining partnerships can be complex and time-consuming.
Metric: Number of members benefiting from partnerships.
Obtain sponsorships and grants to fund operations and member resources.
Working in Favor (Sustainability): Provides recurring funding for operations and growth.
Working Against (Feasibility): Securing sponsorships and grants can be competitive and challenging; application and reporting overhead.
Metric: Amount of funding obtained and number of sponsorships secured.
Campus ambassador programs
Working For: Insights into specific needs and trends within their campuses, enabling tailored support and content
Working Against: Success of the program can vary significantly depending on the commitment and effectiveness of individual ambassadors.
Metric: Number of new sign-ups from campuses with ambassadors, level of activity in campus-specific initiatives
Entry-level focused councils
Working For: Creates a sense of belonging among new professionals, fostering peer-to-peer support and networking
Working Against: Risk of isolating entry-level users from broader community interactions and opportunities.
Metric: Number of active participants, engagement levels within the councils, and successful job placements.

Out-of-the-Box Ideas

Launch a peer-to-peer service exchange within the community to increase engagement.
Working in Favor (Engagement): Incentivizes participation and offers a unique member-to-member support system.
Working Against (Feasibility): Hard to facilitate fair exchanges.
Metric: Number of exchanges made and participant satisfaction.
Establish a virtual 'career transition lab' for interactive and immersive career exploration.
Working in Favor (Distinctiveness): Provides an innovative and immersive approach to career exploration, setting it apart from standard platforms.
Working Against (Feasibility): Development of an interactive and immersive lab requires advanced technology and expertise.
Metric: User engagement within the lab and success rate in career transitions post-lab participation.
Build small business incubator capabilities helping members start companies.
Working in Favor (Impact): Directly supports entrepreneurial members in starting and growing businesses, with potential for significant career advancements and outside investment.
Working Against (Cost): Developing incubator resources, mentor networks, and support systems can be expensive.
Metric: Number of businesses launched and growth metrics of these startups.
Implement alternative member grouping models like mini-networks organized by career interests.
Working in Favor (Distinctiveness): Offers a novel approach to community building based on tailored, shared career interests, enhancing relevance for members.
Working Against (Sustainability): Continuously adapting and maintaining these groupings may require ongoing effort and resources; fractures community cohesion.
Metric: Engagement levels in mini-networks and member satisfaction within these groups.
Utilize AI and automation for administrative tasks to support human moderators.
Working in Favor (Sustainability): Efficiently scales support.
Working Against (Cost): Requires data and development.
Metric: Reduction in time and resources spent on administrative tasks post-implementation.
Partnerships with college career centers.
Working in Favor: Offer valuable resources and expertise, enhancing the platform's offerings.
Working Against: Aligning objectives and coordinating activities with multiple institutions can be complex.
Metric: Number of active partnerships, quality and quantity of resources or events co-produced.

Business Models

Marketplace for Coaches & Services

This model creates a marketplace within the platform where career coaches can offer their services to members. The platform generates revenue by taking a percentage of each transaction or charging coaches a monthly fee to list their services.
Model: Percentage of transaction fees or a monthly fee for coaches to list their services.
Costs: Marketplace technology build/maintenance, vendor onboarding/management, marketing to drive adoption
Pricing: Transaction fee percentage (e.g., 10-30%) or a flat monthly fee for coaches.
Pros: Provides a range of services to users; platform can earn through transaction fees or subscriptions.
Cons: Requires quality control and management of the marketplace; competition with other coaching platforms.

Pay-to-Access Community Platform

A subscription-based model offering tiered access to the platform's features, including forums, learning content, and coaching services. Different subscription levels provide varying degrees of access and services.
Model: Monthly or annual subscription fees, with different tiers providing varying levels of access and services; sponsorships.
Costs: Platform hosting/software costs, customer support overhead, transaction fees
Pricing: Monthly subscription fees (e.g., $10, $20, $50 per month for different tiers).
Pros: Steady revenue stream; can offer tiered access for different levels of service.
Cons: May limit access for those who can't afford, potentially reducing the diversity and reach of the platform.

Job Placement Model

In this model, the platform collaborates with recruiters and companies to match its members with job opportunities. Revenue is generated through a success fee paid by the employer for each successful job placement.
Model: Success fee from employers for each successful job placement.
Costs: Recruiting coordination software build, staffing overhead to qualify applicants
Pricing: Success fee (e.g., 15-25% of the candidate's first-year salary).
Pros: Aligns with the core mission of helping members find jobs; potential for high-impact success fees.
Cons: Success depends on the effectiveness of job placements; requires strong recruiter relationships.

License Fee with Educational Institutions & Companies

The platform licenses its content, tools, and resources to educational institutions, companies, and coaches for use in their career training and mentorship programs. This model provides a steady revenue stream through annual or per-user licensing fees.
Model: Annual or per-user licensing fees paid by institutions, companies or coaches for access to the platform for access to talent, upskilling, apprenticeships, or promotion.
Costs: Customization and implementations, ongoing platform maintenance account management overhead.
Pricing: Annual or per-student license fee (e.g., $5000 per year or $100 per student).
Pros: Consistent revenue through partnerships; broadens the platform’s reach.
Cons: Reliant on the willingness and ability of institutions to pay; may need significant customization.

Pay It Forward Model

Aimed at unemployed job seekers, this model involves a commitment fee paid upfront on a sliding scale based on the job seeker's ability to pay. Once employed, the member pays a 'success fee' as a way of paying it forward to support the platform.
Model: Initial commitment fee (variable based on ability to pay), followed by a success fee after employment.
Pricing: Sliding scale commitment fee (e.g., $20-$100), success fee (e.g., $200-$1000 after employment).
Pros: Encourages commitment from job seekers and fosters a community spirit of giving back.
Cons: Revenue depends on the success rate of job seekers; might exclude those unable to pay.

6. Envisioning User Journeys

Mapping ideal future state experiences for core user archetypes highlights key interactions, pain points, and value delivery opportunities.

Fast Track

Currently Unemployed and Actively Seeking a Role
Discovers Platform: Sees marketing or hears about platform through friend. Views website and is compelled by mission and peer-to-peer model.
Targeted marketing efforts and referrals including video and webinars
Joins & Onboards: Signs up for account. Takes assessment. Matches with optimal council. Goes through onboarding learning about platform features.
Comprehensive onboarding identifying status, preferences, and abilities
AI chatbot offers immediate guidance and access to curated resources
Joins Council: Meets council moderator and members. Shares experience. Supported in building customized career plan leveraging interests and strengths.
Participates in networking events, 1:1 mentorship matching, and joins relevant mini-networks
Accesses modules for interview preparation, resume building, and negotiates offers
Listening Tour: Conducts guided listening tour to identify opportunities. Mentored by supportive council peers.
Accesses modules for interview preparation, resume building, and negotiates offers.
Job Search: Leverages platform tools to identify openings and prepare applications. Council provides interview practice and negotiation support.
Receives curated job invitations and connects with potential employers through the platform's job placement partnerships
Gets Hired: Lands job at an aligned employer partnered with the platform! Council celebrates success.
OR Explores the idea of starting a business through the peer-to-peer service exchange or business incubator features.
Gives Back: Joins group mentoring program to coach others from shared experience. Writes blog articles detailing job search lessons.
Continues to engage in the community, possibly transitioning into a moderator role or creating content based on their experience.

Slow Track

Currently Employed and Exploring
Discovers Platform: Researches career change options. Drawn to platform's holistic support model.
Targeted marketing efforts and referrals including video and webinars
Joins & Onboards: Takes assessment. Gets matched to "Explorers" council for others evaluating change. Onboards to platform.
Comprehensive onboarding identifying status, preferences, and abilities
AI chatbot offers immediate guidance and access to curated resources
Engages with educational modules for career changing, leadership development, and personal branding.
Joins Council: Connects with peers in similar position. Council provides sounding board for ideas and constructive challenges. Supported in building customized career plan leveraging interests and strengths.
Actively participates in networking events and mini-networks aligned with career interests.
Accesses modules for interview preparation, resume building, and negotiates offers
Connections & Listening Tour: Conducts guided listening tour to identify opportunities. Uses platform’s immersive career exploration labs to try potential new paths. Accesses career change courses.
Forms meaningful connections, possibly exploring collaborative projects with other members.
Engages in skill-sharing or service exchange programs to broaden experience.
Job Search: Leverages platform tools to identify openings and prepare applications. Council provides interview practice and negotiation support.
Utilizes the platform to discreetly explore new job opportunities and receives guidance from community leaders.
Receives curated job invitations and connects with potential employers through the platform's job placement partnerships
Business Incubation: Validates and develops business idea with council member. Leverages incubator tools and mentorship to build MVP or validate offering.
Leverages business incubator capabilities for solo or collaborative business launch.
New Role or Venture: Transitions to new role or launches venture.
Leverages platform community for early users and feedback
Gives Back: After finding a new role or starting a venture, remains active in the community.
Runs workshops on transitioning careers from their experience. Moderates council for new “Explorers.”
Becomes a volunteer, mentor, or content creator, sharing insights and supporting others.

Slow Track - Students & Grads

Currently Studying and Interning
Discovery and Onboarding: Learns about the platform through campus events or college partnerships.
Onboards and is matched to a specialized campus council.
Community Integration: Joins college-specific councils and participates in entry-level job forums.
Leverages platforms networking features to connect with alumni.
Career Development Resources: Utilizes tailored workshops, mentoring, and resume-building tools.
Accesses job search courses and company research resources.
Job Search and Networking: Engages in apprenticeship programs, job fairs, and alumni networking events facilitated by the platform.
Transition to Professional Role: Secures an internship, apprenticeship, or entry-level position through platform connections and resources.
Ongoing Engagement: Remains active as an alumni mentor or contributor, supporting new members.

7. Risk Analysis & Mitigation

Potential risks that could impact the platform’s success and provides a range of strategies to effectively mitigate these challenges.

Inability to Demonstrate Tangible Career Outcomes

Challenges in showcasing tangible career outcomes for its members, affecting platform's credibility and attractiveness to new users.
Mitigation Strategies:
Implement and leverage detailed analytics to track member progress, from job searches to career advancements.
Showcase testimonials and case studies from members who have successfully achieved their career goals through the platform.
Allow members to track and share their career progress directly within the platform.
Conduct surveys to gather data on member achievements and satisfaction.

Member Engagement Decline

Poor execution of monetization diminishes peer experience. Member engagement or retention declines over time due to content saturation, platform monotony, or inadequate personalization.
Mitigation Strategies:
Keep core council offering unchanged. Test value-add only features with focus groups.
Continuously update and diversify content and resources.
Regularly introduce new features and community events to maintain interest.
Implement personalized user experiences based on member preferences and activities.
Intervene for at-risk members.
Refine onboarding experience.

Volunteer Burnout

Volunteer burnout due to workload, lack of recognition, or inadequate support.
Mitigation Strategies:
Develop clear role definitions and reasonable workload expectations for volunteers along with progression opportunities.
Establish robust support and training programs for volunteers.
Implement recognition and reward systems to appreciate volunteer contributions.
Automate admin tasks

Technological Inadequacies or Failures

Platform problems such as scalability issues, security vulnerabilities, or system downtime.
Overview
1. Business Context and Vision
Statement of Purpose
About Job Search Councils
Strategic Goals
Desired Future State
Benefits of Improved JSC Platform
2. Problems & Opportunities
Problem Statement
Problem Breakdown
Opportunities for Exploration
3. Market Analysis
Market Forces
Trends & Data
Market Sizing
Market Positioning
4. Stakeholder Analysis & Hypothesis Exploration
Profiles of Stakeholders
Customers (Job Seekers)
Moderators (Community Facilitators):
Administrators (Platform Managers):
Employers:
Entrepreneurs:
College Students and Entry-Level Professionals:
Hypotheses & Testing Approaches
5. Evaluation & Exploration of Ideas
Evaluation Criteria
Ideas Exploration
Platform & Process Ideas
Business & Growth Ideas
Out-of-the-Box Ideas
Business Models
Marketplace for Coaches & Services
Pay-to-Access Community Platform
Job Placement Model
License Fee with Educational Institutions & Companies
Pay It Forward Model
6. Envisioning User Journeys
Fast Track
Slow Track
Slow Track - Students & Grads
7. Risk Analysis & Mitigation
Inability to Demonstrate Tangible Career Outcomes
Member Engagement Decline
Volunteer Burnout
Technological Inadequacies or Failures
Data Privacy and Security Breaches
Insufficient Funding or Resource Allocation
Competition from New Entrants
Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.
Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (
CtrlP
) instead.