Challenge
Connecting job seekers and job posters effectively.
Belgium's labour market presents a striking paradox: while more than half a million job vacancies remain unfilled, hundreds of thousands of Belgians are without work.
The root cause? Traditional recruitment platforms still approach job seekers in conventional fashion, while today's society is everything but traditional with many young professionals, vulnerable minority groups, an increasing number of non-native speakers, and those over 45 y.o. often abandoning their job search quite quickly.
The résumé-based model of these traditional channels, built for a different era, creates friction where fluidity is needed.
Enter Made.
Impact
A social, visual and AI-driven app that redefines job hunting for once and for all.
BeJobs is a mobile-first platform that transforms job hunting into a social media experience. Instead of static job boards and PDF uploads, users create a personal profile, explore opportunities through an intuitive feed, similar to Instagram or TikTok, and connect directly with employers.
The platform specifically targets operational and technical profiles such as construction workers, technicians, agricultural workers, cleaners, warehouse staff, drivers, hospitality workers, and healthcare providers. These are often difficult positions to fill, yet they represent a critical segment of the workforce that traditional platforms struggle to serve effectively.
At launch on November 4 (2025), BeJobs connected via API to VDAB, Belgium's most prominent public employment service, automatically populating the platform with over 40,000 active vacancies from day one. The app launched in Dutch, French, German, English, Polish, and Ukrainian, with Spanish and Turkish following soon after, dramatically expanding access for non-native speakers who struggle with traditional platforms.
Approach
From strategy to platform development.
Made partnered with founders Steven Teughels and David Andries to bring BeJobs from initial idea to the app store. The collaboration spanned strategy, brand development, UX design, and full technical development.
Defining the strategy. The first step involved validating the market opportunity and positioning BeJobs within Belgium's fragmented recruitment landscape. Research confirmed that existing platforms weren't reaching large segments of potential workers, particularly those uncomfortable with traditional application processes. This insight shaped every subsequent decision: BeJobs would not compete on the same terms as conventional platforms, but redefine how people and opportunities connect.
Creating the brand identity. BeJobs needed to feel approachable, modern, and distinctly human. The visual identity and brand language were designed to break away from corporate recruitment aesthetics and resonate with a broader, more diverse audience, including those who had previously felt excluded from the job market.
Designing the experience. Our UX team built an interface modelled on the familiarity of social media. Each user receives a personalised job feed tailored to their profile. Video content and image-enriched company profiles replace dense job descriptions. Users can opt for avatars instead of personal photos, reducing bias and promoting more inclusive hiring practices while retaining control over when to reveal their identity. Interactive maps show job locations, giving users a clear overview of opportunities in their area, particularly valuable for those seeking work close to home.
Developing the platform. Our development team built the application from the ground up, integrating an AI engine that matches talent based on motivation and potential rather than qualifications alone. Push notifications deliver relevant matches in real time, increasing speed and quality while reducing time-to-hire. The API connection with VDAB ensured the platform launched with substantial vacancy volume, avoiding the cold-start problem that often hampers new marketplace entrants.
