Project Snapshot

Timeline: 9 months from concept to launch

Lifetime: early 2012 – late 2017

Traffic: Over 5,000 daily unique visitors within the first year

Registered Users: Over 200,000 in first year

Key Techniques & Tools:

Research:

Non-participant Online Ethnography

Contextual Interviews

In-Depth Interviews

Focus Groups

Personas

Usability Testing

Survey Design and Analysis

Design:

Customer Journey Mapping (CJM)

Wireframe Prototyping

Interactive Click Modelling

Information Architecture Development

Accessibility Audits

Management & Implementation:

Agile Iterations with Cross-Functional Teams

Continuous Feedback Collection from Stakeholders

Metrics-Driven Decision Making (e.g., conversion rates, time-to-hire)

Collaboration with SAP and Microsoft integration teams

Link: web.archive.org

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In 2011, I was invited to return to Russia to build a groundbreaking digital hiring platform for Sberbank, Europe’s largest retail bank. Sberbank, with over 250,000 employees spread across 18,000 branches in 17 regional banks and 11 time zones, faced a highly decentralized hiring system, with each region using its own recruiting tools. The project required a robust digital transformation to streamline hiring processes, reduce recruiter workload, and enhance the experience for applicants across the board.

Strategic Mission: User-Centric and Business-Aligned

The project had dual objectives:

1. Creating a Transparent Candidate Experience: We needed to simplify job searches for candidates, make the hiring process more transparent, and standardize job titles across regions.
2. Centralizing and Automating Recruiter Operations: By integrating with SAP, we aimed to consolidate job postings and automate applicant assessments, ensuring a consistent approach across the bank’s vast footprint.

Innovative Solutions in a Complex Environment

I led the project with a user-driven approach, focusing on research to uncover pain points for both candidates and recruiters. Our findings pointed to critical issues:

• Fragmented Job Titles: Candidates struggled to navigate disparate job names, with each regional bank having its own titles and descriptions.
• Manual Processing Overload: Recruiters faced massive volumes of applications, leading to delayed responses and high operational costs.

These insights inspired the creation of groundbreaking features:

• Barrier Metrics and Case-Based Testing: We developed a first-of-its-kind system to reduce unfit applications upfront. Candidates completed case-based tests to assess their readiness for high-volume work in the banking sector, and additional tests aligned with specific job skills. These assessments pre-screened candidates for alignment, reducing recruiter workload by over 37%.
• Preference-Based Navigation (“Big Red Button”): This tool simplified complex job hierarchies by offering applicants job suggestions based on their skills and interests. A pioneering concept, it allowed candidates to explore positions that truly suited them.
• Real-Time Status Tracking: To create transparency, we enabled candidates to track their application progress, communicate with recruiters, and securely upload documents — all within their personalized dashboards.

Rapid Execution and High-Impact Results

Working in a large bureaucratic organization posed challenges, including navigating layered decision-making and overcoming internal resistance to digital transformation. We partnered with Microsoft Russia to implement these ambitious features within a tight nine-month schedule, achieving a go-live date in November 2012.

The impact was immediate and far-reaching:

• Operational Efficiency: By automating pre-screening and centralizing application flows into SAP, we improved time-to-hire and reduced recruiter workload significantly.
• Enhanced Candidate Experience: The transparency and usability of the platform boosted applicant satisfaction and reduced early attrition, addressing high turnover during the first 90 days.
• Recognition and Influence: The platform was internationally recognized as a “hidden gem” by Bowen Craggs & Co and Financial Times, surpassing companies like Citigroup and Toyota. Its features set new industry standards in Russia, such as role-based job categorization and pre-assessment before application review.

Legacy of Sberbank Talents

The platform’s success resonated across the recruiting industry, with many of its features becoming standard practice, including the widespread adoption of pre-assessment tools and gamification. Despite rapid industry evolution, Sberbank Talents was maintained for five years before transitioning to SAP SuccessFactors, underscoring its resilience and adaptability.

Reflecting on this experience, I’m proud of how we harnessed deep research and strategic partnerships to build a solution that balanced business needs with user experience, transforming recruiting at Sberbank and setting a new benchmark in the industry.