Inspiration
This idea was made from our anxiety about the unemployment rate in Indonesia which reached 5.45%, making Indonesia the country with the second highest average unemployment in ASEAN. Challenges in the labor market can be seen when BPS reports that in 2023 there are 1,819,830 million people who are still looking for work. However, only a few of them manage to get a job that meets their expectations. This is an important indicator in the context of achieving sustainable development target (SDGs) number 8, which is related to decent work and economic growth.
This unemployment occurs mostly among high school and vocational school graduates, with the Open Unemployment Rate (TPT) at 8.41% of the total TPT in February 2023. This shows that many graduates from the secondary education level are not absorbed in the job market because they lack the relevant portfolios or skills required by the industry. Unemployment at the higher education level is also quite significant, with TPT at 5.59%. Despite having a degree, many graduates may not have the relevant portfolio or experience to meet the requirements of the job they are applying for. We found that the cause of job seekers' failure to get a job is failure in job interviews and CV making that is lacking or even not in accordance with industry regulations. Failure in job interviews is a major obstacle for job seekers, especially recent graduates who do not have much experience. Lack of preparation, such as knowledge of the company or position being applied for, as well as weak communication and body language skills, are some of the contributing factors. Making a CV that is not in accordance with industry regulations can also make job seekers fail in the administrative selection. In addition, problems related to the skill capabilities of new graduates are also a problem because of confusion in making projects that suit the needs of the current industry.
We created a digital platform in the form of a mobile application that we named "IMPROOVE". The name Improove was taken because it means "Improving," where on this platform users will improve the quality of both in making CVs to comply with industry regulations, increasing readiness to face job interviews, and improving skills by working on real project simulations according to industry needs.
What it does
IMPROOVE is equipped with features that support to overcome these problems. In using the IMPROOVE application, users will register an account and log in first and make profiling settings according to the user's desired job interests. Then, IMPROOVE will provide recommendations - project simulation recommendations that are in accordance with the account profile settings that have been made. Then, the user will choose one of the projects. After the user chooses one of the projects, IMPROOVE will display the project details that have been selected. The project details displayed are project description, required skills, project review, and project rating. Next, the user will apply the project. In this project application, there are 3 stages, namely ATS CV screening with AI, Interview Simulation with AI, and working on project simulations. After the user passes and completes the 3 stages, the user will submit the project simulation work, and get feedback on the results of the work from a trusted mentor. In addition, after getting feedback on project work, users can claim a certificate as proof that they have completed the project work.
How we built it
In making the "IMPROOVE" application, we went through several stages, namely Plan, Design, and Implementation. At the plan stage, we brainstormed applications with the SCQ Analysis framework which at that time we were more focused on analysing problems related to unemployment in Indonesia and came up with an idea that we named Improove. After getting the idea, we determined the functional requirements of the application which we then proceeded to create the application design by considering the ease of application users, professional design, and the sustainability of application functionality. In terms of technology, we utilised various latest technologies to create our innovative solution. Using the flutter framework as a cross-platform front-end allowed us to create the improvised app interface faster, and the output UI provided by flutter matched the app UI design we had planned. On the back-end, we used Dart which is the programming language that makes up the flutter framework as the application logic and Node JS which is used to create APIs, integrate databases, and function as an application server manager. In terms of database, we use firebase because it is quite easy to use because it has many plug-in database models that make it easier for us to create the IMPROOVE application. In the AI interview feature, we use speech to text technology where the documentation is taken from darts and integrated with AI technology.
Challenges we ran into
In making an application, of course, there are several obstacles experienced including in making the "IMPROOVE" application itself. We as application developers experience several challenges in implementing the application design made so that it can run according to the functionality that should be so that we have to communicate with each other between the designers and application developers so that the application can be implemented according to its functionality. The next thing that became a challenge in developing this application was integrating AI technology in the AI-Interview feature, and AI-CV Screening. Therefore, we try to simplify the functionality and technology used in our application so that we can still create an application whose functionality can still be felt by users later.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Despite all the challenges we experienced, we are proud of what we achieved during the hackathon. Our team succeeded in creating an application that users can benefit from later in helping to create CVs that are in accordance with current industry requirements, prepare for job interviews, and improve skill capabilities by working on real project simulations according to industry needs.
What we learned
During the process of developing the IMPROOVE app, we learnt many valuable lessons that will be very useful. One of the main lessons is that integrating AI technology provides many challenges but also opportunities. We learnt about the use of speech-to-text and how to integrate AI for CV screening and interview simulation, which improved our technical skills in AI-based application development. In addition, we also learnt about soft skills. We learnt how to brainstorm effectively, how to communicate effectively between individuals, and of course how to manage time in making this application.
What's next for IMPROOVE: Mobile-based apps to help in applying for jobs
Going forward, we have several plans to further develop IMPROOVE. We will continue to develop and improve AI features for CV screening and interview simulation, including increased accuracy and the ability to provide more detailed feedback. We will also integrate additional learning platforms that will help users improve their skills with courses and materials that are relevant to current industry needs. In addition, we will establish a community of users within the app to share experiences, tips and support. This will create a richer ecosystem and support each other in finding jobs.
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