WO2010054501A1

WO2010054501A1 - Method and system for employee recruitment over a computer network

Info

Publication number: WO2010054501A1
Application number: PCT/CN2008/001873
Authority: WO
Inventors: Howard P. Hui
Original assignee: Orion Worldwide Limited
Priority date: 2008-11-13
Filing date: 2008-11-13
Publication date: 2010-05-20

Abstract

A method and system for providing an employee recruitment service that allows employers and applicants to exchange information. In a preferred embodiment, job listings are made available from a searchable database, job seekers are able to submit resume data to employers who are then able to quickly and conveniently contact a job seeker to indicate an interest in considering them further as a candidate for a particular position. The main components include a job listing database, a resume database, a messaging module, a graphical user interface modules and software that integrates the databases and gives the employers and applicants access to view and manipulate the information.

Description

Method and system for employee recruitment over a computer network

Technical field

The present invention relates to a method and system for intermediating between an advertiser and a respondent over a computer network, and particularly to a method and system for employee recruitment.

Background of the Invention

As the reach of the Internet extends to an ever larger base of users many websites have been developed for intermediating between advertisers and respondents, one of these two classes of user providing information which is subsequently sold to the other class of user to fund the service. One such type of website is a career website that, among other services, offers searchable databases of job listings and details of eligible job seekers. Employers may advertise job listings which are classified in the database by type and location. Employers can also search the database of job seekers without payment of fee, and upon payment the details of the identity of the job seekers made available.

US patent no. 5 832 497 describes a system comprising searchable databases of job listings and job seekers in which access to contact information fields in the job seeker database is restricted to employer-users who have paid an access fee. Applicant-users are able to make records from the job seeker database available to the employer-users as applications for an advertised vacancy, which are then sent to the employer-user by facsimile or e-mail. However, although this system provides significant advantages to both employers and job seekers compared to the traditional method, there remain some drawbacks in its operation. In particular, there is a need for employers to be able to quickly and conveniently contact a job seeker to indicate an interest in considering them further as a candidate for a particular position. Delay in receiving feedback following the submission of a job application can discourage job seekers, possibly prompting them to look elsewhere to the detriment of the employer who is slow to respond. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate this disadvantage or more generally to provide an improved method and system for employee recruitment.

Disclosure of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of employee recruitment, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving first data, representing information pertaining to a job seeker, provided by the job seeker via a computer network;

b) displaying at least part of the first data for an employer together with means to generate the display of an interface for receiving second data representing information pertaining to a job interview;

c) displaying the interface together with means for triggering a request to transmit the second data to the job seeker;

d) automatically checking for the triggering of the request and that the employer has sufficient credit, and

e) sending the job seeker a message including the second data when the checking step determines that the request has been triggered and the sufficiency of the credit has been determined. The information pertaining to a job seeker provided in step a) may include details of the job seeker's qualifications and experience and preferably includes job application data. The job application data may include, for instance, data specific to a job advertisement such as a job title or job reference published by the employer. Optionally the first data includes the identity of the job seeker and the at least part of the first data displayed at step b) excludes the identity of the job seeker.

Preferably the second data includes the time and venue for the job interview.

Preferably the means for triggering the request to transmit the second data to the job seeker comprises user applied methods recognizable by an electronic device, selected from the group consisting of clicking or pressing a button on a computer or communications device, following a link displayed on a web page on a global computer network, touching or moving cursor a designated area on a screen or display panel attached to a computer or communications device, and speaking a selection into an audio receiver attached to a computer or communications device.

Preferably checking that the employer-user has sufficient credit includes checking a credit level against an account record in an employer-user database.

In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer system for intermediating between an employer and a job applicant, comprising:

a first database of job listing data stored in electronically readable memory, the job listing data including a plurality of job listing records each including first data representing information pertaining to a job application; a second database of job applicant data stored in the electronically readable memory, the job applicant data including a plurality of job applicant records each including second data representing information pertaining to a job interview;

a process controller connected to the memory and to a plurality of remote computers, the process controller creating and revising the records in the first and second databases upon instructions from the advertiser and respondent respectively, the process controller receiving the first data and transmitting at least part of the first data together with means to generate the display of an interface for receiving the second data and means for triggering a request to transmit the second data to the job seeker; the process controller having means for automatically checking for the triggering of the request and that the employer has sufficient credit, and means for sending the job seeker a message including the second data when the checking step determines that the request has been triggered and the credit is sufficient.

Preferably the system further includes a database query engine connected to the memory and configured to permit a search of the first database at least one search criterion.

This invention thereby provides a method and a system for intermediating between an employer and a job applicant that allows employers to quickly and conveniently contact a job seeker to indicate an interest in considering them further as a candidate for a particular position. Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a page access hierarchy of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic image of a first page according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the method of the invention for the employer-user to create an advertisement;

Figure 5 is a schematic image of a second page according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic image of a third page according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the method of the invention for the applicant-user to view and respond to the advertisement;

Figure 8 is a schematic image of a fourth page according to the invention;

Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the method of the invention for the employer-user to generate an interview request;

Figure 10 is a schematic image of a fifth page according to the invention;

Figure 11 is a schematic image of a sixth page according to the invention, and

Figure 12 is a schematic image of a seventh page according to the invention. Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The present invention provides an employment service website to collect and distribute information about job listings, employers, and applicants, and to facilitate and track interactions between employers and applicants. Fig. 1 illustrates schematically a system 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The invention comprises a server 101 that contains a job listing database 102, an employer information database 103, a job applicant database 104, a messaging module 105 and a graphical user interface module 106. The server 101 can be a database management system and is in communication with the client computers 107, 108 and 109 etc through the Internet. The system 100 is implemented as a website-accessible database on the Internet for gathering and disseminating information related to the employment service. Users can access database 104 via the website. Employing a series of web pages (described below), users can enter, modify, and obtain information contained in the server databases.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the terms "job applicant," "applicant," and "applicant-user" are used interchangeably to refer to a job seeker who uses the system to apply for a job. The terms "employer" and "employer-user" are used interchangeably to refer to an individual or company posting or advertising a job opening using the system. As also used herein, the term "user" refers to both a job seeker and an individual or company posting or advertising a job opening.

An employer first registers with the employment service and provides basic identity or contact information (e.g., address, telephone number, and email), and enters each job listing in the job listing database 102. Once openings are entered into the job listing database 102, a potential employee can access the website and browse the job advertisements. Having registered for the service, the next step is for the applicant to contact an employer to apply for an advertised position. The employer then screens the applicant and proceeds through the hiring process, starting with a personal interview.

The method of operating the website and exchanging information with a user depends upon whether the user is a job applicant or an employer. Accordingly, the discussion below and the corresponding flowcharts and screen images separately address the two types of access, by applicant and by employer.

As an overview, Figure 2 illustrates a preferred page access hierarchy (also referred to as a site map) of the present invention. The various pages are generated by the graphical user interface module 106. When a user first enters the website, the system displays a home / login page, represented by the top data access page 200. Applicant-users have secure access, using a user identification and password, to the job applicant main page 201, the employer-users have like secure access to the employer main page 202.

From page 202 the employer-user can access three separate menu options offering the separate functions of the present invention: resume search access 250 (corresponding to search access to the resume database); job listing input 203 (corresponding to edit access of the job listing database 102) and message access 204 (for communicating with applicant-users). From page 201 applicants can select job search data access page 205, message access 206 (for communicating with employer-users) and applicant information entry pages 207 (corresponding to edit access of the resume database). The user navigates through the system using the options presented on the pages. Preferably, the system displays to the user a number of options (e. g., in the form of buttons, or highlighted or underlined text, displayed on the home page, which are clicked-on using a mouse or like screen pointer to make a selection). Broadly, these options include functions such as searching the job listings, searching employers, entering and editing resume/job application information, entering and editing employer information, and entering and editing job listings.

The home/login page 200 contains fields for both employer-users and applicant- users to provide a user identification and password for secure access. The initial access of the website via the home page is the same for both types of users, the method of the present invention following the home page differs for each. The home page may include further introductory information regarding the site, details of the geographic coverage, contact information and company information about the employment service provider etc.

After gaining secure read/write access to the system, the page 202 (Fig. 3) is displayed to employer-user. Page 202 contains an information display panel 220 listing job advertisements saved by the employer into the job listing database 102, including those listings not yet assigned as accessible to applicant-users or those no longer accessible by applicant-users. By selecting one of the job listings from display panel 220 the employer may edit any job listing, including saving an existing job listing as a new listing. From this page 202 the employer can also generate a new job listing by clicking on button 221 or can obtain access to messages by activation of button 222, as described below in more detail.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the data input by the employer-user into the job listing database 102, when creating a new listing or editing an existing listing. Each job listing record includes company name and description and contact information fields which automatically default to the values entered in these fields in the employer information database. A default unique reference and date may also be generated automatically, and then altered as required. The employer-user can then enter the information specific to the current opening at step 300, such as the job title, qualification requirements and job duties. Once all the relevant fields have been completed on this page 203 the user clicks the "submit" button (not shown) and at step 301 this action triggers the transfer of the data to the server 101 at step 302 and this data is then saved into the job listing database at step 303.

After gaining secure read/write access to the system the page 201 (Fig. 5) is displayed to applicant-user. Page 201 contains an information display panel 223 listing one or more sets of resume details saved by the applicant into the resume database, including those resumes not yet assigned as accessible to employers- users as job applications. Optionally data entered is saved temporarily before being stored permanently in the resume database to allow the employment service provider to review the data for accuracy and correct form. By selecting one of the fields display panel 223 the applicant may edit his resume. From this page 222 the applicant can also initiate a search of the job listing database by clicking on button 224 to display the page 209 illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the way in which a potential employee can navigate through the website and interface with the databases. In Figure 7, step 350 represents an applicant's initial access to page 205 illustrated in Figure 8. Page 205 includes a search window 228 for accessing a search engine for searching through the job listing database. The website searches the job listing database in accordance with the search criteria chosen by the applicant and returns a job results listing in the search window 228. The listings include data such as the type of position, the city, and name of the employer, and the job description and salary range which are searchable individually or in any combination. This job results page 228 prompts the applicant to scroll or browse through the listings highlight a position and then click the button 229 for more details a selected advertisement.

Having identified a listing in which he is interested, the applicant clicks on the listing to select it. Upon activation of button 229 at step 351 the selected advertisement is displayed in window 225 on page 209 (see Fig. 6) at step 352. The job details window 225 lists the specific requirements of the selected and displayed position including such criteria as experience and education. At the end of this search or at any point during the search, the applicant can return to previous screens for starting a new search by clicking the menu button 226 (Figure 6).

In some versions of the system the identity or contact details of the employer for any listing in the job database may be withheld from the applicant-user at step 353. Rules may be set for testing whether or not a specific user may be provided with the identity or contact details. For instance, access to these details may be subject to the receipt of a payment received from the applicant-user.

At step 354 a check is made for actuation of button 227 on page 209 which indicates an applicant-user's intention to apply for the job, the details of which are displayed in the job details window 225. Clicking button 227 at step 355 initiates the display of application page 211 which displays fields which the applicant can complete or edit as desired. The fields on the application page 211 may include the applicant-user's name, contact information, experience and qualifications which default to values extracted from the resume database. Optionally applicants may be able to toggle between which of the one or more resumes are used to extract the application details. The application page 211 (Fig. 2) may also include fields to attach questionnaire results or other attachments to form part of the job application. Once all the relevant fields have been completed on this page 211 the user clicks the "submit" button 230 at step 356 to transfer the data to the server 101 at step 357 and this data is then saved into the resume/application database at step 358.

A key aspect of the invention is described with reference to Fig. 9, which illustrates the manner by which an employer-user is able to promptly contact an applicant-user to arrange a job interview when an electronically submitted application page 211 appears promising. At step 360 the employer-user's message page 204, as shown in Fig. 10, is displayed by clicking on button 222 from the page 201. The employer- user's message page 204 includes a display window 231 listing, in abbreviated format, each of the responses received from applicant-users (i.e. the fields from the applicant-user's application page 211 ), for each of the employer's listings in the jobs database. Using the message page 204 the user is able to select a response to review in detail. At step 361 the system checks fpr the user to click on the box 232 on page 204 and when actuated the job application detail display page 208 (see Fig. 11) is displayed at step 362.

Optionally the identity or contact details of the applicant-users may be withheld from the employer-user at step 363. Rules may be set for testing whether or not specific applicant-users may be provided with the identity or contact details. For instance, access to these details may be subject to the receipt of a payment received from the employer-user. By studying first data submitted by the applicant, including the experience and qualification details, as well as questionnaire results or other attachments displayed as part of the job application in the window 235 on page 208 the employer is able to assess the suitability of the applicant. To allow for an invitation for an interview to be promptly sent, page 208 also includes means for triggering a request to transmit the second data to the job seeker in the form of a button 236 which is clicked to generate an invitation to an interview. Upon confirming activation of button 236 at step 364 the system then displays page 210, as shown in Fig. 12, at step 365. The page 210 includes a detail window 237 including fields relating to the proposed interview, including the company name, the date, time and venue of the interview, items to bring and contact details for the interviewer.

The page 210 also includes a button 238 which is clicked to submit and save the interview invitation. The interview fields in window 237 are simultaneously saved into the job database against the specific job listing and they are accessible only to the specific employer who created the advertisement. At step 366 a check is automatically made for the triggering of the button 238 followed immediately by a check that the employer-user has sufficient credit to cover the cost of this transaction.

Preferably the system interfaces with an electronic payment engine for an account record of payments made against each employer-user in the employer database. For instance, a monthly fee may be payable for use of the system and subject to payment employer-users are able to communicate with applicants according to the invention. Alternatively, credit for use of the system may be extended to employer- user and periodic invoices for costs issued. The payment may alternatively be made by the employer-user upon demand for each interview request. Payments may be made via any type of electronic banking, electronic wallet or other means.

If insufficient credit is available then a payment reminder is displayed at step 368. Otherwise, if the employer's account has sufficient credit or payment is made following step 368, then the system proceeds to step 369 and the interview invitation is sent to the applicant and a corresponding debit is made from the employer's account. If, as described above with reference to optional step 363, the identity or contact details of the applicant-users was withheld from the employer-user, then at step 369 the databases are updated to make the identity or contact details of the applicant-users available to the employer. The identity or contact details of the applicant-users are provided in a message sent to the employer and accessible through the employer's message page 204.

The messaging module 105 provides the messaging capabilities for use by the different users - the employer's message page 204 and the applicant's message page 206. The messages are generated as web pages as discussed above. The main applicant interface page 201 includes the button 239 which may be clicked to access the applicant's message page 206 in which the interview invitation is received. The messaging module 105 may generate an email which is transmitted to either the employer (to advise of the receipt of a job application) or to a job applicant (to advise of the receipt of an interview request). The email may contain a link to the employment service website. Optionally, the users may use the messaging module 105 for further communications, for instance to negotiate details of the interview.

Referring to Fig. 2, from the employer main page 202 an employer-user can enter the resume search access page 250 which includes a search window for accessing a search engine for searching through the resume database. The system searches the resume database in accordance with the search criteria chosen by the employer- user and returns a resume results listing in a search window. The resume listings include data such as the job seekers qualifications, experience and expected salary range which are searchable individually or in any combination. To allow for an invitation for an interview to be directly sent, page 250 also includes means for triggering a request to transmit the second data to the job seeker in the form of a button 251 which is clicked to open the interview request page 210. The search results page prompts the employer to scroll or browse through the results listings to highlight a job seeker and then click the button 251. Upon confirming activation of button 251 the system then displays the interview request page 210, as shown in Fig. 12. The interview request page 210 is actuated in the manner described above and thus means is provided for providing an interview invitation to a job seeker, independently of the job seeker having made any job application.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 ) A method of employee recruitment, comprising the steps of:

e) sending the job seeker a message including the second data when the checking step determines that the request has been triggered and the sufficiency of the credit has been determined.

2) The method of claim 1 wherein the first data includes the identity of the job seeker and the at least part of the first data displayed at step b) excludes the identity of the job seeker.

3) The method of claim 1 wherein the second data includes the time and venue for the job interview.

4) The method of claim 1 wherein the means for triggering the request to transmit the second data to the job seeker comprises user applied methods recognizable by an electronic device, selected from the group consisting of clicking or pressing a button on a computer or communications device, following a link displayed on a web page on a global computer network, touching or moving cursor a designated area on a screen or display panel attached to a computer or communications device, and speaking a selection into an audio receiver attached to a computer or communications device.

5), The method of claim 1 wherein checking that the employer-user has sufficient credit includes checking a credit level against an account record in an employer- user database.

6) The method of claim 2 wherein subsequent to the checking step determining that the request has been triggered and the sufficiency of the credit has been determined the method includes the step of sending the employer a message including the identity of the job seeker.

7) A computer system for intermediating between an employer and a job applicant, comprising: a first database of job listing data stored in electronically readable memory, the job listing data including a plurality of job listing records each including a first database of job listing data stored in electronically readable memory, the job listing data including a plurality of job listing records each including first data representing information pertaining to a job application;

a second database of job applicant data stored in the electronically readable memory, the job applicant data including a plurality of job applicant records each including second data representing information pertaining to a job interview;

The system of claim 7 further including a database query engine connected to the memory and configured to permit a search of the first database at least one search criterion.