Repository for jobseekers' references on the internet

• US 6,904,407 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William D. Ritzel
• Original Assignee: William D. Ritzel
• Inventors: Ritzel, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASLER, TRACI
• Application Number:
  US09/960,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/34
• US Class Current: 705/321
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring

Abstract

An electronic repository for jobseekers'"'"' references on the Internet. The jobseeker registers himself and his reference sources on an Internet site. The references are notified via e-mail, they subsequently log in and enter their personal or professional reference or letter of reference for the jobseeker. The jobseeker gives perspective Recruiters/Employers information on accessing his references. The list of references is available at no charge, but the detail of the reference document can be purchased by the Recruiter/Employer. All required security is implemented. The advantages of this process include: (1) elimination of repeated contact of jobseekers'"'"' references for positions that change frequently; (2) virtually instant checking of references, eliminating loss of potential employee through extended process; and (3) significant reduction in cost and time of checking reference by recruiter/Employer.

Claims

1. A reference repository system for jobseekers on the Internet comprising:

a prospective employee or jobseeker computer in two-way communication with said Internet;

a named reference source or author computer in communication with said Internet;

a recruiter/employer computer in two-way communication said Internet;

an employee reference server in two-way communication said Internet;

and a data bank in two-way communication with said employee reference server;

whereby the jobseeker, through their said computer, registers their demographic information and references with said reference server for entry into said database,

said employee reference server, upon receiving each said reference from the jobseeker, sends an e-mail to said reference source requesting a reference document for said jobseeker;

whereby said reference source, through their said computer, provides said reference document to said employee reference server for entry into said database;

whereby said recruiter/employer, accesses a list designating said jobseeker references and chooses and receives desired jobseeker reference documents;

and whereby said recruiter/employer, through their said gains access to a list of documents existing in said data base through said employee reference server, selects desired reference documents, and receives images of said desired reference documents upon payment of a preset fee.

2. The reference repository system of claim 1, further comprising

means establishing a merchant account in two-way communication with said employee reference server, over the internet

said recruiter/employer computer, whereby said recruiter/employer purchases said desired reference documents images for e-mail

delivery from said database of said employee reference Server.

3. A method of providing a repository for jobseekers'"'"' references on the Internet comprising:

providing an Internet Home Page in a Website on the World Wide Web for access to said repository by jobseekers, reference sources, and recruiters or employers;

providing a process for a jobseeker, accessible from said Home Page, for registration of his or her demographic information, registration of his or her reference source, and ability to update and maintain his or her account information;

providing a process for a reference source, accessible from said Home Page, for Login that will then provide a series of questions for the personal or professional reference or a space to enter a letter of reference, thus forming a reference document for said Jobseeker; and

providing a process for a Recruiter/Employer, accessible from said Home Page, for registration for his or her demographic information, lookup of the Jobseeker'"'"'s reference, and purchase of a detailed reference document for the Jobseeker'"'"'s reference.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said Jobseeker is provided a process for being assigned a password, said password allowing said Jobseeker to store and modify his or her said demographic information and a list of said reference sources.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said Recruiter/Employer is provided a process for accepting terms of use and being assigned a user identification number and a password for entering into said reference list site.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said Recruiter/Employer is provided a process to select and purchase formatted reference documents from said reference list site, said selected reference documents being automatically e-mailed to said Recruiter/Employer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said Recruiter/Employer is provided a process for making a checkout list of desired reference documents and then provided a process to purchase the references on said checkout list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said Recruiter/Employer is provided a process for making a checkout list from more than one jobseeker by successively entering jobseeker account numbers and selecting references for inclusion on said checkout list.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a process is provided for said Recruiter/Employer to open a merchant account, whereby said Recruiter/Employer purchases said selected documents on said checkout list.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein said Jobseeker is provided a process for registering demographic information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said Jobseeker is provided a process for accepting terms of use.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein said Jobseeker is provided a process for adding or removing references and reference documents from availability to Recruiters/Employers.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein said Reference Source is provided a process for permanently entering a reference document.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said website assigns a unique user identification and a unique password for each Reference Source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a process is provided precluding any of said reference source, said jobseeker and said Recruiter/Employer from altering a reference document once the Reference Source enters the reference document into said website.

16. A method carried out by a server including a memory, and including a database defined by the memory, the method comprising:

communicating to a first machine a plurality of fields relevant to a jobseeker'"'"'s demographic information, acceptance of terms of use, list of references, and registration of reference documents;

receiving information within said fields provided by said jobseeker from said first machine;

storing in a database said information received from said first machine provided by said Jobseeker;

communicating to a second machine a plurality of fields relevant to a Reference Source;

receiving information within said fields provided by said Reference Source from said second machine;

storing in a database said information received from said second machine provided by said Reference Source, including a reference document;

communicating to a third machine a plurality of fields relevant to a Recruiter/Employer;

receiving information within said fields provided by said Recruiter/Employer;

storing in a database said information received from said third machine provided by said Recruiter/Employer, including e-mail address, request for said list of references, designation of desired reference documents from said list of reference;

sending at least one e-mail to said Recruiter/Employer containing at least one reference document selected from said list of documents; and

sending said Recruiter/Employer an invoice corresponding to the number of reference documents selected and e-mailed thereto.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of establishing a merchant account for each Recruiter/Employer if indicated by said Recruiter/Employer, and communicating to said merchant account information received from said Recruiter/Employer information as to number of said reference documents ordered thereby.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said Jobseeker supplies an account number to said Recruiter/Employer for inclusion in said receipt of information step from said third machine, whereby access to said reference list and said reference documents is provided.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said Jobseeker is provided access to said list of references for amending same.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein each of said reference documents, once registered by said Reference Source and entered into said database, is protected from amendment by either of said Jobseeker, said Reference Source, and said Recruiter/Employer.