System and method for evaluating job candidates

• US 8,894,416 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SkillSurvey, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SkillSurvey, Inc.
• Inventors: LaPasta, Douglas G., Mincer, Martha
• Primary Examiner(s): Frisby, Kesha
• Application Number:
  US14/476,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20140372332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 83 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/185, 434/308, 434/318, 434/319, 434/320, 434/107, 434/219, 434/322, 434/323, 434/325, 434/307.R, 434/363, 434/365, 434/350, 705/9, 705/10, 700/108, 709/223, 345/440
• US Class Current: 434/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring

Abstract

Human resource system for collecting and analyzing survey data from reference providers identified by a job candidate for use by an employer. The system sends an electronic communication to the reference providers to request completion of survey questions and electronically receives the survey data from the reference providers, preferably through webpages. An analysis module combines the received survey data from the reference providers and generates a confidential candidate report for an employer which excludes identification of any ratings or comments by any reference providers. The system also generates customized interview probe questions for use during job interviews and coaching tactics for use after the hiring, based on the weak areas that have been identified from the completed surveys in order to assist the hiring manager to bring the new hires up to speed quickly and effectively.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method being implemented by an improved computer system programmed for reference checking in accordance with the computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, a plurality of position specific surveys;

wherein each position specific survey comprises a plurality of survey questions specific to competency skills related to performance of at least one position;

wherein each response received, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, to each survey question corresponds to a number on a numerical extent scale;

wherein each position specific survey is configured for calculating an statistical score in each competency skills group of the competency skills based on statistical analysis of numbers on the numerical extent scale across responses received from the plurality of reference providers to the plurality of survey questions so that the responses from the plurality of reference providers are confidential from employers and job candidates;

receiving, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, through at least one first computer programmed graphical user interface, from at least one first employer, at least the following information;

i) job information, wherein the job information is related to at least one first position,

ii) an identity of each job candidate applying to be interviewed, and

iii) a selection identifying, from the plurality of position specific surveys, at least one first position specific survey related to at least one first position;

wherein the at least one first employer requires references from a plurality of reference providers to be received for each job candidate before the at least one first employer decides whether or not to conduct a job interview;

wherein the improved computer system programmed for reference checking is independent from each job candidate and the at least one first employer;

receiving, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, through at least one second computer programmed graphical user interface, from a first job candidate from a plurality of job candidates applying to be interviewed, first contact information identifying the plurality of reference providers,

automatically transmitting, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, at least one first personalized request to complete the at least one first position specific survey to the first reference provider, wherein the at least one first personalized request comprises;

i) a first URL link to access the at least one first position specific survey, and

ii) information informing that responses obtained in response to the at least one first position specific survey are kept confidential from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

automatically transmitting, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, at least one second personalized request to complete the at least one first position specific survey to the second reference provider, wherein the at least one second personalized request comprises;

i) a second URL link to access the at least one first position specific survey, and

ii) the information informing that the responses obtained in response to the at least one first position specific survey are kept confidential from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

automatically transmitting, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, at least one third personalized request to complete the at least one first position specific survey to the third reference provider, wherein the at least one third personalized request comprises;

i) a third URL link to access the at least one first position specific survey, and

ii) the information informing that the responses obtained in response to the at least one first position specific survey are kept confidential from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

causing to display, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, through at least one third computer graphical user interface, the at least one first position specific survey to the first, the second and the third reference providers respectively in response to the first, the second and the third URL links being respectively activated;

respectively receiving, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, from the first, the second and the third reference providers, the responses to the at least one first position specific survey;

calculating, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, each statistical score of the first job candidate in each competency skills group of the competency skills based on the responses, being respectively received from the first, the second and the third reference providers;

generating, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, for the at least one first employer, at least one reference report related to the first job candidate, wherein the at least one reference report comprises the statistical scores of the first job candidate in the competency skills groups of the at least one first position specific survey, being calculated based on the responses of the first, the second and the third reference providers so as to maintain the confidentiality of the responses of the plurality of reference providers from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are benchmarked against statistical scores of other job candidates who applied to a specific position that is at least similar to the at least one first position; and

wherein the at least one reference report is configured to allow the at least one first employer to decide whether or not to conduct the job interview with the first job candidate who has applied to be interviewed.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are benchmarked on a company-wide basis.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are average scores.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are benchmarked on an industry-wide basis.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are average scores.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the first contact information identifies a first email address, a second email address, and a third email address for the first, the second and the third reference providers, respectively;

wherein the receiving the first contact information identifying the at least three reference providers further comprises;

validating domain portions of the first, the second, and the third email addresses against registered Internet locations, respectively, based at least in part on at least one industry standard database of the Internet locations;

wherein the automatically transmitting the at least one first personalized request to complete the at least one first position survey to the first reference provider comprises;

sending the at least one first personalized request to the validated first email address;

wherein the automatically transmitting the at least one second personalized request to complete the at least one first position survey to the second reference provider comprises;

sending the at least one second personalized request to the validated second email address; and

wherein the automatically transmitting the at least one third personalized request to complete the at least one first position survey to the third reference provider comprises;

sending the at least one third personalized request to the validated second email address.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein each statistical score of the first job candidate is an average score;

wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are average scores; and

wherein the statistical analysis is based on averaging numbers of the numerical extent scale across responses received from reference providers to the plurality of survey questions.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the job information at least identifies whether the at least one first position involves managing others.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

automatically assigning, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, a first unique identifier to a first reference provider of the plurality of reference providers;

wherein the at least one first personalized request is associated with the first unique identifier;

automatically assigning, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, a second unique identifier to a second reference provider of the plurality of reference providers;

wherein the at least one second personalized request is associated with the second unique identifier;

automatically assigning, by the improved computer system programmed for reference checking, a third unique identifier to a third reference provider of the plurality of reference providers; and

wherein the at least one third personalized request is associated with the third unique identifier.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9,

wherein the first URL link of the at least one first personalized request is encoded with the first unique identifier;

wherein the second URL link of the at least one first personalized request is encoded with the second unique identifier; and

wherein the third URL link of the at least one first personalized request is encoded with the third unique identifier.

11. An improved computer system programmed for reference checking, comprising:

at least one specialize computer machine, comprising;

a non-transient memory having at least one region for storing particular computer executable program code; and

at least one processor for executing the particular program code stored in the memory, wherein the particular program code is configured to at least perform the following operations upon the execution;

generating a plurality of position specific surveys;

wherein each position specific survey comprises a plurality of survey questions specific to competency skills related to performance of at least one position;

wherein each response being received to each survey question of the plurality of survey questions corresponds to a number on a numerical extent scale;

wherein each position specific survey is configured for calculating an statistical score in each competency skills group of the competency skills based on statistical analysis of numbers on the numerical extent scale across responses received from the plurality of reference providers to the plurality of survey questions so that the responses from the plurality of reference providers are confidential from employers and job candidates;

receiving, through at least one first computer programmed graphical user interface, from at least one first employer, at least the following information;

i) job information, wherein the job information is related to at least one first position,

ii) an identity of each job candidate applying to be interviewed, and

iii) a selection identifying, from the plurality of position specific surveys, at least one first position specific survey related to at least one first position;

wherein the at least one first employer requires references from a plurality of reference providers to be received for each job candidate before the at least one first employer decides whether or not to conduct a job interview;

wherein the improved computer system programmed for reference checking is independent from each job candidate and the at least one first employer;

receiving, through at least one second computer programmed graphical user interface, from a first job candidate from a plurality of job candidates applying to be interviewed, first contact information identifying the plurality of reference providers,

automatically transmitting at least one first personalized request to complete the at least one first position specific survey to the first reference provider, wherein the at least one first personalized request comprises;

i) a first URL link to access the at least one first position specific survey, and

ii) information informing that responses obtained in response to the at least one first position specific survey are kept confidential from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

automatically transmitting at least one second personalized request to complete the at least one first position specific survey to the second reference provider, wherein the at least one second personalized request comprises;

i) a second URL link to access the at least one first position specific survey, and

ii) the information informing that the responses obtained in response to the at least one first position specific survey are kept confidential from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

automatically transmitting at least one third personalized request to complete the at least one first position specific survey to the third reference provider, wherein the at least one third personalized request comprises;

i) a third URL link to access the at least one first position specific survey, and

ii) the information informing that the responses obtained in response to the at least one first position specific survey are kept confidential from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

causing to display, through at least one third computer graphical user interface, the at least one first position specific survey to the first, the second and the third reference providers respectively in response to the first, the second and the third URL links being respectively;

respectively receiving, from the first, the second and the third reference providers, the responses to the at least one first position specific survey;

calculating each statistical score of the first job candidate in each competency skills group of the competency skills based on the responses, being respectively received from the first, the second and the third reference providers;

generating, for the at least one first employer, at least one reference report related to the first job candidate, wherein the at least one reference report comprises the statistical scores of the first job candidate in the competency skills groups of the at least one first position specific survey, being calculated based on the responses of the first, the second and the third reference providers so as to maintain the confidentiality of the responses of the plurality of reference providers from the at least one first employer and the first job candidate;

wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are benchmarked against statistical scores of other job candidates who applied to a specific position that is at least similar to the at least one first position; and

wherein the at least one reference report is configured to allow the at least one first employer to decide whether or not to conduct the job interview with the first job candidate who has applied to be interviewed.

12. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 11, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are benchmarked on a company-wide basis.

13. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 12, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are average scores.

14. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 11, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are benchmarked on an industry-wide basis.

15. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 14, wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are average scores.

16. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 11,

wherein the first contact information identifies a first email address, a second email address, and a third email address for the first, the second and the third reference providers, respectively;

wherein the receiving the first contact information identifying the at least three reference providers further comprises;

validating domain portions of the first, the second, and the third email addresses against registered Internet locations, respectively, based at least in part on at least one industry standard database of the Internet locations;

wherein the automatically transmitting the at least one first personalized request to complete the at least one first position survey to the first reference provider comprises;

sending the at least one first personalized request to the validated first email address;

wherein the automatically transmitting the at least one second personalized request to complete the at least one first position survey to the second reference provider comprises;

sending the at least one second personalized request to the validated second email address; and

wherein the automatically transmitting the at least one third personalized request to complete the at least one first position survey to the third reference provider comprises;

sending the at least one third personalized request to the validated second email address.

17. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 11,

wherein each statistical score of the first job candidate is an average score;

wherein the statistical scores of the first job candidate are average scores; and

wherein the statistical analysis is based on averaging numbers of the numerical extent scale across responses received from reference providers to the plurality of survey questions.

18. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 11, wherein the job information at least identifies whether the at least one first position involves managing others.

19. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 11, wherein the particular program code is further configured to at least perform the following operations upon the execution:

automatically assigning a first unique identifier to a first reference provider of the plurality of reference providers;

wherein the at least one first personalized request is associated with the first unique identifier;

automatically assigning a second unique identifier to a second reference provider of the plurality of reference providers;

wherein the at least one second personalized request is associated with the second unique identifier;

automatically assigning a third unique identifier to a third reference provider of the plurality of reference providers; and

wherein the at least one third personalized request is associated with the third unique identifier.

20. The improved computer system programmed for reference checking of claim 19,

wherein the first URL link of the at least one first personalized request is encoded with the first unique identifier;

wherein the second URL link of the at least one first personalized request is encoded with the second unique identifier; and

wherein the third URL link of the at least one first personalized request is encoded with the third unique identifier.