Diagnostic Case: Drop in Job Applications

Context

You are a data scientist at a large job‑search platform. The primary metric "job applications submitted per day" has declined noticeably compared to recent baselines.

Task

Provide a structured plan to diagnose the decline:

1. Full-funnel approach: How would you systematically break down the problem across the seeker-to-application funnel?
2. KPIs to inspect: Which upstream and downstream metrics would you examine at each funnel stage?
3. External vs. product causes: How would you separate seasonality/macro effects from product or operational issues?
4. Demand–supply balance: What analyses would you run to assess equilibrium between job postings (supply) and job seekers (demand)?
5. Segmentation: How would you segment (platform, user type, geography, job category, etc.) to localize the issue?

Hints: Consider time-series baselines, funnel drop-off, supply/demand ratios, cohort and geo splits, and external benchmarks.