| Last month, we launched Openspot, a more human alternative to LinkedIn, designed to help job seekers stand out through short video/audio intros and storytelling prompts. Think: YC-style application, but for the real job market. We hit #1 on Hacker News and Product Hunt and got our first 200 users — early traction has been encouraging. But here’s the challenge we’re now facing:
While some power users get it immediately, they upload video bios, fill out their profiles, and have already landed interviews — the majority just keep the pre-generated profile and bounce. We built Openspot around the idea that resumes are becoming indistinguishable. With AI, every candidate “spearheaded cross-functional initiatives” and “drove impact across orgs.” It's harder than ever to tell who’s actually behind the text. Our solution is to make hiring feel more human again, letting people show who they are, not just what they've done. But now we're wondering:
How do we help more users understand that this is the point? Should we focus on educating them through better onboarding, incentives, and nudges? Or should we double down on finding more people who already “get it” without much explanation? Curious if anyone has gone through something similar — building a product that requires a behavior shift. How did you cross the chasm between early believers and the rest? Would love to hear your thoughts. |