Career Map

Endless possibilities limited by difficult choices. I present the solution you need in order for you to get the job of your dreams at the place of your dreams. Chart Your Career, Map Your Future.

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Inspiration

The idea for this platform was inspired by the challenges students face when deciding where to move for study or work. Many dream of exploring new countries but feel overwhelmed by the lack of clear, actionable information about affordability, job opportunities, and lifestyle factors. This project aims to simplify the decision-making process and empower young people to confidently embark on their global journeys.

What it does

The platform provides personalized recommendations for destinations based on key economic and lifestyle metrics. Users input their career aspirations, and the system evaluates locations on factors like salary-to-GDP ratio, purchasing power index, unemployment rate, and income group. The result is a ranked list of destinations with actionable insights, helping users make informed decisions.

How I built it

The platform was built using:

  • Frontend: Flutter for a smooth and interactive user experience.
  • Backend: Firebase Firestore for storing and retrieving user preferences and destination data.
  • APIs: Economic data APIs for real-time metrics such as salary, GDP, and purchasing power.
  • AI Assistance: Leveraged AI tools to learn web deployment, solve UI bugs, and provide guidance on economic indicators.

Challenges I Ran Into

  1. Code Complexity: Managing and scaling the codebase became cumbersome as features were added, requiring significant refactoring.

  2. API Limitations Impacting Performance: During the demo phase, inefficient API usage resulted in exceeding the API's read limits. This constraint made the app "fast" only for job titles like Software Engineer and Accountant, as these were preloaded into the database. For other job titles, the app had to call the API at least once to fetch and save data, leading to slower performance for first-time queries. This highlighted the need for optimizing API calls and caching mechanisms to improve overall responsiveness.

  3. Time Constraints: Tight deadlines meant relying heavily on AI tools to write Firestore methods and debug issues efficiently.

  4. UI Bugs: SVG clipping issues in the interactive view widget required AI-assisted debugging and fixes.

  5. Economic Knowledge Gap: A lack of deep understanding of economics made it necessary to consult AI for accurate recommendations and insights.

  6. Currency Conversion Challenge: All existing currency converters in Flutter were not compatible with web apps, so I had to devise my own method for currency conversion.

  7. Lack of Experience with Custom Domains: I faced challenges understanding how to purchase, register, and connect a custom domain to a hosting provider since I had no prior experience.

  8. Unfamiliarity with Website Hosting: As I had never hosted a website before, I struggled to navigate the hosting process, including setting up servers, configuring DNS settings, and deploying files.

  9. Steep Learning Curve: The combination of learning technical terminologies, tools, and best practices in domain management and hosting created a significant initial barrier. Thankfully, I received amazing help from a mentor who helped me climb the mountain!

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

  • Successfully developed a functioning platform that generates meaningful and personalized recommendations.
  • API Optimization through Last-Modified Tracking: Overcame significant technical challenges by implementing a solution to track the last-modified attribute for each job. This approach ensured the app only queried APIs for jobs that had exceeded their 6-month cooldown period, drastically reducing unnecessary API calls and improving efficiency. Though much more can still be done!
  • Created a robust scoring system that simplifies complex economic data into actionable insights.
  • Leveraged AI to accelerate development without compromising quality.

What I learned

  • The importance of efficient API usage to manage resources effectively.
  • How to design a scalable and maintainable codebase, even under time pressure.
  • Insights into economic metrics and their real-world applications for decision-making.
  • The value of collaboration, creativity, and leveraging AI tools to overcome technical roadblocks.
  • How hosting a website works and the steps involved in deploying a web app

What's next for Career Map

  • Enhanced Optimization: Implement caching and batching strategies to reduce API calls and improve performance.
  • Expanded Metrics: Include more cultural, social, and educational metrics to provide a holistic evaluation of destinations.
  • Improved UI/UX: Refine the interactive view and visualizations for a more engaging user experience. When a user clicks on a country, show detailed information about it, including relevant news articles related to jobs in that region. Additionally, incorporate an AI prompt to explain why the country was assigned its specific color rating.
  • Partnerships: Collaborate with schools and organizations that offer study-abroad programs to provide students with additional resources and opportunities.
  • Mobile App: Develop a dedicated mobile app to make the platform more accessible to students on the go.

NOTE: Due to time constraints, I have not yet pre-loaded most part of the searchable jobs. For now only a limited list of job titles can be successfully queried without having 10+min loading times! Here is the list: -software engineer -developer -chemical engineer -mechanical engineer -doctor -lawyer -project manager

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