Applicant Tracker & Resume Recommender

Overview

Idealist needed clearer and more efficient tools to help nonprofits review applicants and identify strong candidates. Many organizations relied on manual processes that made it difficult to track resumes, compare candidates, or manage communication. I designed the Applicant Tracker and Resume Recommender to bring structure and clarity to this workflow and support small teams with limited hiring capacity.

Solution

I redesigned Idealist’s internal hiring tools to create a more guided, organized, and predictable experience for employers reviewing applicants.

1. Clean, sortable candidate lists

Employers can quickly scan recommended resumes, sort by status, and understand candidate history without relying on external spreadsheets or manual tracking.

2. Integrated resume review

A unified resume viewer allows admins to preview materials, rank candidates, and add notes directly in the platform.

3. Direct communication tools

Built-in messaging helps employers reach out to candidates quickly, maintain a record of outreach, and streamline next steps.

4. Guided posting flow

A simplified job posting experience encourages job posters to include the right details, improving match quality and reducing friction.

5. Support and onboarding materials

I created an animated product video and clear support content to help organizations adopt the tools and understand best practices.

Results

The redesigned tools made it significantly easier for nonprofits to manage hiring. Employers reported clearer workflows, faster review processes, and more confidence in finding the right candidates.

By 2024, more than 5,000 candidates were successfully connected to employers from a pool of 91,000 recruitable resumes.