A recruitment website with video turned into ASCII art

Objective

Two kinds of visitors

The site gets employers looking to hire and candidates looking for work, and they want to know different things. Doghouse also wanted a look that suits a tech agency, and the site had to be fast and work well on every screen.

Approach

A separate route for each visitor

On the homepage you choose right away whether you're hiring or job hunting, and from there the next step is always clear. I locked the layout, so the design holds up no matter who edits the site. The team changes copy, images and jobs themselves.

Execution

Video as ASCII art

The most recognisable part of the site is a WebGL system I wrote from scratch. It turns video into ASCII characters, in a random shape or a set pattern. The animation plays on a loop and doesn't react to the mouse. It had to feel calm and cinematic, not like a toy. I used no libraries for it, so it stays a small piece of code.

Build

The site is built in Next.js from components that can be reused as new pages get added. The animation sits behind the text, never in front of it. Everything works the same on mobile, tablet and desktop.

CMS and job listings

The team edits all copy and images in DatoCMS and posts new jobs there too. Candidates apply through a short form, and the application arrives by email with the contact person for that role.

SEO, tracking and launch

The SEO basics were in place from launch, and pages look right when shared. Google Tag Manager shows Doghouse how visitors use the site. Every code change goes to Vercel through an automated pipeline.

Result

A calm site with its own face

Doghouse now has a site that shows they know tech, without getting busy. Employers and candidates each find their own route, and the team runs the site themselves after launch.