About the Project
Inspiration
As a student navigating the job market, I noticed how frustrating it is when “entry-level” roles require 3–5 years of experience. This creates unnecessary barriers for graduates and young professionals who are eager to start their careers. The inspiration for LaunchPad came from that frustration, I wanted to build something that makes the job search fairer, faster, and less stressful and strictly for true entry level jobs .
How We Built It
Frontend & Logic: Streamlit was chosen for its speed and simplicity. It let us focus on the user experience and impact, instead of boilerplate. For hackathon, this would create a prototype within the short time constraint I had. Data: A lightweight CSV dataset with a mix of real LinkedIn postings and dummy jobs powers the search. Filtering: Jobs are restricted to those requiring 0–2 years of experience. Additional filtering allows keyword search. UI/UX: Custom HTML + CSS styled the interface into a polished, judge-ready product: Hero header with branding. White content card with tagline and quick filters. Search bar styled like Google’s. Result cards with badges and Apply buttons.
What We Learned
This was my first time using streamlit normally I would use APIs from job apps like; Linkedin and indeed but i faced a time strain which led me to learn how to prototype fast with Streamlit while still making it look professional with custom CSS. The importance of clear UI hierarchy ; spacing, colors, and badges make a big difference. How to combine dummy data + real job postings to create a convincing demo for judges. That even small touches (chips, hover effects, footer) help a hackathon project stand out.
Challenges We Faced
Technical: Python 3.13 caused dependency issues with pandas/streamlit, solved by pinning versions in requirements.txt. Design: Balancing speed vs. polish. I had to iterate quickly on the UI (background colors, spacing, banded layout) to reach a professional look. Time: With only hours left before the deadline, I had to prioritize demo polish and storytelling over advanced technical features.
What’s Next
Expand beyond CSV to pull in live jobs via APIs. Add filters for industry, location, and remote/hybrid. Build a recommendation system for grads (skills → jobs). Turn LaunchPad into a portfolio piece and expand its reach to help students globally.
⚡ Built for Zero Boundaries Hackathon — Social Good Track.
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