This case study features Kirill Lazarev, an alumni of Business and Computer Science at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. It details the struggles Kirill encountered during his job search and how Winterview helped simplify the process, providing the tools he needed to apply confidently and effectively for positions.
01
Challenges at a Glance
Kirill encountered several challenges when submitting job applications:
Difficulty in deciding what content to put on his resume for each application
Challenges in self confidence and constantly second-guessing himself
Spending too much time on customizing applications, lowering his overall productivity
Empower your candidates to succeed, just like Kirill
Overthinking: The Struggle to Perfect Every Application
Kirill faced challenges in deciding which of his experiences were most relevant to each job posting and how to present them effectively. This led to a lengthy, often frustrating process of tailoring each resume and cover letter. He frequently second-guessed himself, reworking his applications and undoing progress, which only added to the frustration.
The time and energy required for this constant tailoring held him back from applying to as many positions as he needed to maximize his chances. With each resume taking so long to perfect, Kirill could only submit a handful of applications each week, significantly limiting his opportunities to secure interviews.
Kirill's typical Thursday
03
The Catalyst: Finding a Balance
Kirill quickly realized he needed a more efficient way to manage his job applications. With school, side projects, and applications all competing for his time, the constant reworking of his resumes was becoming unsustainable. His daily routine was taking a hit, and that’s when Winterview caught his attention. Seeing the potential to streamline his process, Kirill signed up as a tester.
Kirill's indecisiveness when it came to his resume was costing him time
“I have a broad range of experience, but I don’t have much time. I found myself spending 30-55 minutes tailoring each job application, which really limited how many I could send out each week. Sometimes I’d spend even longer, only to second-guess myself and undo the changes, which was really frustrating.”
Kirill Lazarev
Now SWE at Mastercard
04
Transforming the Job Application Process: Tailored Resumes, Confident Applications
Winterview helped Kirill streamline his job application process by identifying the most relevant experiences for each posting and removing unnecessary details. With professionally tailored resumes and cover letters that aligned with each job, he no longer wasted time second-guessing his choices. Winterview’s clear structure and process gave him the confidence to focus on submitting applications efficiently. The Resume to Job Tailoring and Cover Letter Tailoring features were instrumental in transforming his workflow.
Now, Kirill spends significantly less time customizing his applications while ensuring they showcase his strongest skills. With a more streamlined approach, he applies to more positions without the frustration of constant revisions, making him more productive and confident in his job search.
“Winterview helped me quickly identify and professionally present my most relevant experiences for each job. The process became more efficient, which saved me a huge amount of time and prevented me from overthinking every little change. Now, I can confidently submit applications that stand out.”
Kirill Lazarev
Now SWE at Mastercard
05
User Impact at a Glance
After using Winterview, Kirill experienced the following improvements in his job search process:
Less stress when applying to jobs: Winterview simplified the process, allowing Kirill to focus on applying without feeling overwhelmed
More efficient application process: The structured approach helped Kirill tailor each resume quickly and effectively for specific job postings
Greater confidence during interviews: With tailored applications, Kirill felt more prepared and confident discussing his relevant skills in interviews
Saved significant time on applications, allowing him to apply for more jobs: By streamlining the application process, Kirill could apply to more positions in less time
How we stack up to the competition
“Jobscan was similar to VMock. The resume score was all about keywords, not relevance. I could add several suggested skills, and the score would go up even though the resume wasn’t improving. The interface was cluttered, and their tailoring feature was just a basic parsing tool.”
