Hello! I'm Marcus, a Senior Product Designer, and I love building software for people who already have enough on their plate.
Hello! I'm Marcus, a Senior Product Designer, and I love building software for people who already have enough on their plate.
Hello! I'm Marcus, a Senior Product Designer, and I love building software for people who already have enough on their plate.
Selected works
Selected works
Sep. 22–Jun. 26
Sep. 22–Jun. 26
Senior Product Designer
PowerUs
Senior Product Designer
PowerUs
From Sales-Led to Self-Serve:
Redesigning a Neglected B2B Product for Growth
From Sales-Led to Self-Serve:
Redesigning a Neglected B2B Product for Growth
PowerUs is a specialized job platform start-up in Germany, helping 1.100+ blue-collar businesses hire skilled labour during a nationwide shortage. For 250.000+ workers it offers a platform built for their needs, making it super-easy to find a matching job and apply without effort.
I joined the Design team 2022 as a working student for the design system, and later transitioned into the Product Designer role, working on B2C product. Gaining more experience, I was then put in charge for the Design & Experience of the entire B2B product, which led to my promotion to Senior in 2026.
The company was looking for product-market fit in the SMB segment, a group with very different needs than our large business customers. My main focus was the shift from sales-led approaches to a fully self-serve product. For companies, getting started took two calls, one for the demo, one for onboarding, where someone explained what the product could have explained itself. Neither paid off at SMB contract sizes; that's why a significant change was needed.
PowerUs is a specialized job platform start-up in Germany, helping 1.100+ blue-collar businesses hire skilled labour during a nationwide shortage. For 250.000+ workers it offers a platform built for their needs, making it super-easy to find a matching job and apply without effort.
I joined the Design team 2022 as a working student for the design system, and later transitioned into the Product Designer role, working on B2C product. Gaining more experience, I was then put in charge for the Design & Experience of the entire B2B product, which led to my promotion to Senior in 2026.
The company was looking for product-market fit in the SMB segment, a group with very different needs than our large business customers. My main focus was the shift from sales-led approaches to a fully self-serve product. For companies, getting started took two calls, one for the demo, one for onboarding, where someone explained what the product could have explained itself. Neither paid off at SMB contract sizes; that's why a significant change was needed.
PowerUs is a specialized job platform start-up in Germany, helping 1,100+ blue-collar businesses hire skilled labour during a nationwide shortage. For 250,000+ workers it offers a platform built for their needs, making it super-easy to find a matching job and apply without effort.
I joined the Design team 2022 as a working student for the design system, and later transitioned into the Product Designer role, working on B2C product. Gaining more experience, I was then put in charge of the Design & Experience of the entire B2B product, which led to my promotion to Senior in 2026.
The company was looking for product-market fit in the SMB segment, a group with very different needs than our large business customers. My main focus was the shift from sales-led approaches to a fully self-serve product. For companies, getting started took two calls, one for the demo, one for onboarding, where someone explained what the product could have explained itself. Neither paid off at SMB contract sizes; that's why a significant change was needed.
Establishing & Scaling Self-Serve
Establishing & Scaling Self-Serve
I established the self-serve foundation and continued to expand and improve it. SMB companies now independently sign-up, onboard, publish a job, track the posting’s performance or buy more visibility.
I established the self-serve foundation and continued to expand and improve it. SMB companies now independently sign-up, onboard, publish a job, track the posting’s performance or buy more visibility.
I redesigned the workflow for creating job postings, the key page in the SMB acquisition flow, from a long form into a mobile-friendly funnel, increasing the completion rates by 35%.
I redesigned the workflow for creating job postings, the key page in the SMB acquisition flow, from a long form into a mobile-friendly funnel, increasing the completion rates by 35%.
Turning a Contact Form Into a Reason to Talk
Turning a Contact Form Into a Reason to Talk
For larger businesses we kept a sales-supported path,
where the goal was more prospects in a demo and sales on the right leads.
For larger businesses we kept a sales-supported path,
where the goal was more prospects in a demo and sales on the right leads.
The redesigned sign-up flow for larger businesses doubled appointment bookings. Instead of a plain contact form, they can now check for matching candidates in their area first, which leads into the full potential check and the contract discussion with sales.
The redesigned sign-up flow for larger businesses doubled appointment bookings. Instead of a plain contact form, they can now check for matching candidates in their area first, which leads into the full potential check and the contract discussion with sales.
Helping Small Businesses Write Competitive Job Postings
Helping Small Businesses Write Competitive Job Postings
SMBs with little recruiting experience often struggle to attract applicants.
Role-specific salary recommendations, guided benefit selection and AI support on the free-text fields turn our market data into a posting that competes with what larger companies put out.
SMBs with little recruiting experience often struggle to attract applicants.
Role-specific salary recommendations, guided benefit selection and AI support on the free-text fields turn our market data into a posting that competes with what larger companies put out.
Design System × B2B Platform Overhaul
Design System × B2B Platform Overhaul
The B2B product had no consistent design system, poor accessibility and no responsive layout (left side). Rebuilding it end to end let me (right side) improve the flows underneath, from creating a job posting to managing applications, and finally made room for one of our most requested feature in years: a mobile companion version.
The B2B product had no consistent design system, poor accessibility and no responsive layout (left side). Rebuilding it end to end let me (right side) improve the flows underneath, from creating a job posting to managing applications, and finally made room for one of our most requested feature in years: a mobile companion version.
After
Before
The mobile companion version led to 2.8x more messages to applicants. Companies can now review and answer applications from a job site or a van, which is where most of them actually spend their day.
The mobile companion version led to 2.8x more messages to applicants. Companies can now review and answer applications from a job site or a van, which is where most of them actually spend their day.
Recommendations
Recommendations
‘Marcus has a sharp eye for elegant design and a knack for taking projects others might see as boring or routine and turning them into thoughtful, exciting pieces of work. He's raised the quality bar for the whole team, and he's comfortable getting closer to the code. There's a genuine love for software design in his work, and that's something I value highly.’
‘Marcus has a sharp eye for elegant design and a knack for taking projects others might see as boring or routine and turning them into thoughtful, exciting pieces of work. He's raised the quality bar for the whole team, and he's comfortable getting closer to the code. There's a genuine love for software design in his work, and that's something I value highly.’
‘Marcus consistently delivers high quality work that has led to an outstanding UX in our product, often acknowledged by our users. He does this as a true team player, collaborating closely with me as a product manager and with the engineers. What stands out is how naturally he goes beyond classic design work, from product strategy and prioritisation to driving product marketing forward.’
‘Marcus consistently delivers high quality work that has led to an outstanding UX in our product, often acknowledged by our users. He does this as a true team player, collaborating closely with me as a product manager and with the engineers. What stands out is how naturally he goes beyond classic design work, from product strategy and prioritisation to driving product marketing forward.’
Sep. 22–Jan. 23
Sep. 22–Jan. 23
Bachelor Thesis ‘BAföG Jetzt’
UAS Potsdam
Bachelor Thesis
‘BAföG Jetzt’
UAS Potsdam
Bachelor Thesis ‘BAföG Jetzt’
UAS Potsdam
Helping Students Navigate German Student Financial Aid Program With More Accessible, User-Friendly Design
Helping Students Navigate German Student Financial Aid Program With More Accessible, User-Friendly Design
In my Bachelor's thesis I focused on how bureaucratic processes—like the German Student Financial Aid program (BAföG)—can be simplified to make the application process more accessible and thereby make higher education more accessible, especially to low-income households. In 2020, the application process had not yet been digitized and was infamously complicated and time-consuming. One of the reasons why the number of applications for BAföG had been declining for years. A survey with 30 students revealed the key problems: uncertainty whether they were even eligible for BAföG, inaccessible bureaucratic language, unknown funding calculations and missing support throughout the process.
My goal was to mitigate those issues by creating a concept for a digital, user-centric platform with features like an eligibility check, a guided step-by-step application process, and the ability to track the application and manage funding throughout their studies, including annual renewals or other changes.
In the end I found that digitising the application process and making it more accessible is only one part of the solution. The underlying policies and structural processes of applying for BAföG tend to be impractical and disconnected from reality. I had to realize that as a designer there is only so much I can do to improve a flawed process. Ideally, I would need to go beyond visuals and user experience to help reshape systems like these at a structural level.
In my Bachelor's thesis I focused on how bureaucratic processes—like the German Student Financial Aid program (BAföG)—can be simplified to make the application process more accessible and thereby make higher education more accessible, especially to low-income households. In 2020, the application process had not yet been digitized and was infamously complicated and time-consuming. One of the reasons why the number of applications for BAföG had been declining for years. A survey with 30 students revealed the key problems: uncertainty whether they were even eligible for BAföG, inaccessible bureaucratic language, unknown funding calculations and missing support throughout the process.
My goal was to mitigate those issues by creating a concept for a digital, user-centric platform with features like an eligibility check, a guided step-by-step application process, and the ability to track the application and manage funding throughout their studies, including annual renewals or other changes.
In the end I found that digitising the application process and making it more accessible is only one part of the solution. The underlying policies and structural processes of applying for BAföG tend to be impractical and disconnected from reality. I had to realize that as a designer there is only so much I can do to improve a flawed process. Ideally, I would need to go beyond visuals and user experience to help reshape systems like these at a structural level.
After
Before
Instead of huge forms files (left side) with information might not relevant for you, increasing your cognitive load, you see only questions necessary for your case, asked step by step (right side).
Instead of huge forms files (left side) with information might not relevant for you, increasing your cognitive load, you see only questions necessary for your case, asked step by step (right side).
This user flow shows part of the eligibility check. At the end of the check, users can continue straight to filling out an application, carrying over the information they entered during the check.
This user flow shows part of the eligibility check. At the end of the check, users can continue straight to filling out an application, carrying over the information they entered during the check.
The landing page highlights the three key actions: Eligibility check, application process and managing the application.
The landing page highlights the three key actions: Eligibility check, application process and managing the application.
Students have one place for everything related to their BAföG application—viewing status, updating information, and contacting the corresponding departments.
Students have one place for everything related to their BAföG application—viewing status, updating information, and contacting the corresponding departments.
About
About
The projects that matter most to me are those focusing on making someone's life easier. For example, a student spending valuable time and energy on applying for and worrying about financial aid instead of focusing on studying. Or a small business trying to hire much needed skilled labour without a professional recruiting team. In both cases, users are in need of support every step of the way.
When I'm not designing, I like to watch documentaries, play indie games, and read books on history and culture that explain how things ended up the way they are. And when I'm not inside, I'm exploring Leipzig's parks and lakes by bike or heading out on a hike.
The projects that matter most to me are those focusing on making someone's life easier. For example, a student spending valuable time and energy on applying for and worrying about financial aid instead of focusing on studying. Or a small business trying to hire much needed skilled labour without a professional recruiting team. In both cases, users are in need of support every step of the way.
When I'm not designing, I like to watch documentaries, play indie games, and read books on history and culture that explain how things ended up the way they are. And when I'm not inside, I'm exploring Leipzig's parks and lakes by bike or heading out on a hike.
Experience
Experience
