Challenge

An Integrated Conversion System for The Ladders

Ladders’ funnel was fragmented—registration, resume upload, re-engagement emails, and subscription checkout each operated in isolation. Users dropped off, ignored prompts, or abandoned upgrades, and retention suffered as a result.

I stepped in to connect these flows into a cohesive journey. Partnering with product and engineering, I streamlined registration to cut abandonment, introduced the Resume Performance Report to re‑engage users, and simplified checkout to reduce hesitation. Together, these changes unified the funnel and drove measurable lifts in completion and retention.

Role: Product Designer (owned registration, resume upload, re-engagement flows)
Timeline: 10 months (iterative sprints; delivered to launch)
Team: Product, Engineering, Marketing/CRM (close partnership on email + data)
Constraints: Fragmented entry points, legacy sign-up stack, SEO-driven join page, cross-device handoffs
Outcomes: +45% increase in sign-up completion, 60% drop-off reduction, and a 22.3% email open rate

Impact at Launch

+45% sign-up completion

Streamlined form layout and validation improved completion, especially on mobile.

60% reduction in drop-off

Simplified steps and error messaging reduced friction at paywall.

22.3% open rate

(48% above benchmark) Redesigned email layout and subject lines increased engagement.

How we got there: my focus was on keeping momentum when things went right—and reducing frustration when they didn’t (abandoned registrations, incomplete uploads, ignored emails).

Challenges

Ladders had multiple fragmented user journeys—sign-up, resume upload, and job alert setup—each owned by different teams. Design debt had accumulated over time, and critical flows weren’t consistently tracked or prioritized. Meanwhile, marketing leaned heavily on performance emails to drive engagement, but inconsistent design and unclear value propositions weakened conversion. The challenge was to unify registration and resume upload into a clear, value-driven experience that reduced drop-off and created stronger re-engagement loops.

Approach

I partnered with product and engineering to simplify entry points and unify the experience across web, mobile, and email. I mapped success and failure states for registration, upload, and re-engagement, then redesigned flows to reduce friction and reinforce value at each step. I reframed resume upload as progress rather than a barrier, ensuring users felt momentum early. To strengthen re-engagement, I introduced a new feature—the Resume Performance Report—delivered as part of email summaries, giving users a personalized insight and a clear reason to return.

Results

The redesigned flows delivered significant gains in conversion and retention. Simplified registration cut drop-off by 60%, and reframing resume upload as progress boosted sign-up completion by 45%. Post-launch, the new Resume Performance Report email I introduced achieved a 22.3% open rate, 48% above benchmark, making it one of the company’s most effective re-engagement campaigns. Beyond the numbers, the work created a repeatable model for streamlining flows and showed the value of introducing personalized features that bridged product and marketing.

Lessons Learned

01
One key lesson was the importance of designing consistently across fragmented entry points—ensuring web, mobile, and email experiences reinforced the same value proposition.
02
Another insight was how reframing resume upload as progress instead of friction motivated users to complete sign-up and improved overall conversion.
03
Finally, I recognized the value of introducing features that extend engagement—such as the Resume Performance Report, which personalized re-engagement and created long-term value.

Designing flows across registration, upload, and re-engagement

I collaborated with product and engineering to map success and failure states across three critical stages—registration, resume upload, and re-engagement—and designed UI responses that reduced friction and kept users moving forward.

Register

SuccessAccount created → Guided directly to resume upload
FailRegistration abandoned → Resume progress saved on return

Upload Resume

SuccessUpload complete → Personalized dashboard unlocked
FailUpload interrupted/incomplete → Retry prompt surfaced

Re-engage (Email)

SuccessUser opens Resume Performance Report → Returns to dashboard
FailEmail ignored → Automated follow-up reminder triggered

I led design on three critical flows

I led design on Registration, Resume Upload, Re-engagement, and Checkout. My work included wireframes, interaction design, and content hierarchy, along with iterative Figma handoff during Agile sprints to align product, design, and engineering.

The Ladders flows mockup — The job search results acted as the first point of engagement, surfacing opportunities that encouraged users to continue deeper. From here, the flows I designed—registration, resume upload, and re-engagement—converted interest into sustained activity.

Job Search Results: Setting the Stage

Goal: Highlight high-value opportunities quickly while reducing friction in job discovery.
Change: Streamlined results layout, added salary + company metadata, and a persistent “Easy Apply” CTA.
Outcome: Increased clicks into job details and smoother transition to registration.

Job search results mockup — I simplified registration into fewer steps with clear progress cues, helping users get started quickly and guiding them straight to resume upload while intent was highest.

Registration + Onboarding Flow

Goal: Reduce drop-off at registration and guide users smoothly into resume upload.
Change: Trimmed entry steps, simplified form, and added progress indicators to maintain momentum.
Outcome: Higher registration completion rates and more users reaching resume upload stage.

Resume Performance Report email mockup — I introduced the Resume Performance Report email to re-engage users after sign-up, using personalized insights and a streamlined design to drive them back to the platform.

Re-engagement (Resume Performance Report)

Goal: Re-engage users post sign-up with a personalized reason to return.
Change: Designed the Resume Performance Report with tailored insights, simplified layout, and a single CTA driving users to the dashboard.
Outcome: Achieved a 22.3% open rate (48% above benchmark), making it the most effective re-engagement driver.

Checkout and subscription mockup — I reduced hesitation at checkout by placing pricing and reassurance copy alongside the CTA, minimizing fields, and validating inputs inline.

Checkout + Subscription Conversion

Goal: Improve subscription conversion by reducing hesitation at the paywall.
Change: Placed plan details next to the CTA, minimized form fields, and added inline validation + reassurance copy (billing, cancel anytime).
Outcome: Lowered checkout abandonment and improved subscription sign-ups.