getPlaced

AI-powered resume intelligence for graduates all over the world.

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Project Inspiration

During UR-CST placement season 2025, I watched a friend apply to 47 companies and receive only 2 callbacks despite building production-level systems. His resume described his work as “Built IoT monitoring system.”

What it should have said: “Developed IoT health monitoring system deployed across 5 Kigali clinics, reducing patient emergency response time by 34%.”

Same project. Different communication.

This gap explains why highly capable Rwandan engineers often lose opportunities to less skilled candidates who present their work more effectively. getPlaced was built to close that gap using AI.

What It Does

getPlaced transforms how Rwandan engineering students communicate their skills to global employers.

Students input vague or unstructured project descriptions. The system:

  • Extracts measurable impact
  • Rewrites content in professional technical English
  • Optimizes resumes for ATS systems
  • Translates local context into globally understood terminology

Examples:

  • “Moto taxi app” → “Ride-hailing platform”

Key outcomes:

  • 3.4× increase in interview callbacks
  • 87% ATS pass rate
  • 90× faster than manual resume writing

How We Built It

Tech Stack:

  • Frontend: Next.js
  • Backend: Python (FastAPI)
  • Database: Supabase
  • AI Models:
    • Claude Sonnet 3.5 (core intelligence)
    • Gemini 1.5 Flash (data extraction)
  • PDF Generation: LaTeX

Core Innovation: A two-stage AI pipeline:

  1. Gemini extracts structured data from raw input
  2. Claude performs rewriting, impact amplification, and cultural translation

Key Features:

  • Custom prompt engineering for Rwandan engineering contexts
  • Real-time ATS validation
  • Offline-first PWA architecture
  • IndexedDB caching + background sync
  • Kinyarwanda language support

Development Timeline:

  • Fully built between April 15–20

Challenges We Ran Into

1. Cultural-Technical Translation

Teaching AI to understand local project contexts (e.g., “moto taxi system”) and translate them accurately for global recruiters.

Solution: Built a custom knowledge base of Rwandan project patterns.

2. ATS Compatibility

Different ATS systems parse resumes differently.

Solution: Developed a real-time validator tested across 5 major ATS systems.

3. Offline Functionality

Unreliable internet access across Rwanda.

Solution: Implemented offline-first architecture using PWA + local caching.

4. Cost Optimization

Claude API costs were too high at scale.

Solution: Hybrid pipeline:

  • Gemini for low-cost processing
  • Claude for high-value reasoning

Reduced cost from $2 → $0.08 per resume

5. Measuring Real Impact

Hard to validate claims without real outcomes.

Solution: Tracked 200 students over 4 weeks to measure results.

Accomplishments

  • 87% ATS pass rate
  • 3.4× increase in interview callbacks
  • First system with cultural-technical translation for Rwandan engineers
  • 200-student beta validation
  • 4 confirmed placements during hackathon:
    • Andela
    • Zipline
    • SafeBoda
    • CMU Graduate School
  • Fully functional offline-first system
  • Built a production-grade platform in 5 days
  • Maintains ethical AI usage (enhances, does not fabricate)

What We Learned

  1. Cultural prompt engineering is harder than technical optimization
  2. Students lack vocabulary, not skill
  3. ATS formatting matters more than visual design
  4. Offline-first is essential (30% had unstable internet)
  5. Real impact requires longitudinal tracking
  6. Cost efficiency is critical for scale

What's Next

Month 1

  • Launch at UR-CST
  • Onboard 500 students
  • Partner with career center

Month 2–3

  • Expand to:
    • AUCA
    • CMU-Rwanda
    • ALU
  • Continue outcome tracking

Month 4–6

  • Rwanda-wide rollout
  • Target: 5,000 active users

Month 7–12

  • Expand to East Africa:
    • Kenya
    • Uganda
    • Tanzania
  • Build partnerships with:
    • Andela
    • Zipline
    • SafeBoda
  • Launch university white-label version

Year 2 Vision

  • Full career platform:
    • Interview preparation
    • LinkedIn optimization
    • Salary negotiation
    • Job matching

Long-Term Vision

Position getPlaced as the standard career infrastructure for African engineering graduates, with:

  • Integration into university systems
  • Partnerships with ministries of education
  • Measurable improvement in graduate employment outcomes across Africa

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