System, method and computer program products for creating and maintaining a consolidated jobs database

• US 9,390,422 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geographic Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Geographic Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Toomey, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, BAI DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/393,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,757 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products include job bots that are configured to periodically visit network sites that have stored therein one or more job postings. During each visit, the one or more job postings are analyzed and a searchable job post database is updated to add new job postings, modify changed job postings and delete any removed job postings. A search engine is provided for job seekers to search the searchable job post database where a consolidate list of job postings from the network sites is stored.

Claims

1. A method for creating and updating a consolidated database of job postings, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving user input to manually identify a set of job post hosting sites for data extraction, the job post hosting sites having job postings therein;

for each site within the set of job post hosting sites manually identified for data extraction;

receiving user input to manually program and test a job bot specific to a job listing format of the manually identified site, the job bot programmed to;

visit said manually identified site;

extract job post information for at least one of the job postings stored at said manually identified site; and

store the job post information in a searchable job posting database; and

running the job bot to visit said manually identified site and extract the job post information into the searchable job posting database;

periodically running the job bots to update the searchable job posting database, updating the searchable job posting database with changes to previously extracted job post information, adding newly extracted job post information, and retaining previously extracted job post information that is no longer present on the job post hosting site for a predetermined period of time after the previously extracted job post information is determined to be no longer present on the job post hosting site;

providing a plurality of searchable job post fields from the extracted job post information, the searchable job post fields allowing a jobseeker to search the job postings based on at least one of the plurality of searchable job post fields;

providing a summary form to the jobseeker for one of the job postings from the extracted job post information, said summary form having a job title, a geographic location, and a list of general responsibilities; and

providing a plurality of links within said summary form.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a benefits link within the searchable job posting database to enable viewing of benefits of at least one of the job postings.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a job detail link within the searchable job posting database to enable viewing of job details of at least one of the job postings.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a resume from the job seeker; and

exporting the received resume to at least one site of the job post hosting sites.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said summary form further comprises a list of educational requirements.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said summary form further comprises a candidate profile.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said summary form further comprises a list of specific responsibilities.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said summary form further comprises a requisition number.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first link of the plurality of links within said summary form allows the jobseeker to apply to at least one of the job postings.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a second link of the plurality of links within said summary form allows the jobseeker to submit a resume to at least one of the job postings.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein a third link of the plurality of links within said summary form allows the jobseeker to submit a career profile to the job post hosting site.

12. A system for creating and updating job posts in a consolidated database of job postings, the system comprising:

a computer connected to a network;

a storage device operationally interfaced to the computer;

a searchable job posting database stored within the storage device;

a plurality of job bots, each of the plurality of job bots independently and manually programmed by a human programmer to visit, via the network, a job post hosting site manually identified for data extraction, each of the plurality of job bots independently programmed by the programmer to extract job post information from the visited job post hosting site, and each of the plurality of job bots independently programmed by the programmer to update the searchable job posting database with the job post information, the plurality of job bots being further configured to perform the steps of;

updating the searchable job posting database with changes to previously extracted job post information;

adding newly extracted job post information; and

retaining previously extracted job post information that is no longer present on the job post hosting site for a predetermined period of time after the previously extracted job post information is determined to be no longer present on the job post hosting site; and

a dispatcher running on the computer, the dispatcher configured to periodically run the plurality of job bots;

wherein each job bot is customized for a job listing format of a particular job post hosting site;

wherein the system provides a plurality of searchable job post fields from extracted job post information, the searchable job post fields allowing a jobseeker to search the job postings based on at least one of the plurality of searchable job post fields;

wherein the system provides a summary form to the jobseeker for one of the job postings from the extracted job post information, said summary form having a job title, a geographic location, and a list of general responsibilities; and

wherein the system provides a plurality of links within said summary form.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system provides a benefits link within the searchable job posting database.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the system provides a job detail link within the searchable job posting database to enable viewing of job details of at least one of the job postings.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a search engine program running on the computer, the search engine program configured to connect with at least one client workstation through the network, the search engine program configured to accept search criteria from the at least one client workstation, the search engine program configured to search for stored job postings in the searchable job posting database that match the search criteria, and the search engine program configured to return to the client workstation a copy of matching job postings found in the searchable job posting database.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of links comprises a first link that enables a jobseeker to apply to at least one of the job postings.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of links comprises a second link that enables a jobseeker to submit a resume to at least one of the job postings.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for creating and updating a consolidated database of job postings, comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the steps of:

receiving user input to manually identify a set of job post hosting sites for data extraction, the job post hosting sites having job postings therein;

for each site within the list of job post hosting sites manually identified for data extraction;

receiving user input to manually program and test a job bot specific to a job listing format of the manually identified site, the job bot programmed to;

visit said manually identified site;

extract job post information for at least one of the job postings stored at said manually identified site; and

store the job post information in a searchable job posting database; and

running the job bot to visit said manually identified site and extract the job post information into the searchable job posting database;

periodically running the job bots to perform the steps of;

updating the searchable job posting database with changes to previously extracted job post information;

adding newly extracted job post information; and

retaining previously extracted job post information that is no longer present on the job post hosting site for a predetermined period of time after the previously extracted job post information is determined to be no longer present on the job post hosting site;

providing a plurality of searchable job post fields from the extracted job post information, the searchable job post fields allowing a jobseeker to search the job postings based on at least one of the plurality of searchable job post fields;

providing a summary form to the jobseeker for one of the job postings from the extracted job post information, said summary form having a job title, a geographic location, and a list of general responsibilities; and

providing a plurality of links within said summary form.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the step of providing a benefits link within the searchable job posting database to enable viewing of benefits of at least one of the job postings.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the step of providing a job detail link within the searchable job posting database to enable viewing of job details of at least one of the job postings.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the steps of:

receiving a resume from the job seeker; and

exporting the received resume to at least one site of the job post hosting sites.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of links comprises a first link that enables a jobseeker to apply to at least one of the job postings.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the plurality of links comprises a second link that enables a jobseeker to submit a resume to at least one of the job postings.

24. A computer program product used with a computer system in creating and updating a consolidated database of job postings from a plurality of identified job post hosting sites, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the steps of:

running a plurality of job bots, each job bot comprising instructions for;

extracting job posting information from a respective job post hosting site of the plurality of identified job post hosting sites; and

updating a searchable job post database with the job postings information;

wherein each job bot is independently and manually programmed by a human programmer and customized for a job listing format of one of the plurality of job post hosting sites manually identified for data extraction;

periodically running the plurality of job bots to perform the steps of;

updating the searchable job posting database with changes to previously extracted job post information;

adding newly extracted job post information; and

retaining previously extracted job post information that is no longer present on the job post hosting site for a predetermined period of time after the previously extracted job post information is determined to be no longer present on the job post hosting site;

providing a plurality of searchable job post fields from the extracted job post information, the searchable job post fields allowing a jobseeker to search the job postings based on at least one of the plurality of searchable job post fields;

providing a summary form to the jobseeker for one of the job postings from the extracted job post information, said summary form having a job title, a geographic location, and a list of general responsibilities; and

providing a plurality of links within said summary form.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the plurality of links comprises a first link that enables a jobseeker to apply to at least one of the job postings.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of links comprises a second link that enables a jobseeker to submit a resume to at least one of the job postings.