MULTI-SIDED PLATFORM · TALENT SEARCH · B2B SAAS
Khibra: Early-Career Hiring Ecosystem
A unified hiring system powering structured CVs, employer talent search, and university event management across the Middle East.
ROLE
Lead Product Designer (2 designers)
FOCUS AREA
Information Architecture, CV Builder, Student Dashboard, Employer Search, University Events
TEAM STRUCTURE
Founder, 2 Designers, Engineering Team, University Partners
PLATFORM SCOPE
Three-sided marketplace: Students, Employers, Universities
PROBLEM
The Fragmented Hiring Landscape
Early-career hiring in the Middle East operated through disconnected, inefficient processes. Each stakeholder worked in isolation with limited visibility into the broader ecosystem.
STUDENTS
→ Inconsistent CV formats with no structure.
→ No guidance on how to present themselves.
→ Scattered job sources across multiple platforms.
→ Unclear which roles fit them.
EMPLOYERS
→ No visibility into wider talent pool
→ Manual screening of unstructured CVs
→ Difficulty comparing candidates consistently
→ Limited reach to university networks
UNIVERSITIES
→ Events run via Excel and email
→ No career outcome tracking
→ Weak employer connections
→ Inability to demonstrate placement success
The Core Issue: No shared system meant each stakeholder operated blindly, leading to inefficient hiring, missed matches, and frustrated users on all sides.
GOAL
Building a Unified Ecosystem
Create a single platform where students, employers, and universities operate on shared, structured data and workflows - transforming fragmented processes into a connected hiring ecosystem.
SUCCESS CRITERIA
- Students build structured CVs that power employer search and matching
- Employers access a searchable, filterable talent pool with consistent data
- Universities manage events digitally and track student engagement
- All three sides benefit from shared visibility and structured workflows
MY ROLE
Lead Product Designer
Working alongside another designer, I owned the information architecture and key user flows across all three stakeholder types, ensuring cohesion across the ecosystem.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Information Architecture: Designed the structure connecting all three user types through shared data models
- Student Experience: CV Builder flow, Dashboard design, Profile strength indicators
- Employer Tools: Talent search interface, Filter system, Match scoring UI
- University Platform: Event creation workflows, Employer invitations, Attendance tracking
- Design System: Shared component library in Sketch used across all surfaces
- Collaboration: Close partnership with founder, engineering, and university partners
KEY DESIGN DECISIONS
Strategic Solutions
Five interconnected design decisions that transformed fragmented processes into a cohesive ecosystem..
4.1 Guided CV Builder → Structured Data
The foundation of the entire system. By transforming messy, inconsistent CVs into a step-by-step guided builder, we created structured data that powered employer search, match scoring, and university analytics.
Design Rationale: Rather than letting students upload PDFs, we built a guided flow that collected standardized data (education, GPA, major, skills, experience) in a consistent format. This wasn't just about user experience - it was about creating the data infrastructure for the entire platform.
KEY FEATURES
- 4-step wizard: Personal Info → Education → Experience → Skills
- Smart defaults and suggestions based on university data
- Real-time preview showing how CV appears to employers
- Profile strength meter encouraging completion
- Validation ensuring required fields for employer search
4.2 Employer Search → Filters + Match Scores
Designed a searchable talent pool with multi-criteria filtering and intelligent match scoring, transforming how employers discovered candidates.
TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATIONS
- Filters: University, Major, GPA range, Skills, Graduation year
- Match scoring algorithm visualized through percentage indicators
- Sortable table view with key attributes visible at a glance
- Quick actions: Shortlist, Message, View full profile
- Saved search functionality for recurring needs
4.3 Student Dashboard → Clear Next Steps
Rather than overwhelming students, we designed a dashboard that made career actions immediately obvious through profile strength, top matches, upcoming events, and application status.
DASHBOARD COMPONENTS
→ Profile strength meter (0-100%)
→ Top job matches based on profile
→ Upcoming career events from universities
→ Application status tracker
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
→ Action-oriented: Every element suggests a next step
→ Progressive disclosure: Don't show everything at once
→ Status transparency: Always show where you stand
→ Mobile-first: Most students access via phone
4.4 University Events → Structure Instead of Spreadsheets
Replaced Excel and email chaos with structured event creation, employer invitations, RSVP management, and attendance tracking.
EVENT MANAGEMENT FEATURES
- Event creation wizard with date, location, description
- Employer invitation system with bulk selection
- Student RSVP tracking and reminder system
- QR code-based check-in for attendance
- Post-event analytics: Attendance rates, employer engagement
4.5 Shared Design Language
Built a component system that powered all three user types, ensuring consistency while allowing context-specific customization.
CORE COMPONENTS
→ Tables (sortable, filterable)
→ Cards (candidate, job, event)
→ Filters (chips, dropdowns)
→ Navigation (sidebar, mobile menu)
→ Forms (inputs, validation)
SYSTEM BENEFITS
→ Faster design iteration across surfaces
→ Consistent mental models for users
→ Reduced engineering complexity
→ Easier to scale new features
SYSTEM OVERVIEW
Three Flows, One Ecosystem
Each user type has a distinct journey, but all flows are interconnected through shared data and touchpoints.
Student Journey
From registration to job offer, guiding students through profile creation, discovery, and applications.
Employer Journey
Efficient talent discovery through posting, searching, and managing candidates.
University Journey
Connecting students with employers through event management and engagement tracking.
The Connection Point: Student CV data powers employer search. Employer job postings create student matches. University events bring both sides together. Each flow strengthens the others.
BEFORE AND AFTER
Transformation
From fragmented processes to a unified ecosystem.
BEFORE KHIBRA
Students: Word document CVs, no feedback on quality, searching job boards randomly
Employers: Email applications, PDFs in different formats, manual screening, no talent pool visibility
Universities: Excel spreadsheets for events, email threads with employers, no outcome tracking
AFTER KHIBRA
Students: Structured CVs with profile strength, personalized job matches, clear application tracking
Employers: Searchable talent pool, consistent data formats, filtering and match scoring, integrated communication
Universities: Digital event management, employer networks, RSVP tracking, engagement analytics
BEFORE AND AFTER
Results
Shifting from fragmented tools to a structured ecosystem created measurable value for all stakeholders.
FOR STUDENTS
→ Built stronger, structured CVs with guided feedback
→ Understood their profile strength and how to improve
→ Received personalized job matches instead of random searching
→ Tracked application status with transparency
→ Gained access to university career events digitally
FOR EMPLOYERS
→ Shortened candidate from manual screening
→ Found better matches through filtering and scoring
→ Accessed wider talent pool across multiple universities
→ Compared candidates consistently with structured data
→ Connected with universities for targeted recruiting
FOR UNIVERSITIES
→ Ran career events cleanly without Excel/email chaos
→ Tracked student engagement and attendance digitally
→ Demonstrated placement outcomes to stakeholders
→ Strengthened employer relationships through structured touchpoints
→ Gained visibility into student career progression
PLATFORM-LEVEL IMPACT
→ Created network effects: More students attracted more employers, which attracted more universities
→ Shifted all three sides from fragmented tools to unified ecosystem
→ Established structured data as the foundation for future features (AI matching, analytics)
→ Built scalable architecture supporting growth across GCC countries
Ecosystem Impact
Even without full analytics instrumentation at launch, the shift from fragmented tools to a unified ecosystem produced clear, measurable improvements across all three sides of the platform..
For Students
- CV completion quality increased due to the structured builder.
- Job discovery became more efficient, with students spending less time searching and finding more relevant matches.
- Event engagement improved through digital RSVPs and reminders.
For Employers
- Screening time dropped as unstructured PDFs were replaced with comparable, structured profiles.
- Employers uncovered a wider, cross-university talent pool.
- Shortlisting became faster and more consistent with filters and match scoring.
For Universities
- Event operations became more accurate with higher RSVP reliability and digital attendance tracking.
- Career teams gained continuous visibility into student engagement, replacing spreadsheets entirely.
- Employer relationships strengthened through centralized, structured workflows.
Platform-Level Outcomes
- Network effects increased engagement across Students, Employers, and Universities.
- Structured data unlocked future capabilities such as analytics and AI-powered matching.
- The platform replaced siloed tools with a single workflow, reducing friction and improving collaboration across all stakeholders.
Khibra
at a glance
Partnered with leading GCC universities
GUST, AUM, and other regional institutions used Khibra to support student career development.
Backed by major organisations
Khibra collaborated with Gulf Bank as part of youth-employment initiatives across Kuwait.