Pre-employment screening and assessment interview process

• US 6,618,734 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Randstad North America LP (Randstad NV)
• Original Assignee: Spherion Assessment, Inc. (Randstad NV)
• Inventors: Williams, Carl J., Myers, Edward J., Kunda, Andrew Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Sanjiv
• Application Number:
  US09/619,979
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/101, 707/102, 707/10, 707/9, 707/8, 707/7, 707/6, 707/3, 707/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

An interviewing method and system is disclosed for pre-employment screening and assessment. A job candidate accesses the system in response to published position opening. Preliminary background information is requested and collected, and the system determines whether the applicant qualifies to advance to the substantive stages of the interview process. If qualified, the system administers a bona fide occupational qualifier (BFOQ) interview. The applicant'"'"'s responses to questions are monitored to determine alternate directions in which the interview may proceed. Upon completion of the BFOQ interview, candidates who satisfy criteria set by the client/employer proceed to a behavioral assessment interview. The candidate responds to customized and validated assessment questions. Again, responses and response times are monitored to determine alternate directions in which the interview may proceed. Those who best match criteria set by the client/employer are advised that they pre-qualify for a follow-up interview and are given instructions regarding a direct, follow-up interview conducted by the client/employer. Once the interview process is completed, the system will perform a validation process, comprising a content-oriented validity evaluation and a criterion-related validity evaluation. The validation process is used to determine the need to eliminate or modify the interview questions, as well as to set predetermined levels to eliminate candidates not achieving such levels during the interview process.

Claims

1. An interviewing system comprising:

an interactive response platform for pre-employment screening and assessment;

means in said interactive response platform for administering a first tier of questions and for determining qualification for advancement; and

means in said interactive response platform for administering a second tier of questions and for determining qualification for advancement, said means for administering said first tier of questions and said means for administering said second tier of questions each include means for triggering the direction of interview questions by selectively asking subset questions responsive to said subroutine for triggering and wherein said means for triggering monitors responses and response times and determines the direction of interview questions based on said responses and said response times.

2. The interviewing system of claim 1, wherein:

said first tier of questions relate to a bona fide occupational qualifier interview.

3. The interviewing system of claim 1, wherein:

said second tier of questions relate to a behavioral assessment interview.

4. The interviewing system of claim 1, further comprising means in said interactive response platform for performing a validation process.

5. The interviewing system of claim 4, wherein:

said means for performing a validation process determines the need to eliminate or modify interview questions.

6. The interviewing system of claim 4, wherein:

said means for performing a validation process sets predetermined qualification levels for advancement.

7. An interviewing system comprising:

an interactive response platform for pre-employment screening and assessment;

said interactive response platform being capable of administering a first tier of questions and for determining qualification for advancement; and

said interactive response platform being capable of administering a second tier of questions and for determining qualification for advancement, wherein said algorithm for administering said first tier of questions and being capable of administering said second tier of questions each include a subroutine for triggering the direction of interview questions by selectively asking subset questions responsive to said subroutine for triggering, wherein said subroutine monitors responses and response times and determines for direction of interview questions based on said responses and said response times.

8. The interviewing system of claim 7, wherein:

said first tier of questions relate to a bona fide occupational qualifier interview.

9. The interviewing system of claim 7, wherein:

said second tier of questions relate to a behavioral assessment interview.

10. The interviewing system of claim 7, further comprising an algorithm in said interactive response platform for performing a validation process.

11. The interviewing system of claim 7, wherein:

said system being capable of performing a validation process to determine the need to eliminate or modify interview questions.

12. The interviewing system of claim 11, wherein:

said system being capable of performing a validation process that determines the need to eliminate or modify interview questions.

13. The interviewing system of claim 11, wherein:

said system being capable of performing a validation process that sets predetermined qualification levels for advancement.