how it works

From first attempt
to track record.

Start with a business problem, see exactly how you think, and build a record that speaks for you — step by step, at your own pace.

One business problem.
A scored shortlist.

Post a challenge your team has actually faced, define what good looks like, and see how candidates think before you ever meet them — scored against your standards, not a generic benchmark.

1
5 minutes
step 1

Sign up and choose your career path.

Create your account and complete a short onboarding about your interests, strengths, and goals. Based on what you share, loocy recommends one of three career paths — Marketing & Communications, Data & Analytics, or Strategy & Operations. You can switch at any time and nothing is lost.

Free to join — no credit card, no commitment
Your path shapes which problems are recommended to you
You can switch paths at any time without losing your submissions
2
as long as you need
step 2

Practise on business problems.

Browse the problems library and pick one that interests you. Each problem is a genuine, messy business situation drawn from real challenges — no textbook exercises, no single right answer. Read the brief, use loocy AI to help structure your thinking if you want, and write your response. We assess how you think, not what you conclude.

Start a draft, come back, refine — just submit before the window closes
No word limit — write as much or as little as you need to make your case
loocy AI is there to help you think — it won't write your answer for you
Build a track record and company-posted problems open up
loocy AI is your thinking partner. Ask it to help you structure your argument, understand the data, or review what you've written. It will push you to think more clearly — it won't think for you.
3
within minutes
step 3

Get scored and build your portfolio.

Your response is scored against a defined rubric, broken down across four dimensions, with honest feedback: what was strong, where it thinned, and what a stronger version did differently. The submission goes on your loocy portfolio as scored work.

Scored across four weighted dimensions — strategic thinking, data use, clarity, commercial realism
Every score explained — what was strong and what could be sharper
Added to your portfolio with your score — visible to companies who view your profile
Every attempt builds your capability graph
4
step 4

Unlock company problems — and get seen.

Company problems are real challenges posted by real companies and scored against their own rubric — the standards they defined themselves. Each one runs on a submission window; when it closes, every response is scored, and if yours ranks highly the company shortlists you. They've already seen your scores and strengths before they reach out. You decide whether to accept or decline every opportunity.

You're shortlisted based on merit — not your university or your connections
Every interview starts with the hiring manager already knowing you can think
Your contact details are only shared once you accept an invitation
You can decline any opportunity without it affecting your profile
The more you practise, the more your graph shows. Every attempt writes to your capability graph — four dimensions, scored over time. Once your averages clear the bar, verified skills appear on your public profile. It's a track record, not a claim — and it's yours.
1
2 minutes
step 1

Set up your company account.

Create a company account and tell us about your business — industry, size, and which team you're hiring for. That's it. You're on your dashboard and ready to post your first problem whenever you want. There's no pressure to do it immediately.

Free pilot — no contract, no credit card required
Your company details help us match problems to the right students
You can invite team members to review shortlists once you're set up
2
~30 minutes
step 2

Post a business problem and define what good looks like.

Describe a genuine business challenge — something your team has actually faced, or is currently facing. Be as specific as possible. Then complete the rubric session: six questions that define your standards. This is what makes loocy different. Your shortlist is scored against your criteria — not a generic benchmark.

The problem should be specific and genuine — the more specific, the better the signal
Choose your submission window — 7 to 30 days
The rubric takes about 15 minutes and shapes every score in your shortlist
the rubric session
Your definition of good thinking becomes the scoring standard.
We ask you six questions about what impresses you, what lets candidates down, which skills matter most for this role, and what a strong submission looks like in your own words. Your answers become the rubric loocy scores against on your behalf. A startup and a consultancy will produce completely different rubrics — and completely different shortlists.
3
nothing — we do this
step 3

Submissions arrive. We score them.

Students submit responses over your chosen window — and only students who have already completed scored practice on the platform reach your problem, so every submission comes from a candidate with a track record. loocy scores every submission against your rubric as they arrive. You can check in at any time, or simply wait for the window to close. You don't have to read anything until your shortlist is ready.

Every response scored across four criteria weighted to your rubric
Scores are fully transparent — broken down by criterion with explanatory notes
You can close the window early if you have enough strong submissions
4
after your window closes
step 4

Review your shortlist and make contact.

Your shortlist arrives ranked by score. For each candidate you see their score, a concise summary of what they did well and where they fell short, and their loocy profile — education, work experience, and their capability graph: every problem they've completed and how their scores have developed. Then you decide who to contact.

5 candidates shortlisted by default — adjustable in settings
A scored summary for every candidate — full submissions stay with the student
Contact candidates via loocy — their email is only shared once they accept
You are always the decision-maker — loocy surfaces candidates, you decide
Every interview starts differently. By the time you speak to a candidate from loocy, you've seen how they performed on a problem you care about. The first conversation is more productive because the baseline has already been established.
the scoring

Four criteria. Your standards.

Strategic thinking
Does the candidate understand the real problem — not just the surface one? Do they frame the challenge correctly before attempting to solve it? Typically weighted at 30%.
Use of data
Does the candidate use the information provided to justify their reasoning? Are conclusions grounded in evidence rather than assertion? Typically weighted at 25%.
Clarity & structure
Is the response easy to follow? Are recommendations clear and actionable? Could a busy stakeholder read this and immediately understand what's being proposed? Typically 25%.
Commercial realism
Are the recommendations achievable within the stated constraints? Does the candidate understand what's actually possible in this context — with this budget, this team, this timeline? Typically weighted at 20%.
The weightings above are typical defaults. The actual weighting of your shortlist is shaped by the priorities you set in your rubric session — what matters most to you scores highest.
ready to start

The first step is
attempting a problem.

Everything else follows from there. Your portfolio starts with your first submission. Companies start seeing you when you're on their shortlist.

get started free

The first step is
posting a problem.

Everything else follows from there. Your rubric becomes the standard, submissions arrive scored, and your shortlist is ready when the window closes.

book a pilot call

Common questions

For anything else, email us at hello@loocy.io

Yes, completely. There is no premium tier, no paywall on problems, and no fee for receiving shortlists or accepting opportunities. loocy is free for students and will stay that way.
Yes — loocy is built for any stage from first year onwards. The earlier you start, the more your capability graph shows by the time you're applying.
There is no single right answer. Every problem on loocy is genuinely ambiguous — that's the point. We assess how you think, not what you conclude. A well-reasoned response that reaches the wrong conclusion will score higher than a poorly reasoned one that happens to be right.
Practice problems are open for a set window (usually around two weeks); the library refreshes as older problems close and new ones open, so start a draft and submit before a problem closes. Company problems run on submission windows (most are around 14 days); once a window closes, submissions are no longer accepted for that problem.
loocy AI is a thinking partner — it helps you structure your argument, understand the data in the brief, and think more clearly about the problem. It will not write your response for you. Your submission must be your own work. Every submission is checked and the scoring reflects the quality of your thinking, not AI-generated text.
Yes — your university is visible on your profile. But the score from your submission is what drives shortlisting, not where you studied. A candidate from any institution who scores 91% on a problem will rank above a candidate from a prestigious university who scores 74%. The work speaks louder than the institution.
No. Companies never get bulk access to your submissions — they see scores and short summaries of strengths and gaps, not your full work. Your submissions live in your portfolio, and you choose what to share and with whom.
Yes, always. You control every opportunity on loocy. Declining has no effect on your profile or your ability to be shortlisted in the future. Your contact details are never shared until you explicitly accept an invitation.
Your data is stored securely and used only to operate the platform — scoring your submissions, building your portfolio, and connecting you with companies who shortlist you. We do not sell data. Your contact details are never shared with any company without your explicit consent. Full details in our privacy policy.