WO2002007017A2

WO2002007017A2 - Method of seeking employment opportunities and of employee recruitment

Info

Publication number: WO2002007017A2
Application number: PCT/CA2000/001277
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan Rootenberg
Original assignee: Talware Technonolies Inc.
Priority date: 2000-07-17
Filing date: 2000-10-30
Publication date: 2002-01-24
Also published as: AU2001211228A1; CA2385265A1; KR20020007954A

Description

TITLE: A Method of Seeking Employment Opportunities And Of Employee

Recruitment

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and novel method of both seeking employment opportunities and of recruiting new employees, and in one aspect such a method that utilizes a computer network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, individuals seeking employment have been forced to examine help wanted ads published in various publications, attend at government or industry employment offices or job fairs, or to merely send out a series of unsolicited resumes to prospective employers. For certain employment positions, particularly skilled, technical and management related positions, the services of career counselors, recruitment officers and job placement agencies are sometimes enlisted. Such organizations can be somewhat beneficial in terms of introducing prospective employers and employees and acting as a liaison between the two. However, even with the assistance of job placement professionals the task of seeking employment that is suited to a particular individual has traditionally been extremely onerous and time consuming, and often with only limited amounts of success. The process usually results in a general level of frustration on the part of both the individual seeking employment, and employers attempting to fill a vacant job positions. The process of placing and reviewing advertisements in a variety of different media is

generally inefficient and unattractive to the individual and the employer alike.

More recently, in order to help bring together prospective employers and employees,

others have amassed existing j ob postings and advertisements and stored them within

a database that may be searched by individuals seeking employment. While such

systems are somewhat useful in that they help to centralize part of the employment

searching process, they essentially comprise nothing more than a compilation of

employment advertisements and notices that are otherwise published in a variety of

sources. That is, aside from centralizing job advertisements, such existing systems

provide little benefit. In some cases database systems provide limited keyword

searching capabilities.

As a result, it will be appreciated that existing recruitment systems are less than

ideal. In many cases existing methods make it extremely difficult (if not completely

random) for compatible employees and employers to be introduced to one another.

The various database systems that have been developed to date are severely limited

in terms of their ability to allow individuals and perspective employers to search for

specific types of jobs or employees. Keyword searching is limited to the vocabulary

of both the searcher and the individual who inputs data into the database, and is also

limited by particular terminology or terms of art used in specific industries. Further,

keyword searching is limited to particular languages, making it difficult for existing systems to be used by individuals in foreign countries, or in many instances non-

English speaking persons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention therefore provides a method of seeking employment opportunities and

of employee recruitment that addresses many of the deficiencies of existing systems

and methods. In one respect the inventive method utilizes a computer network and

permits for a more efficient use by a broader range of people than currently available

methods.

In one of its aspects the invention provides a method of seeking employment

opportunities and of employee recruitment, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of individual criteria, qualifications or attributes that are

desired or necessary for a particular job opening sought to be filled, said criteria,

qualifications or attributes collectively comprising a job description; storing said job

description on a database; storing information concerning the personal criteria,

qualifications or attributes of a plurality of individuals on a database, said criteria,

qualifications or attributes of said plurality of individuals comprising individual

resumes; and; with a computer, comparing said criteria, qualifications or attributes

comprising said job description with said personal criteria, qualifications or

attributes comprising said individual resumes and, thereafter, developing and generating a list of said resumes stored in said databases that contain personal criteria, qualifications or attributes most closely matching said individual criteria,

qualifications or attributes of said job description.

In a further aspect the invention provides a method of seeking employment

opportunities and of employee recruitment, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of criteria, qualifications or attributes concerning a job that is

being sought by an individual and storing said criteria, qualifications or attributes on

a database; identifying the criteria, qualifications or attributes that are desired or

necessary for a plurality of job positions sought to be filled by prospective employers

and storing said criteria, qualifications or attributes on a database; with a computer,

comparing said criteria, qualifications or attributes concerning said job being sought

by said individual with said criteria, qualifications or attributes that are desired or

necessary for said plurality of job positions sought to be filled by prospective

employers; and, developing and generating a list of said job positions sought to be

filled by prospective employers as stored in said databases that contain criteria

qualifications or attributes most closely matching those concerning said job that is

being sought by said individual.

In yet a further embodiment a method of seeking employment opportunities and of

employee recruitment, the method comprising the steps of: storing information

concerning the personal criteria, qualifications or job-related attributes of a plurality

of individuals on a database, said criteria, qualifications or attributes of said plurality of individuals collectively comprising individual resumes; developmg a list

of common or standard criteria, qualifications or attributes that are desired or

necessary for a number of different and particular jobs or employment positions, said

list comprising a job attribute list; storing said job attribute list on a database; with

a computer, and from said job attribute list, identifying a plurality of job attributes

that are desired or necessary for a particular and specific job opening sought to be

filled by a prospective employer, said identified job attributes collectively

comprising a job description; and, with a computer comparing said job description

with said individual resumes and, thereafter, developing and generating a list of said

resumes stored in said database that contain personal criteria, qualifications or

attributes most closely matching said individual criteria, qualifications or attributes

of said job description.

Further aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the

following description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention may be embodied in a number of different forms. However,

the specification and drawings that follow describe and disclose only some of the

specific forms of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the

invention as defined in the claims that follow herein. Pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the method encompassed within the present

invention, a list of the criteria, qualifications and attributes that are desired for a

particular job sought to be filled by a prospective employer is developed, if such a

list has not previously been created. It will of course be appreciated that the

particular criteria, qualifications or attributes will vary substantially depending upon

the job in question. For example, if an employer in the automotive industry were

looking to fill a vacant mechanical engineering position, the particular criteria,

qualifications or attributes necessary for that position may include one or more of the

following: the acquisition of an engineering degree from an accredited university;

recognition as a professional engineer by appropriate governmental bodies; training

and experience using particular computer software packages; a specified degree or

level of experience in a particular facet of the automotive industry; the ability to

speak or understand various languages; etc. Regardless of the number and nature of

such criteria, qualifications or attributes, once a list has been established for a

particular job to be filled, those criteria, qualifications or attributes are then input into and stored on a database. An individual seeking employment may then prepare

a similar list of his or her personal criteria, qualifications or attributes, and thereafter

input that list into the database so that a computer may be used to compare the

individual's criteria, qualifications or attributes with the criteria, qualifications or

attributes of various jobs sought to be filled, to develop a list of jobs most closely

matching the personal criteria, qualifications or attributes of the individual. The

above described methodology provides a general and simplified description of the overall operation of one aspect of the present invention.

In a furtiier aspect of the present invention, the personal criteria, qualifications or

attributes of a plurality of individuals (that collectively define individual resumes)

are entered and stored within a database to effectively serve as a pool of stored

resumes containing particular criteria, qualifications or attributes of a number of

different individuals. Thereafter, a prospective, employer may input into the database

a list of criteria, qualifications or attributes desired or necessary for a particular job

that the prospective employer is seeldng to fill. A computer is then used to compare

and analyze the criteria, qualifications or attributes necessary for the job the

employer wishes to fill with those belonging to particular individuals as contained

in the resumes stored within the database. Thereafter, the computer can generate and

develop a list of stored resumes that most closely match the requirements for the job

as stipulated by the prospective employer.

In yet a further aspect of the invention, rather than entering into the database specific

qualifications of an individual seeldng employment, or entering specific criteria and

qualifications necessary for a job to be filled, the criteria, qualifications or attributes

for a plurality of particular jobs sought to be filled, and the personal criteria,

qualifications or attributes of a plurality of individuals looking for employment, are

together entered and stored into the database. Through the use of a computer, the

qualifications and attributes of the various individuals as stored within the database are compared to the various criteria, qualifications or attributes required for jobs

looking to be filled. A corresponding list identifying individuals whose

qualifications most closely match the criteria desired for particular jobs may then be

generated.

Regardless of which of the above three general embodiments of the invention are

employed, an important and common element to each is that preferably the

individual criteria, qualifications or attributes of the particular job sought to be filled,

together with the personal criteria, qualifications or attributes of individuals seeking

employment, are converted into a common computer readable code for purposes of

storing within the database, and for subsequent searching and analysis. The

particular readable code may vary substantially while remaining within the broad

scope of the invention. However, in the preferred embodiment the code is a numeric

or alphanumeric code, and most preferably based upon binary numbers.

To assist in the entry and storage of information into the database, in a preferred

embodiment of the invention the database may first be pre-programmed with a pre¬

defined list of common or standard attributes (including qualifications, skills,

experience, etc) that are often necessary for a number of particular jobs or

employment positions. This pre-programming effectively creates what may be

referred to as a job attribute list that will typically also be stored on the database.

The particular qualifications and other information comprising the job attribute list should be as extensive and broad as reasonable under the circumstances, in order to

provide the maximum amount of flexibility to users. For example, criteria ranging

from educational requirements, to technical skills, to spoken languages, to years of

experience for specific types of jobs may be recorded on the job attribute list. The

job attribute list may then serve as a template or check list that can be used when

entering information with respect to a specific job opening that a prospective

employer is seeldng to fill. In one embodiment of the invention the job attribute list

may be in the form of a "pull-down menu" presented on a computer screen.

Similarly, the database may also be pre-programmed with a variety of different

personal criteria, qualifications or attributes that individuals from varying

backgrounds, and with different educational and work experiences, may possess;

effectively creating what may be referred to as a candidate attribute list that will also

typically be stored on the database. The number and nature of such personal criteria,

qualifications or attributes should be relatively broad, again to allow for maximum

flexibility to users of the inventive method. Like the job attribute list, the candidate

attribute list may be used as a template or check list by individuals entering personal

details into the system while searching for potential employment opportunities. The

candidate attribute list may also be presented in the form of a "pull-down menu" on a computer screen. Such job and candidate attributes that are pre-programmed into the database will

preferably be each assigned a particular and unique computer readable code.

Accordingly, when fully programmed the database will thus contain an extensive

listing of particular criteria, qualifications or attributes that may be required for a

wide range of different employment opportunities, as well as an extensive listing of

personal criteria, qualifications or attributes that potential employees may possess,

all stored through a universal computer readable code.

By identifying an extensive pre-defined list of job and candidate attributes, and

through assigning specific computer readable codes to each of those attributes, it will

thus be appreciated that the method according to the present invention provides a

database having stored therein information that is not dependent upon a particular

language spoken. That is, through the establishment and utilization of a list of job

and candidate attributes associated with a series of computer readable codes, each

uniquely associated with a particular job or personal attribute, the present method

can effectively eliminate the significant limitations and difficulties encountered

when dealing with prospective employers and employees that speak different

languages, that have different vocabularies, that have different understandings or

views as to what qualifications may be necessary for a specific job function, or that

have varying degrees of technical knowledge. Converting specific job qualifications

and individual attributes into a common computer readable code, allows individuals

and corporations that speak different languages, or that would otherwise have difficulty conversing, to utilize the present method and readily access information

on the database without the imposition of language or other barriers.

The list of job and individual attributes to which specific designated and unique

computer codes have been assigned may be utilized and integrated into the present

method in a variety of ways. First, a tabulation of the various job attributes and individual attributes, and their corresponding codes, could be prepared in a written,

graphical or electronic format. In such cases the computer code for a particular job

qualification or individual attribute would then be readily available when data is

input into the database, or when individuals are using a computer to analyze and

compare data on the database. Such tabulations of job qualifications and individual attributes could be prepared in a variety of different languages to enable use by

individuals without the need for translation. That is, individuals need not concern

themselves with the translation of particular job qualifications or individual

attributes, or the different meanings that particular words and phrases may have

within different languages or cultures. Such difficulties are eliminated through the

establishment of a common and unique computer readable code for each particular

job qualification and individual attribute, irrespective of geographical, cultural, language or commercial influences.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention there may be provided a

language module or interface stored within the database that permits individuals and corporations to utilize the system directly through the use of any one of a variety of

different languages. Rather than referring to a physical conversion table (whether

it be printed or in electronic format) as described above, in this embodiment

individuals may access the database, store information thereon, or run searches

utilizing one of a variety of different languages. The language module within the

system will effectively convert any one of a number of different specified job

qualifications or individual attributes directly into the computer readable code

assigned for such qualifications and attributes, regardless of the language of the

system operator, thereby removing the need for an individual to refer to a separate

chart or tabulation in order to ascertain computer codes.

In order to broaden the potential application of the invention, in one preferred

embodiment the database within which the various job descriptions and individual

attributes have been stored is connected to a computer network. The network may

be a private network, a public network, or a quasi-public network. Preferably, to ensure the broadest application of the invention, the computer network would comprise the Internet. Through allowing access to the database over the Internet,

individuals at practically any location across the planet will essentially have

instantaneous access to job opportunities that may be available in a wide range of

countries and geographical locations. Similarly, potential employers will have an

equal access to individuals from across the world that are seeldng employment. It

will be appreciated that the language module or interface will be potentially of even greater significance where the database is accessible over the Internet.

It will also be realized that through operating the present method over a computer

network, such as the Internet, a plurality of separate databases may be utilized that

are physically located in different geographical areas. That is, databases containing

information with respect to individuals seeldng employment, and databases

containing information with respect to employers seeldng employees, may be located

in different countries and linked together via the computer network such that they

are, essentially, simultaneously accessible. This facet of the present method is

particularly noteworthy from the perspective of databases that have been established

and maintained by job placement and recruitment professionals. Commonly such

professionals maintain their own private databases containing the resumes of

individuals seeking employment, as well as job descriptions for positions that

employers are looking to fill. Through the utilization of the method according to the

present invention, such databases may be linked together via a computer network

(for example the Internet) to enable a sharing or pooling of the information stored

thereon. To allow for the broadest application and use of information on a variety

of prior existing databases, the job qualifications and individual attributes stored on

the databases would first have to be converted into the computer readable codes

established under the method, thereby making such information universally available

to all users. It will thus be appreciated that operation of the method over a public or quasi-public

computer network, and through the incorporation of the databases of various job

placement and recruitment professionals in different geographical locations,

individuals and corporations alike will be provided with a very broad based pool

from which potential employment opportunities or potential employees can be

screened. In the instance where information from a recruitment professional's

database is made available over the network, those individual professionals may be

provided with the ability to share certain aspects of their database while mamtaining

the confidentiality of other parts. For example, placement or recruitment

professionals may wish to share particular attributes of individual clients without

necessarily sharing the name or address of the client. A prospective employer, or a

recruitment professional acting on behalf of a prospective employer, accessing the

database through the computer network will then have access to the particular

attributes of such an individual, but not the individual's name or address. Rather, the

prospective employer would be provided with the name and address of the placement

or recruitment professional representing the individual. The corporation is then at liberty to contact that professional directly and make further enquiries with respect

to the individual in question. In this manner the corporation seeldng to fill a vacant

job position will potentially have access to a considerably broader range of

individuals than it may otherwise have, including individuals in different

geographical locations or countries. Similarly, individuals seeking employment will

be provided with an equally enhanced access to potential employers. Finally, there will be a benefit realized by placement or recruitment professionals since the

likelihood of filling a job opening will be increased allowing the professional to

collect his or her associated fee more rapidly. At the same time, the recruitment

professional need not publically disclose confidential client lists and addresses.

As described above, the present method may be utilized by an employer seeking to

find an appropriate employee, or by an individual seeking employment, by allowing

the employer or individual to access a networked database and to conduct various

searches. Based upon the information input by the employer or the individual, the

computer will compare and analyze the criteria, qualifications or attributes necessary

for a job sought to be filled with those belonging to particular individuals to generate

and develop a list of potential employee candidates, or a list of potential job

opportunities. In a preferred embodiment, such lists are developed by providing a

numerical or other ranking (such as a percentage match) between job requirements

and the qualifications and attributes of specific individuals. That is, where an employer is seeking to fill a job the computer will compare the job criteria,

qualifications or attributes stipulated by the employer with the criteria, qualifications

or attributes of individuals as stored in the database, identify a pre-determined

number of individuals whose attributes fulfill some or all of the job qualifications,

and provide an overall ranking for those individuals in terms of the degree to which

the individuals' criteria, qualifications or attributes match those corresponding to the

job sought to be filled. The employer is then presented with a pre-determined number of individuals (for example 10), together with their relative rankings, for

further evaluation. The information provided to the employer may be in the form of

a simple relative overall ranking or may contain more detailed information presented

as raw data or in the form of graphs or charts setting out how well a particular

individual's qualifications match specific job requirements. For example, an

individual may be identified as having an overall percentage rating of 85% in terms

of how his or her personal qualifications matched the requirements for a particular

job. The employer may then choose to further examine the qualifications of that

individual to determine how he or she is ranked against other potential candidates

with respect to the ability to speak English, French and Spanish, where knowledge

of those three languages is an important job requirement. That is, the employer is

able to compare the overall ranking of individuals as well as rankings with respect

to specific qualifications.

Similarly, where an individual is seeking employment he or she first identifies the particular aspects and classification of a job or position that interests them and that

is being sought, together with his or her personal skills and qualifications.

Thereafter, the computer will analyze and compare the data input by the individual

with the particular requirements of job openings stored in the database to again

develop a relative ranking of potential job opportunities. The individual will

thereafter be provided with a pre-determined number of potential job opportunities

(again, for example 10) together with the associated ranking of each potential job. Like the employer in the example described above, the individual may then choose

to investigate further details with respect to specific job openings that have been

identified.

It will therefore be appreciated that through the use of the above method this ranking

or matching process will be attribute and/or qualification based, thereby tending to have a higher likelihood of identifying compatible individuals and employers.

Furthermore, through the utilization of the described system of universal computer

readable codes, the personal attributes and job qualifications that are searched will

be independent of language differences and vocabulary discrepancies. The ranking

or matching process allows both the employer and prospective employee to create

the ideal "candidate" that will then be the focus of the computer's search. The

ranking of individuals and employers relative to the criteria established for that ideal

"candidate" will be provided at which point the employer or individual is then at

liberty to investigate the particular individuals or job opportunities further. When the method is conducted over a computer network, both the employer (or their

recruitment professional) and the prospective employee (or their recruitment

professional) is provided with the ability to download specific resumes or job

postings based upon the ranking that has been determined.

Charges for use of the system would typically be based upon the number of resumes

or job postings that are downloaded, and not the number of individuals or jobs that are tabulated according to the matching process. In this manner employers and

individuals would only be charged for the specific resumes and job postings that

most closely match their needs and requirements, and that they choose to review

after the matching process has been completed. Alternately, businesses or

individuals may subscribe to the system allowing unlimited access for a monthly or

periodic fee. Charges may also be levied for each job opening or resume posted on

the database. Where an employer wishes to obtain full copies of resumes for

particular individuals, tliere may be provided the ability to download or acquire both

textual and video resumes upon the payment of additional charges.

Accordingly, through an understanding and an appreciation of the above described

inventive method, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a method and

system of seeldng employment opportunities and of employee recruitment utilizing

a computer network will be provided that is universal in nature and broader in base

than prior existing methods and systems. Individuals seeldng employment, and

employers looking to fill vacant job positions, will have access to a broad range of

potential employees and job openings across the world, and not merely in or about

their local geographical area. Furthermore, the utilization of universal computer

readable codes enables individuals and employers from varying backgrounds,

cultures, and locations to use the method and system of the invention with ease and

without translational requirements. The ability to access stored and existing

information from the databases of placement or recruitment professionals further enhances the application of the method and creates added benefits to potential

employees, employers and recruitment professionals alike.

It is to be understood that what has been described are the preferred embodiments

of the invention and that it may be possible to make variations to these embodiments

while staying within the broad scope of the invention. Some of these variations have

been discussed while others will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A method of seeking employment opportunities and of employee

recruitment, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) identifying a plurality of individual criteria, qualifications or

attributes that are desired or necessary for a particular job opening

sought to be filled, said criteria, qualifications or attributes

collectively comprising a job description;

(ii) storing said job description on a database;

(iii) storing information concerning the personal criteria, qualifications or

attributes of a plurality of individuals on a database, said criteria,

qualifications or attributes of said plurality of individuals comprising

individual resumes; and;

(iv) with a computer, comparing said criteria, qualifications or attributes

comprising said job description with said personal criteria,

qualifications or attributes comprising said individual resumes and,

thereafter, developing and generating a list of said resumes stored in

said database that contain personal criteria, qualifications or

attributes most closely matching said individual criteria,

qualifications or attributes of said job description.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the further step of converting

said criteria, qualifications or attributes comprising said job description, and

said criteria, qualifications or attributes comprising said individual resumes,

into a series of computer readable codes, said step of comparing said criteria,

qualifications or attributes comprising said job description with said criteria,

qualifications or attributes comprising said individual resumes including,

comparing said computer readable codes of said respective criteria,

qualifications or attributes of said job description with said computer

readable codes of said criteria, qualifications or attributes of said individual

resumes.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said comparison of said computer

readable codes includes the further step of developmg a relative ranking of

said individual resumes in terms of the degree to which said personal criteria,

qualifications or attributes of particular individuals match said criteria, qualifications or attributes comprising said job description.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said computer readable codes are

numeric codes.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said computer readable codes are binary codes.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said database and said computer

are connected to a public or quasi-public computer network.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said public or quasi-public

computer network is the Internet.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the database storing said job

descriptions, and the database storing said individual resumes, are

maintained on the same computer or computer network.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the database storing said job

descriptions, and the database storing said individual resumes, are

maintained on separate computers or computer networks that are coimected

to a public or quasi-public network.

10. A method of seeking employment opportunities and of employee

recruitment, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) identifying a plurality of criteria, qualifications or attributes

concerning a job that is being sought by an individual and storing

said criteria, qualifications or attributes on a database;

(ii) identifying the criteria, qualifications or attributes that are desired or necessary for a plurality of job positions sought to be filled by

prospective employers and storing said criteria, qualifications or

attributes on a database;

(iii) with a computer, comparing said criteria, qualifications or attributes

concerning said job being sought by said individual with said criteria,

qualifications or attributes that are desired or necessary for said

plurality of job positions sought to be filled by prospective

employers; and,

(iv) developing and generating a list of said job positions sought to be

filled by prospective employers as stored in said databases that

contain criteria qualifications or attributes most closely matching

those concerning said job that is being sought by said individual.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 including the further step of converting

said criteria, qualifications or attributes concerning said job being sought by

said individual, together with said criteria, qualifications or attributes desired

or necessary for said plurality of job positions sought to be filled by said

prospective employers, into a series of computer readable codes, said step of

comparing said criteria, qualifications or attributes concerning said job being

sought by said individual with said criteria, qualifications or attributes

desired or necessary for said plurality of job positions sought to be filled by

prospective employers comprising comparing said computer readable codes of said criteria, qualifications or attributes concerning said job being sought

with said computer readable codes of said criteria, qualifications or attributes

desired or necessary for said plurality of job positions.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said comparison of said

computer readable codes includes the further step of developing a relative

ranking of said job positions sought to be filled in terms of the degree to

which said criteria, qualifications or attributes that are desired or necessary

for said job positions match said criteria, qualifications or attributes

concerning said job being sought as identified by said individual.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said computer readable codes are

numeric codes.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said computer readable codes are

binary codes.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said database and said computer

are connected to a public or quasi-public computer network.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said public or quasi-public

computer network is the Internet.

17. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the database storing said

plurality of criteria, qualifications or attributes concerning jobs that are being

sought by individuals, and the database storing said criteria, qualifications

or attributes that are desired or necessary for said plurality of job positions

sought to be filled by prospective employers, are maintained on the same

computer or computer network.

18. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the database storing said

sought by individuals, and the database storing said criteria, qualifications

or attributes that are desired or necessary for said plurality of job positions

sought to be filled by prospective employers, are maintained on separate

computers or computer networks that are connected to a public or quasi-

public network.

19. A method of seeldng employment opportunities and of employee

recruitment, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) storing information concerning the personal criteria, qualifications or

job-related attributes of a plurality of individuals on a database, said

criteria, qualifications or attributes of said plurality of individuals collectively comprising individual resumes; (ii) developing a list of common or standard criteria, qualifications or

attributes that are desired or necessary for a number of different and

particular jobs or employment positions, said list comprising a job

attribute list;

(iii) storing said job attribute list on a database;

(iv) with a computer, and from said job attribute list, identifying a

plurality of job attributes that are desired or necessary for a particular

and specific job opening sought to be filled by a prospective

employer, said identified job attributes collectively comprising a job

description; and,

(v) with a computer comparing said job description with said individual

resumes and, thereafter, developing and generating a list of said

resumes stored in said database that contain personal criteria,

qualifications or attributes most closely matching said individual

criteria, qualifications or attributes of said job description.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 including the further step of developing

a list of personal criteria, qualifications or attributes as may be possessed by

a variety of different individuals, said list comprising a candidate attribute

list, said step of storing said individual resumes on said database including

first identifying a plurality of personal criteria, qualifications or attributes as

contained in said candidate attribute list and thereafter generating said resumes having reference thereto.