PEAK DEMAND PERIODS

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates in general to attribute accumulation, in particular, to a computer-implemented system and method for compiling skilled aviation candidate attributes for use during peak demand periods.

BACKGROUND ART

Finding the right workers for a job opening can require researching candidates, selecting at least one of the candidates, and then training the candidates for a business' s system and facility, which can be time consuming and expensive especially if they don't work out immediately. For instance, even after selecting a candidate for a position, providing orientation training for the candidate, and ensuring that the candidate has completed all the requirements for employment can often take a week or two, after which the candidate can begin work only if all requirements are completed. However, if the candidate is unable to complete all the requirements, decides he doesn't like the company or receives a better offer, the candidate can leave, usually without repercussion, possibly leaving the employer with a delayed project, so a further search must be conducted for another candidate. Also, unscheduled work load demands can result in an employer waiting for the last minute to look for temporary help.

The difficulty of filling these temporary employment open positions in some industries and professions can become increased due to specific employee requirements, such as employee licenses, training, and experience needed for jobs in those industries and professions. For instance, individuals who work in the aviation industry must comply with the requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA"), such as certification, endorsements, and experience on a particular type of aircraft that a company repairs or operates. In one example, an aircraft maintenance technician must have at least one of an airframe or powerplant certificate, which is issued by the FAA and can be obtained by taking required courses and passing a series of examinations. An airframe certification allows the technician to maintain and repair systems that are associated with an airframe of an aircraft, while a powerplant certification allows the technician to work with the engine of the aircraft and associated equipment. Other qualifications in the aviation industry can include certification on a particular aircraft and for more specialized fields, such as welding and non-destructive inspection. Further, demand for particular types of employees, such as skilled workers, is generated based on a labor intensive industry that only staffs to certain levels to avoid continuous hire and lay-off cycles and where there is a shortage of properly skilled workers. In these industries, employers or organizations can secure staff to a certain quantity of skilled people required and then hire temporary skilled workers for excessive unexpected workloads or peak demand cycles. Peak demands also occur based on urgent work projects, ramping up or down a project, or bridging staff gaps.

Currently, companies can post job openings on a Website, such as Career Builder or

Monster, or the company can hire an employment recruiter to solicit potential candidates for providing to the company to fill the job opening. However, when companies post an opening online, the company must wait until individuals respond to the opening and then filter through the responses until a qualified individual is located, which can be an extremely time consuming process and is dependent on the potential candidates that respond. Companies often tend to put off looking for additional employees until absolutely necessary and at that point, the companies must hurry to locate an individual to fill the position. Likewise, candidates that use

conventional job searching Websites or recruiters can experience difficulty in finding jobs for which they are qualified or that are open during periods of availability for that candidate.

Specifically, some industries hire workers seasonally or for specific temporary projects. To make a livable salary, workers in those industries must piece together multiple jobs to ensure full time work and identifying different jobs for different times of the year can be challenging since different companies advertise openings using different communication mediums.

Accordingly, there is a need for job management system with a comprehensive database for efficiently identifying qualified and proven candidates for an open position so that each candidate can be quickly secured in confidence and each candidate is put to work in the shortest possible time. Ideally, the job management system will minimize the time needed for identifying, hiring and training a candidate, as well as reduce the employee turnover rate by reusing temporary workers that have been tried and tested by other companies. The temporary workers are seamlessly utilized without affecting the full time committed employees.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Aviation industry companies in need of skilled workers for permanent or temporary jobs may experience difficulty and frustration at finding a qualified candidate to fill the job, especially on short notice and during peak demand periods. For instance, skilled workers include those with special technical qualifications and experience to perform technical work, such as servicing airplanes, manufacturing mechanical parts, aircraft system monitoring, and aviation tower control. However, other types of skilled workers are possible. Even if a particular candidate that has the desired attributes is hired, the company may determine that the candidate is not suitable or the candidate decides to leave the company. As a candidate moves through orientation issues often arise where the employer decides that the recently hired employee is not a good fit for the company, due to one of many reasons, including unreliability or insufficient skills of the employee, or bad work habits or bad quality of work, or even due to external reasons like family or finance and the employer will have to find a replacement for the candidate in a short time period to meet the requirement of a project peak demand cycle. In a further example, the employee may decide that the employer company is not a good fit and quits during or immediately after orientation and must again start the search process.

A candidate job and employee management system, such as for the aviation industry, can include comprehensive databases with profiles for both companies in search of skilled workers in a particular field and candidates looking to fill an open position. The management system, users, and administrators update the profiles in real time and assists candidates to better market themselves to companies, which enables faster and more reliable pairings of candidates with open positions. Further, during peak, or demand, work periods when companies are in need of skilled workers and many workers are already employed, a type of polling or solicitation of employers and employed workers can occur. The polling includes sending notifications through to unavailable candidates or companies that employ qualified candidates in an attempt to entice the unavailable candidates to become available and to persuade a company to loan their qualified candidate to complete a temporary job for another company.

Further, the candidate job and employee management system can include a number of access portals for candidates that are job seeking or supplementing income seeking, companies or organizations looking to fill positions as soon as possible to avoid delays in delivering product or support, colleges, trade schools and volunteer organizations who could both add to candidates or add to temp job opportunities, and supporting staff portals for placement coordinators, candidate support, such as administrative and payroll positions, and business development.

The management system can be scalable and capable of both organic and viral growth, which is accomplished through the use of incentives and options for all users, including companies and candidates accessing the system. Each portal is designed specifically to the needs and requirements of the industry and category of user, including companies, candidates, and schools. Other categories of users are possible.

For potential worker candidates, the management system provides a virtual office to retain all pertinent documents and files, along with being able to track job openings while being considered by customers, or companies, for securing work, both part time and full time.

Further, the candidate can decide whether to work regionally or move around for work.

Meanwhile, for customers, such as companies looking for candidates, the management system provides a virtual office to manage and grow their candidate pool of skilled workers. The company can view all the candidates in the system as if they were their own employees and can then request candidates or post for job openings and then track their requests. If business and work is slow, a company can even move candidates (their own employees) around as may be required or even add their own employees to the system so to give their staff the perks of added opportunities and advancement, which may keep them engaged and advancing or so the company may be able to find them at a later date. Further, for colleges, the management system can provide means to place graduates in jobs, create revenue generating opportunities similar to the candidates by sponsoring the graduates and other students into the system, and network with other colleges, organizations and special programs to grow enrolment, opportunities and revenues.

A further embodiment provides a computer-implemented system and method for compiling skilled aviation candidate attributes for use during peak demand periods. A database of profiles for skilled candidates is maintained. A request for a worker to fulfill a job includes job attributes and is received from an organization. A determination is made as to whether the job occurs during a period of peak demand. When the period of peak demand exists, polling for potential workers from the database of candidates and other organizations occurs. A list of one or more of the candidates that best match the request is received in response to the polling. At least one of the candidates having a profile that best matches the job attributes is identified.

In another further embodiment, all subscribed employers can view candidates as if they are their own employee via the candidate job and employee management system. This is extremely important especially for peak demand periods or cycles where the employer needs to fill job openings in a timely manner to meet all project deadlines.

A still further embodiment is the standardizing, to a higher standard, the indoctrination training process, such as Work Place Hazardous Materials System and Occupational Health and Safety, to get hired employees on the job faster. As in the aviation industry this includes use of Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration requirements for any technician to be drug tested and in an approved Drug and Alcohol Misuse program.

Specifically, a single program can be created for all skilled people registered with the skilled candidate management system versus one program for each employer, as is currently implemented.

Still other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein are described embodiments by way of illustrating the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. The other embodiments can include the ability of system to inherently 'weed out' the least qualified skilled people while bringing the most qualified to the surface. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 is a block diagram showing a system for employee management via multiple employers, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram showing a method for candidate job management, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram showing, by way of example, qualification indicators to allow candidate to be available for work more quickly.

FIGURE 4 is a flow diagram showing, by way of example, a process for polling candidates for a job opening during a peak demand period.

FIGURE 5 is a screenshot showing, by way of example, a Web page for displaying candidate results.

FIGURE 6 is a screenshot showing, by way of example, a Web page for displaying a candidate profile.

FIGURE 7 is a screenshot showing, by way of example, a Web page for conducting a job search.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Currently, locating skilled candidates to fill job openings can be time consuming and costly for companies who generally advertise via their own Webpage, job searching Websites, word of mouth, or agency recruiting. To ensure that companies are able to quickly locate and hire qualified candidates, and reduce the time between hire and job performance,

comprehensive databases storing records for employers and candidates are maintained. The records can be updated in real time and are used to identify and match appropriate candidates with specific job requests. FIGURE 1 is a block diagram showing a system 10 for candidate job management, in accordance with one embodiment. Users, including a candidate 11a looking for work or a company 1 lb looking for skilled workers, can access a job management Website 20 by sending a request to a management server 14 via a computing device, such as a desktop (not shown) or laptop computer 1 la-b, as well as via a mobile computing device (not shown), including a tablet or "smart" phone. The computing devices 1 la-b and mobile computing devices are interconnected to the management server 14 via an internetwork 13, such as the Internet. The management server 14 is further interconnected to one or more databases and support portals 12. The support portals 12 are used to connect placement coordinators, candidate support, such as administrative and payroll positions, and business development with the management system. Meanwhile, the management server 14 includes a query module 15, a polling module 16, a result module 17, a presentation module 18, an orientation and training standardization module 25, and an anonymization module 26, which allows companies to review candidates without privacy issues, a training module 27 and a resume builder 29. In this example, the management server 14 is interconnected to three separate databases 19, 21, 23, including a Web database 19, a candidate database 21, and an industry database 23. However, fewer or additional databases and modules are possible.

The Web database 19 includes a set of Web pages 20 for the job management system. In response to the request, the management server 14 transmits the Web pages 20 to the computing device 1 la-b of the requesting user. The requesting user can then enter a query or search request within one of the Web pages 20 for open job positions or for qualified candidates. Hereinafter, the terms "candidate" and "employee" are used interchangeably with the same intended meaning, unless otherwise indicated. For requests to identify skilled candidates for an open job position, the query module 15 can determine whether the job identified in the request is for a time period that can be classified as a peak demand period. If so, the polling module 16 sends notices to workers, support portals 12, and companies to solicit candidates for filling the job opening, as further described below in detail with reference to FIGURE 4. The result module 17 identifies the best candidates for a job opening as results to a request for candidates or the best job openings as results to a job search, and the presentation module 18 displays the results. Each of the best candidates are "proven" to possess the listed worker qualities and experiences, as well as work ethic and education, which is helpful to an employer looking for a good worker to fill a position. The best candidates or job openings can be determined using candidate profiles 22 and documents 39, which are stored in the candidate database 21 and industry requests 24 and company profiles 28, which are stored in the industry database 23. Specifically, each candidate can be associated with a candidate profile 22. In one embodiment, the candidate profiles can be industry specific. For example, workers in the air transportation field, including air traffic controllers, engineers, mechanics, and maintenance workers are each associated with a profile that can include candidate attributes, including identity, work experience, licenses, certifications, degrees, drug and alcohol program participation, work availability, and orientation or training attendance and completion. Other job fields and candidate attributes are possible.

Organizations looking for candidates to fill a job position are each associated with an organization profile 28, which includes organization attributes, such as identity, size, authorized users and industry type, and is stored in the industry database 23. Hereinafter, the terms "organization," "company," and "customer" are used interchangeably with the same intended meaning, unless otherwise indicated. The industry database 23 also includes organization requests 24, submitted by the organizations, for one or more candidates for a specific position opening. In one embodiment, candidates considered for the job and the candidate hired for the position can be stored with that request 24. Each request 24 can include job attributes, such a title, duties, salary, time period during which the job is to be performed, candidate qualifications, and candidate experience. Other candidate and job attributes are possible.

To ensure that a candidate can be quickly and easily brought into a company, orientation training of the candidate can occur prior to hiring or even prior to consideration for a job opening. The orientation and training standardization module 25 analyzes different orientation trainings from different companies registered with the management system to identify a particular orientation training that will be used as the standard and be accepted by all the registered subscribing companies. For example, the particular orientation training can be selected based on including the most requirements for training or a highest level of training. Ensuring that a candidate completes and passes an orientation training prior to hiring helps prevent early dismissal of a hired candidate and allows the hired candidate to begin work immediately since the training has already been or will have mostly been completed.

If differences exist between the standard training and a particular employer's training, only the remaining differences for work at that employer's facility would be required as further training, which still reduces the training time for a beginning employee. Further, the anonymization model 26 maintains the anonymity of candidates for at least a portion of the matching process to promote unbiased hiring decisions by masking identities of the candidates until requests for candidates are received, as further described below. The training module 27 sets a universal training for one or more job positions and manages candidate training, including whether the candidate has participated in the training and whether the candidate successfully passed the training. Also, the resume builder 29 assists candidates in generating a resume. The resume builder can include a wizard that presents the candidate with a sequence of dialog boxes to lead the candidate through questions regarding the candidate's qualifications. The information entered by the candidate is then used to generate the resume, which is easily accessible, editable and always available in a virtual office for the candidate. Other methods for building resumes are possible.

The computing devices 1 1, 12 and support computer portals and servers 14 can each include a central processing unit and one or more modules for carrying out the embodiments disclosed herein. The modules can be implemented as a computer program or procedure written as source code in a conventional programming language and is presented for execution by the central processing unit as object or byte code. Alternatively, the modules could also be implemented in hardware, either as integrated circuitry or burned into read-only memory components, and each of the computing devices and server can act as a specialized computer. For instance, when the modules are implemented as hardware, that particular hardware is specialized to perform message prioritization and other computers cannot be used.

Additionally, when the modules are burned into read-only memory components, the computing device or server storing the read-only memory becomes specialized to perform the message prioritization that other computers cannot. Other types of specialized computers are possible. Further, the management system can be limited to specific clients and specific hardware on which the management system is implemented, as well as limited by a subscription service to only subscribing clients. The various implementations of the source code and object and byte codes can be held on a computer-readable storage medium, such as a floppy disk, hard drive, digital video disk (DVD), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM) and similar storage mediums. Other types of modules and module functions are possible, as well as other physical hardware components.

Efficiently matching worker candidates with open job positions can be performed using up to date information candidate and organization profiles. FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram showing a method 30 for candidate job management, in accordance with one embodiment. Candidates looking for a particular job can access their individual profile via a Web page for entering (bock 31) attributes for the profile and a resume builder, including name, job qualifications, resume, past work experience, references, education, certifications, training, and work availability. Other attributes are possible. An anonymity identification number is assigned (block 32) to each candidate. The entered information, including the candidate attributes and anonymity identification number, is compiled to generate and store (block 33) a profile for each candidate. Upon generation of a candidate profile, employment tips, such as requirements or helpful hints to make a candidate more marketable can be provided to the candidate. In one embodiment, the candidate can select a button for employment tips, such as qualification indicators, adding certificates and testimonials, or alternatively, the employment tips can be automatically provided to the candidate via, for example, a pop-up display, a new web page, or a notification, such as an email or text message. Other methods for providing the employment tips are possible. The qualification indicators can include training and random substance, such as drug and alcohol testing, as further described below in detail with respect to FIGURE 3.

Meanwhile, an organization looking for a particular type of employee can submit (block 34) parameters for requesting a "proven" candidate to fulfill a job opening. The "proven" candidates are those candidates for which their profiles, including work experience, education, and other factors have been verified. The request parameters are then used to generate a request, including a job post (block 35a), a technician request (35b), or a name request (35c). For instance, the requests can be generated by posting details of a job opening for candidates to fill, requesting further information from specific technicians found on the database with anonymity, entering a query of candidate attributes, scrolling through candidate profiles, where the company would submit a customer technician request, and via a name request for a particular candidate. The request can include attributes of the job, such as a time period during which duties of the job must be performed.

A search of the candidate database can be conducted based on the requests to identify those profiles in the database with candidate attributes that best match the job attributes. Additionally, one or more responses from candidates may be received (block 36) in response to a job post. If a sufficient number of candidates exist (block 37) for the job opening, a list of the candidates that best match the requirements for the job opening are provided to the

organization. Subsequently, the organization can pick one or more of the candidates of interest for obtaining further information or interviewing. Once a candidate is selected for the job, a notice of hiring can be sent to the candidate and customer, and if approved (block 40) the organization's request is identified (block 41) as fulfilled.

However, if, during the search for a candidate, only few qualified candidates are available or the requesting company is unable to find a suitable candidate (block 37), a determination can be made that the time period for the open job position occurs during a peak demand period and polling should occur (block 38), a described below with reference to FIGURE 4.

A peak demand period defines a period of time during which there is a lack of qualified candidates available to fulfill a job opening, including when the number of requests for candidates to work a job is extremely high or when the number of jobs to occur during the time period outweighs the number of available candidates. When a request for candidates specifies a job opening during a peak demand period, candidate polling can occur to conduct a more extensive search of the candidates registered with the management system, including candidates that appear to be unavailable or that are employed by another company, to identify an appropriate candidate to fill the request. For example, after an initial search for candidates has been conducted and a determination is made that not enough candidates are available, a peak demand period is identified and polling of candidates and subscribed customers is initiated. In one example, a predetermined number of requests can be used to determine whether a peak demand period occurs during a particular time frame. For instance, the predetermined number is set at 40 requests to fill jobs that occur at a common time and when the number of requests received from organizations exceeds the predetermined number, a determination is made that the time period of the job occurs during the peak demand period and polling is required. Alternatively, the peak demand period occurs when the number of requests to fill jobs exceeds the number of available workers that are qualified for the job openings associated with the requests, as identified by the candidate database.

A length of the peak demand period can be determined by analyzing the number of requests to fill jobs on a daily basis. In one example, a company submits a request for a temporary worker from March 8th through March 13th. Each work day identified in the request is analyzed to identify a number of other requests for workers on those days. On March 8th, 30 requests for candidates are received, 75 on March 9th, 55 on March 10th, 40 on March 11th, 52 on March 12th, and 20 on March 13th. Using the above-identified predetermined number of 40 requests, March 9-12 is identified as a peak demand period since the number of requests for candidates to work on those dates exceeds the predetermined number of requests. Thus, at least a portion of the job is to be performed during a peak demand period.

In a further embodiment, the peak demand period can be determined based on a number of available candidates registered with the system. In one example, any available candidate can be counted; however, in a further example, only those available candidates with attributes that are related to or satisfy the job attributes are counted. For instance, a company looking for an air traffic controller with at least four years of experience and available for the month of March submits a request to fill the air traffic controller position. Based on the various searches conducted in response to the company's request, only two candidates are provided as results. A threshold, or predetermined number of available candidates, equal to 7 is applied to the number of returned results. Since the results fail to satisfy the threshold, a peak demand period is determined to occur during the time period during which a candidate is needed to fill the open job position.

When the job, specified in the request, cannot be filled during a peak demand period by searching the system or a request to fill an open position is made without favorable results (block 37), then a poll for potential candidates is conducted (block 38) by actively soliciting qualified candidates for the job opening. When no qualified candidates are identified as available, companies can be solicited to see if their qualified workers can be temporarily released to fulfil the requested job opening. Additionally, individual candidates registered with the job management system, but identified as unavailable, can also be solicited to fill the position. In a further embodiment, the candidates and companies can be simultaneously polled. Polling for potential candidates is further discussed below with respect to FIGURE 4.

If polling is unsuccessful (block 38) and no further candidates are identified, the company can revise the request parameters, including job attributes, and generate a different request (block 34) for conducting a further search for candidates. For instance, the further search can include changes to parameters, such as candidate certifications, experience, hours worked, or dates. However, if polling is successful (block 38) and one or more candidate are identified during polling, the profiles of the candidates are provided to the requesting organization for review. Specifically, the profiles can be displayed on a Web page, emailed, or text messaged to the organization. Other methods for providing the profiles are possible.

Subsequently, the requesting organization can select (block 39) one or more of the candidate profiles for further review and consideration. A match between a company and a potential candidate is completed when the company accepts the candidate and the candidate accepts (block 40) the open position, which allows the administrators of the system to connect the worker to the company. Once the company or candidate accepts, the request is identified as fulfilled (block 41).

To improve a candidate's chance of being hired, the candidate can make himself or herself more marketable to organizations by utilizing features in the job management system to improve his profile. In one example, a candidate can increase his marketability by ensuring that he has the qualifications desired by an organization and satisfies the requirements specified in a request for candidates. FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram showing, by way of example, qualification indicators. One or more qualification indicators can be provided or displayed to a candidate. The qualification indicators include activities or tests that can help enhance a candidate's chance of being hired for a job opening, such as having completed or current orientation training and participating in the multi -employer drug and alcohol misuse program random pool for testing. Upon accessing the management system, one or more orientation trainings can be offered (block 41) to a candidate. The orientation trainings can be determined based on the organizations registered with the management system. In one embodiment, orientation training requirements for one or more job positions can be obtained from each company. The orientation module of the management system can then process each of the training requirements to identify a set of requirements from an organization with the highest, or strictest, standards. Alternatively, training requirements from one or more of the organizations can be combined to generate the orientation training. In one embodiment, the orientation training is transmitted to one or more of the organizations for review and approval. Once approved, the organizations are more likely to hire candidates that have successfully completed the training since those candidates can immediately start working.

The qualification indicators can be optionally performed and completed by a candidate. However, candidates are encouraged to participate in the orientation training, which can make finding a job easier upon successful completion. Upon completion of the training, the candidate's profile can be updated to indicate a status of completed training. The various training requirements can be provided within the management system itself or can be located within a different system that is interconnected or related to the on-line management system. Once a candidate has completed the training program, results of the training are verified (block 44). For instance when the training was administered by a different company or organization, the company can provide the candidate with a confirmation number upon completion of the training. Subsequently, the candidate can enter the confirmation into the management system, which verifies completion of the orientation training by that candidate. Upon verification, a notice or certificate of the completion can be added (block 45) to the candidate's profile. The notice or certificate can include an icon that can be displayed within a profile of a candidate or a field indicating that the training orientation was successfully completed.

A further qualification indicator includes candidate participation in a multi-employer

(subscribing companies) drug and alcohol misuse program random pool. In some industries, substance testing can be required for candidates and employees, including the aviation industry for example, which is regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In the aviation industry, DOT regulations require employers to implement a random testing program to ensure that employees are substance free. For instance, the regulations set a random testing rate, such as 25% for drug testing and 10% for alcohol testing for a single year. A company with 100 employees would be required to randomly select from the testing pool, 25 employees for drug testing and 10 for alcohol testing within a year. To help ensure that candidates are substance free and can pass a substance test by a future employees, the candidate can enroll (block 43) in an optional substance pool maintained by the employee system, which can be reflected in the candidate's profile.

Enrollment of the candidate in the substance pool can make the candidate more marketable to companies since the candidate is already participating in a random testing pool and would be more readily available on short notice. Once enrolled, the candidate is added to the pool and when randomly selected, is expected to take a substance test within a specified time frame. The management system can then verify (block 44) that the candidate took the drug test and once verified, the candidate's profile can be updated (block 45) to reflect the candidate's enrollment in the substance pool. In a further embodiment, when a candidate is selected for testing, the candidate's profile can be updated to reflect that the candidate took a particular substance test and a date of the test.

Completion of the qualification indicators can make a candidate extremely marketable to companies since the candidate would be immediately available to complete or fulfill an urgent job request or can be brought up to speed and begin work much faster than a candidate who has not completed the qualification indicators. For instance, a hiring company may have a training class orientation in addition to the standard orientation offered by the management system. A candidate that has already completed the standard training can then complete the additional training once hired reducing the amount of time needed for training at the customer facility prior to starting work.

Once completed, the candidate profiles can become active, such that the profiles can be searched by users of the management system. Additionally, the profiles can be provided to the users, such as companies, as results of a request for candidates to fill an open position.

However, when the job, specified in the request, cannot be filled by a search of the system or a request is made without favorable results, polling of available candidates occurs. FIGURE 4 is a flow diagram showing, by way of example, a process 50 for polling candidates for a job opening during a peak demand period. When a company is looking for a candidate to fill a particular job opening, the company can manually scroll through the candidate profiles, conduct a search of the database for candidates based on one or more candidate attributes, and submit a query for a particular candidate using, for example, the candidate's name, as well as by posting the job opening. If few qualified candidates are available or the company is unable to find a suitable candidate for filling the job opening, candidate polling occurs to identify qualified candidates to fill the request. For example, during a holiday season, many candidates may indicate that they are unavailable to work during the holiday season by entering an "unavailable status" for the dates of the holiday season in their profiles. When a request comes in for an emergency repair project, or few qualified candidates are identified as available to fill the job, as described above with reference to FIGURE 2. Therefore, polling occurs to find additional qualified candidates that are registered with the management system.

During polling, a polling notice can be sent (block 51) to candidates that are identified as unavailable. The notice can include details of the request, including job attributes, such as job title, the time period of the job to be filled, candidate requirements, and job location. This polling of working techs also provides an opportunity for candidates to refer someone they might know is available, which provides for opportunity to generate additional income through a bonus or royalty program. Additionally, the notice can include an incentive for working the emergency job, such as an increased wage or bonus, to entice the unavailable candidates to become available. Other types of incentives are possible. The polling notice can be transmitted to the candidates via a candidate portal, SMS messaging, a telephone call, or email, as well as other types of communication means. Polling notices can also be sent (block 52) to companies that employ workers who qualify for filling the emergency job, in addition to or in lieu of, sending a notice to unavailable candidates. The polling notice for companies can also include details of the request, including job title, the time period of the job to be filled, candidate requirements, job location, and incentive. However, the incentive for companies can include advertising or an offset in cost to use the job management system, as well as other types of incentives. Polling customer companies can be helpful when a company has a slow cycle or has a temporary or permanent employee that is working on jobs that do not require immediate attention. During this slower time, the company can loan the worker to the requesting organization, which can be beneficial since the employing company does not need to pay their employee during the time that the employee is working for the requesting company and the employees would return to the company when needed.

In response to the request for candidates, a list of candidates can be identified (step 53) and compiled (block 54) for directly sending to the requesting company or for determining the best fit candidates for sending to the requestor. For instance, the list can include available candidates identified within the database, unavailable candidates that respond to the polling notice, and candidates that are identified by their employers. The unavailable candidates can be identified for consideration by responding to the polling notice to indicate their interest in filling the emergency job. Additionally, the companies can also respond to the notice if they are interested in making one of their workers available for the temporary emergency job.

If no candidates or companies respond to the polling notice, the list will only include the candidates identified as available, if any exist. Subsequently, the requesting company can be contacted to possibly change the parameters of the job attributes in the request, such as candidate certifications, experience, hours worked, or dates, as well as other parameters, as described above with reference to FIGURE 2. Additionally, the incentive can be changed to further try to entice candidates to apply for the job opening associated with the request. For example, the wage or bonus offered can be increased, travels costs paid, or include family travel. Once new parameters are received, polling can again be performed by sending notices of the revised job parameters to unavailable candidates and companies.

Upon receiving a request for candidates to fulfill a job opening, including a request for a specific candidate by name or a customer technician request, a pool of best fit candidates is identified and can be provided to a requesting organization. As described above, the pool of candidates can include available candidates or candidates that are identified as a result of polling, which are provided to the requesting organization. The requesting organization can then select one or more of the candidates for hiring consideration. FIGURE 5 is a screenshot showing, by way of example, a Web page 60 for displaying candidate results. The Web page 60 can include a candidate posting or request box 61 and a self-search (Customer Technician Request) results box 62. The candidate request box 61 includes attributes 63 for the job opening, including candidate requirements, and a request button 65, while the results box 62 includes summaries 64 of individual candidates that were identified as matching or having a best fit to the job attributes of the request. The candidates can be identified and selected through a search of the candidate database or in response to a submitted query of one or more candidate attributes, or candidate name. Each candidate summary can include at least a portion of the candidate attributes from the profile for that candidate.

To generate a request, an organization can identify attributes associated with a job opening, such as job title, location and time period, including dates, and candidate

requirements, including skill, experience, and credentials. Other types of job attributes are possible. If the job is temporary and a time period for the job is provided, a determination can be made as to whether the job will occur during a peak demand period. If so, polling of unavailable candidates and companies is performed, in addition to searching the database for available candidates. Profiles of the available candidates and the candidates identified through polling are then compared to the job attributes of the request to identify those candidate profiles that best match the job attributes. A match for an attribute can be identified via an exact match or a match that falls within a range of the requested attribute. In one example, a requesting organization is looking for a candidate with eight years of experience. An exact attribute match would identify those candidates with exactly eight years of experience. In contrast, a range of two years is specified and those candidates with six to 10 years of experience are identified. When lots of candidates are available, exact matches may be desired to limit the number of results. However, when fewer candidates are available, attribute ranges may be preferred to ensure that the requesting organization receives enough candidates for review.

Once the attributes have been compared, the best matching profiles of available candidates are identified as those profiles with the highest number of candidate attributes that match the job attributes. Alternatively, weights can be assigned to the job attributes and those profiles that match the job attributes with the highest weights can be identified as the best matching profiles. In one embodiment, the available candidates that are the best fit can be identified and provided to the requesting company immediately after the request, while the best fit candidates identified via polling can be provided at a later date. In a further embodiment, all candidates identified as best fit results can be provided at a common time. The best matching profiles are then sent to administrators, such as placement coordinators, recruiters, candidate support, and website managers, of the management system, where the candidate is identified and polled for availability and a confirmation, and then provided to the requesting organization. In one example, an administrator can communicate with the selected candidate via telephone, email, or text messaging, as well as via other communication means. Based on the results received, the requesting organization can then select one or more of the candidates to further pursue as a potential candidate for fulfilling the job opening.

To identify the candidates of interest, the requesting organization can access a candidate profile to obtain additional information about that candidate by selecting the candidate's summary listed in the results. FIGURE 6 is a screenshot showing, by way of example, a Web page 70 for displaying a candidate profile 71. In one example, the candidate profile can resemble a resume with copies of certificates, testimonials and licenses for a specific candidate. Once a candidate is selected from the results, the profile 71 of the selected candidate can be displayed to provide additional information. The displayed profile can include candidate attributes 72, including location, skills, experience, credentials, education, past work

experience, endorsements, and availability 73, as well as other candidate attributes. The candidate's availability 73 to work can include dates, hours, time periods, and other measures of availability. Based on the profile, a requesting organization may decide whether they want to obtain further information about the candidate or that the candidate may not be the right fit for the job opening. In one example, the requesting organization can select or bookmark those candidate profiles of interest for later review and decision.

In one embodiment, the identity of a candidate is initially masked from the requesting organization in the candidate summaries and profiles to maintain anonymity. In a further embodiment, the requesting organization can be masked to prevent any candidates from identifying the organization requesting candidates to fill an open position. The masking can include replacing the candidate's identity with random data, such as numerical values, alphabetical values, or a combination of numerical and alphabetical values. The masked values can be randomly generated and assigned to a candidate. The candidate identities and corresponding masked values can then be stored in a database in a spreadsheet or table form. For example, a first masked value can be assigned to a candidate upon registering with the management system and can be used until the candidate's identity is revealed to an organization, company, requestor or the candidate. Upon display of the candidate results, a requesting organization can select one or more of the candidates for further pursuing as a candidate of interest. The candidate of interest can be identified by highlighting that candidate's summary or profile, bookmarking the summary or profile, or entering the candidate' s masked identification number into a field associated with candidates of interest. Other means for identifying candidates of interest are possible.

The management system can then contact one or more of the selected candidates and provide the candidate with information about the job opening that the requestor is interested in filling. In one embodiment, the identity of the requestor can be disclosed and in a further embodiment, the requestor identity can be withheld. If the candidate is not interested, he may provide instructions not to disclose his identity and to terminate any further contact regarding the job opening. However, if the candidate is interested in the job opening, he may provide instructions to disclose his identity so the requestor can proceed with the hiring process, such as communicating with and scheduling in the candidate.

Once the identity of a candidate has been revealed, a new masked value is assigned to that candidate and stored for future use, including further job searches. Alternatively, the masked value can be changed periodically to prevent disclosure of the candidate's identity.

In addition to potential contact by a requesting company, candidates can also conduct their own job searches. FIGURE 7 is a screenshot showing, by way of example, a Web page 80 for conducting a job search. The Web page 80 includes a search query field 81 and a results display 82. A candidate registered with the management system and looking for a job can type in key words related to the job desired, such as job title, into the search query field 81 and job results 82 that best match the profile of the candidate are displayed. Specifically, the job results 82 can be identified by comparing the profile of the registered candidate with the job attributes for open positions. The open positions associated with the highest number of matching attributes can be identified as the results, as described above with reference to FIGURE 2.

Once a requesting organization hires a candidate, the hiring decision can be entered into the management system to update that candidate's profile to hired or unavailable. Further, the hired candidate may be a candidate for a temporary job opening despite being hired, as described above with reference to FIGURE 4.

To ensure success of matching job openings with candidates, the management system can also include job alerts. Candidates can sign up to receive alerts via text, phone, or email when any new job is entered into the system or select jobs as identified by that candidate. In yet a further embodiment, information for helping candidates obtain work can be provided, including advancement information, job hunting skills, resume assistance, and recommendations for certifications.

Other features of the management system are possible, including a resume builder, testimonial submissions, document storage, classifieds for tool selling and buying, as well as other features. Candidates have an opportunity to sponsor other skilled individuals into the management system and build an organization where referrals bonuses and royalties for the sponsored individuals would be received. As the candidate grows, he builds his experience, credibility and even his network within the management system, as does the confidence within the system to provide the candidate with more unique customer or industry opportunities.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described as referenced to the embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.