Consultant matching system and method for selecting candidates from a candidate pool by adjusting skill values

• US 6,289,340 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IPwe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iXmatch, Inc. (nXn Tech LLC)
• Inventors: Puram, Kamala, Sadagopal, Gopal
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Application Number:
  US09/365,787
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/5, 707/6, 705/1, 705/8, 705/9, 705/11, 705/7, 705/36, 705/37
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method selects a candidate from a pool of candidates to fill a position based on the skills held by the candidate, the skills desired for the position and the priority of the skills for the position. Pre-defined lists of skills are used to develop detailed profiles of the candidates and the positions to be filled for better matching. To compare and rank candidates, adjusted skills scores are used which are limited by the priority of the skill for the position, yielding best-fit matches.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a candidate for a position from a pool of candidates, comprising the steps of:

a) establishing a database, said database having a record for each candidate in a pool and a record for a position to be filled by a candidate, wherein each candidate record includes a skills list of predefined skills and each record for the position includes a needs list of predefined skills needed for the position;

b) assigning a priority value score for one or more skills needed for a position based on the importance of the skill for the position;

c) for each candidate and for each predefined skill, assigning a skill value representing the skill level of the candidate for predefined skill;

d) generating a position-specific adjusted skill score for any skill in which the candidate'"'"'s skill level exceeds the skill value assigned by the employer for that skill for that position, said adjusted skill score being determined by adjusting the value of the candidate skill level such that the candidate skill level does not exceed the priority value needed by the employer; and

e) comparing candidates according to the sum of their skill values, using adjusted skill values for those skills in which the candidate'"'"'s skill value exceeds the priority value.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

assigning a numerical value to each said priority.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said priority is selected from a list including pre-defined choices of “

core strength”

, “

required”

or “

beneficial”

.

2. A system for selecting a candidate for a position from a pool of candidates comprising:

a) means for assigning a priority value for one or more skills needed by an employer for a position based on the importance of the skill to the employer;

b) means for assigning a skill value for each candidate representing the skill level of the candidate for that predefined skill;

c) means for adjusting the value of the candidate skill level for any skill in which the candidate'"'"'s skill level exceeds the priority value assigned by the employer, such that the candidate'"'"'s skill level does not exceed the priority value;

d) means for comparing candidates based on the sum of their adjusted skill values.

5. A candidate selection apparatus for selecting a candidate from a pool of candidates for a position that an employer seeks to fill, comprising:

a) memory for storing database records including;

(i) a candidates table identifying candidates and having a self-assessment of that candidate'"'"'s level of skill in each of a plurality of pre-defined skills;

(ii) a pre-defined needs table listing a plurality of skills needed for a position;

(iii) a positions table of information identifying one or more positions sought to be filled by an employer, said positions table having, for each said position, a needs profile identifying one or more pre-defined skills desired for the position, the level of skill desired for each selected skill, and the priority of each selected skill to the position;

b) means for receiving data from candidates about skills possessed and their skill levels for those skills;

c) means for receiving data from an employer about a position to be filled;

d) means for adjusting one or more candidates'"'"' skill levels to the maximum allowed for the skill in light of the priority given for a position;

e) means for summing each candidate'"'"'s skill levels, using adjusted skill levels for each skill in which a candidate'"'"'s skill level exceeds the priority value for the position and comparing the candidates'"'"' sums to identify candidates who fit the needs profile for the position.