Rice Design-a-thon 2025

1. Prototype link (Please submit a link to a playable prototype, not a link to your design file) Link

2. Describe your project (max 150 words)

Choosing a career path can be overwhelming for students and young professionals who face uncertainty about their major, industry fit, or future job prospects. CareerScope was created to bridge this gap by offering a personalized, experience-driven approach to career exploration.

Our platform connects users with mentors, research opportunities, workshops, events, and shadowing experiences, allowing them to gain real-world insights from industry professionals. Additionally, CareerScope’s career quiz helps users identify potential fields aligned with their personality and strengths, providing a structured starting point for exploration.

By integrating mentorship and hands-on learning, CareerScope empowers individuals to make informed career decisions and confidently prepare for their future.

1. Describe your research process and findings. If you conducted any surveys or interviews, please include the survey form and/or interview questions here. If you conducted secondary research by pulling from online sources, please include a link to your sources. (Max 500 words)

To develop CareerScope, we first began by conducting user research to understand the career struggles of Gen Z (ages 13–28). To achieve this, we utilized both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) methods), gathering insights from a diverse group of students and young professionals. Our goal was to understand exactly what students and young professionals had trouble with in their academic, professional, and social lives. For our survey research, we designed an online questionnaire focusing on opinions on AI, social media impact career and future uncertainties, and mental health and wellbeing. We distributed the survey via Reddit, Instagram, and personal networks, ensuring broad participation from students at different stages of their career journey. The responses provided valuable data on the common struggles and expectations Gen Z has regarding career guidance. In addition to the survey, we conducted one-on-one interviews with one high school student, six college students, and one recent graduate now in the workforce. These interviews offered deeper insights into personal experiences with career uncertainty, the difficulties of finding mentorship, and the effectiveness of AI-driven career exploration tools. Many participants expressed frustration with generic career advice and emphasized the importance of hands-on experiences such as job shadowing, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Our findings revealed that 72.3% of survey respondents were unsure about their career path or wanted to explore more, while 65% reported lacking access to mentorship opportunities. Additionally, 69% preferred human advice over AI tools. The interviewees echoed these concerns, highlighting that career decisions often feel overwhelming due to a lack of tailored guidance and real-world exposure. These insights played a crucial role in shaping CareerScope. To address these challenges, our platform emphasizes personalized career recommendations, mentorship connections, research opportunities, workshops, and shadowing experiences. By integrating both AI-driven guidance and human mentorship, CareerScope aims to empower students and young professionals to explore career paths with greater confidence and clarity.

📌 Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OA2JwqGSO9ETpCjVqsZ0pWfCgZMVorD5lKqSo1gen9k/edit#responses

📌 Survey Questions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19iqmNp38KcyGRpv0D7S5KU5RNUS0Con_BRhOl47VJns/edit?usp=sharing

1. Describe your most important design decisions. What research findings and/or user testing results led you to make these decisions? (Max 500 words)

Our most important design decisions were based on research findings that highlighted two key struggles: self-help and career clarity. When choosing what the app features were going to be, we decided to focus on creating career clarity. Users expressed a strong desire for personalized career guidance and a structured roadmap outlining the exact steps to enter a specific profession, such as how they can become an x career professional (ex: how to become a UX designer). To address these needs, we prioritized creating a comprehensive career index, a roadmap feature, and user-generated career insights. One major issue users faced was a lack of awareness of the full range of career options. We first thought of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which offers a career index, but it only covers broad categories, missing many niche professions. Since 72.3% of respondents felt they lacked sufficient knowledge of career options, we designed a constantly evolving index that updates based on user input. As working professionals share their job titles and experiences, new careers get added, ensuring the platform includes even the most niche careers. We also included a career quiz that users can take to help them narrow down career choices in case they are uncertain about what the right career for them is. Another critical feature is the step-by-step career roadmap. Respondents wanted clear guidance on how to become a professional in a specific field. We decided to create a feature where users can read what real working professionals posted under each specific job category including salary, education, location, and career journey. Our research also showed that the majority of respondents preferred human input over AI career assessments. To integrate real-world insights, we developed a community-driven feature where professionals share their career journeys. Users can read firsthand accounts, including salary details, education level, and time spent in the field, with date stamps to ensure relevance. Popular posts are surfaced through an upvoting system, similar to Reddit, enhancing discoverability and engagement. Additionally, we recognized the importance of networking. 58.6% of respondents wanted opportunities to connect with professionals, so we introduced a networking tab where they can find and share industry events. Users can also directly message professionals who have created posts about their career experiences, fostering mentorship and real-world connections. Ultimately, our design decisions were shaped by user feedback emphasizing clarity, personalization, and real-world insights. By blending structured guidance with community-driven content, we aim to provide a dynamic, user-focused career exploration experience.

Built With

• figma