Rebrand & Integrated Candidate Experience
Experience USC
Art Direction & Design: Kandace Selnick
Creative Director: Candice Lawson
Team: USC Human Resources, Ethics, and Compliance Strategic Communications
USC Talent Acquisition underwent a visual rebrand and launched an integrated candidate experience to modernize its recruitment presence and strengthen USC’s position as a destination for professional growth. Designed to engage prospective candidates throughout the recruitment journey, the rebrand and campaign unified messaging, visual identity, and storytelling across digital, social, and recruitment touchpoints while highlighting the university’s culture, benefits, and career opportunities.
A unified recruitment marketing ecosystem was developed across the USC Careers website, university social job channels, and candidate communications, delivering a consistent employer brand experience across key candidate touchpoints. The rebrand and integrated campaign included a redesigned Careers website, recruitment brochures, social media assets, LinkedIn Life page enhancements, benefits communications, and recruitment marketing materials. By aligning messaging and design across channels, the system supported ongoing 360 recruitment campaigns and strengthened engagement throughout the candidate journey.
The rebrand and integrated campaign strengthened employer brand recognition and increased engagement across recruitment channels, contributing to a 42% increase in Apply clicks on the USC Careers website, along with increased traffic and engagement across LinkedIn Life and Jobs pages.
The USC recruitment brand system was built around the theme “Experience USC”, capturing a Southern California spirit that is vibrant, aspirational, and optimistic.
Designed to align seamlessly with the master USC brand and core university website, the system integrates expressive radial elements to symbolize community and aspiration, evoking a sense of optimism and connection. The photography direction brings this vision to life through vivid, treated imagery featuring sunny skies, warm sunsets, and subtle touches of cardinal to reinforce the core USC brand.
Creative Direction
Careers Website Redesign
As part of the broader usc.edu ecosystem and Talent Acquisition refresh, the USC Careers website was redesigned to create a more engaging and brand-forward experience for prospective employees. The site reimagined how USC communicates its culture, benefits, and career opportunities through a more cohesive visual language centered around storytelling, usability, and connection.
I helped develop a refreshed digital experience that brought the Trojan spirit to life through updated visual direction, streamlined user experience, and content designed to better reflect USC’s values, innovation, and professional community.
As the primary entry point for future employees, the site played a key role in strengthening USC’s employer brand and positioning the university as a leading place to work.
The redesign introduced a more modern and scalable web experience aligned with best practices and the broader Talent Acquisition visual system, creating greater consistency across recruitment touchpoints while improving engagement with prospective candidates.
Previous Website (2024-2025)
Recruitment Brochures Redesign
The brochures follow the overall system, with covers that showcase the “Experience USC” creative direction and reflect a vibrant, aspirational Southern California spirit. The layout is minimal and functional, featuring large imagery and bold typography, with subtle expressive elements to ensure broad applicability across departments.
