Over the last few days, I have been building a new project called HireFlowAI.
This project is important to me for two reasons. First, I genuinely think it solves a more realistic and modern problem than the usual portfolio projects people used to build. Second, and maybe more importantly for me personally, it is also one of the projects from the list I set for myself as part of my 2026 portfolio roadmap.
So in a very direct way, this means one project from that list is now done.
That matters to me more than just “finishing another app.” A while ago, I shared that I wanted to stop thinking randomly about what to build and instead commit to a clear set of projects that could both strengthen my portfolio and push me closer to the kind of builder I want to become. HireFlowAI was one of those ideas, and now it is no longer just a note on a list. It is something real, something built, and something I can improve further.
The core idea behind HireFlowAI was clear from the beginning: build a tool that helps people create stronger first drafts for real job applications. Instead of making another generic AI wrapper or a flashy demo with no real depth, I wanted to create something more grounded and more useful. The user provides a job description and their current resume or background, and the app generates a clearer professional summary, matched skills, missing areas, and a more focused cover letter draft.
What mattered most to me while building it was not just generating output, but creating a workflow that stays connected to the user’s actual experience. I did not want the product to feel like one of those tools that invents credentials or creates fake confidence. I wanted it to help people present themselves better without losing credibility. That idea became one of the main principles of the project: better positioning without fake details.
During the process, I also realized again that building a useful product is not only about getting the functionality to work. A lot of the challenge was in the product decisions themselves. The first versions were technically functional, but they looked too much like the kind of AI-generated interfaces that are everywhere right now. Too many cards, too much visual noise, too much “look, this is an AI app.” It worked, but it did not feel convincing enough.
Because of that, I kept refining the project until it started to feel more intentional. The structure evolved into two separate pages: a proper landing page for introducing the product, and a dedicated workspace for the actual usage flow. That change made a huge difference. It pushed the project away from being a one-page demo and closer to feeling like a real early-stage product.
I also wanted the workflow itself to feel more realistic. That is why the project was shaped around actual usage patterns like comparing a real role brief against a real background, supporting structured output, and thinking about usability beyond just text generation. For me, those details are what make a project more serious. They are also the reason I believe projects like this matter much more today than the old “calculator, todo app, weather app” type of portfolio pieces.
HireFlowAI is also a reminder of why I made that 2026 list in the first place. I wanted projects that would not only look better in a portfolio, but also force me to grow through the process of building them. This one did exactly that. It pushed me to think about product structure, trust, design direction, workflow clarity, and how AI can be used in a way that feels actually useful rather than decorative.
So yes, this post is partly about the project itself, but it is also about progress.
One of the projects from my 2026 roadmap is now completed. One idea from the list has moved into the real world. And that matters, because it makes the whole roadmap feel less like a plan and more like momentum.
There is still a lot to improve, and I do not see this project as something frozen or finished forever. But getting it built is already an important step for me. It means the list is moving. It means the direction is becoming real. And it gives me even more motivation to keep going and turn the next ideas into actual products too.