Abstract:
A method for recruiting personnel for a business entity including a plurality of distinct business units each having individual hiring requirements, wherein at least some of the distinct business units&#39; hiring requirements compete for common applicants, the method including the steps of: entering information related to a plurality of hiring needs, each of the plurality of hiring needs being respectively associated with one of the plurality of distinct business units, and information related to a plurality of candidates into a database, respectively; automatically cross-referencing the information related to the plurality of hiring needs with the information related to the plurality of candidates to identify candidates selected the plurality of candidates who satisfy entered information indicative of hiring needs; and, determining which of the identified candidates should be offered a job associated with the hiring needs; wherein, when it is determined that one of the identified candidates should be offered more than one job as determined by the hiring needs, all jobs pertinent to the one of the associated candidates are offered substantially simultaneously to the one of the identified candidates.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to personnel recruitment for a business entity and more particularly to a regionalized, automated, computerized method and system for the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     As is well known, the overall success of a company, or business entity, often revolves closely around its ability to effectively staff its programs with qualified personnel. Given recent increases in demand for technically skilled employees, for example Information Systems (IS) skilled individuals, by many competing companies coupled with flat projections of degreed graduates has resulted in fierce competition for top candidates. 
     To exacerbate this situation, as companies continue to grow and develop multiple divisions, or independent business units, these independent business units compete against each other for common candidates thus further driving the cost of new hires even higher. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a recruiting method and system to implement it which allows for simultaneous filling of multiple positional vacancies by multiple qualified candidates without unnecessarily competing for those candidates. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A method for recruiting personnel for a business entity including a plurality of distinct business units each having individual hiring requirements, wherein at least some of the distinct business units&#39; hiring requirements compete for common applicants, the method including the steps of: entering information related to a plurality of hiring needs, each of the plurality of hiring needs being respectively associated with one of the plurality of distinct business units, and information related to a plurality of candidates into a database, respectively; automatically cross-referencing the information related to the plurality of hiring needs with the information relaxed to the plurality of candidates to identify candidates selected the plurality of candidates who satisfy entered information indicative of hiring needs; and, determining which of the identified candidates should be offered a job associated with the hiring needs; wherein, when it is determined that one of the identified candidates should be offered more than one job as determined by the hiring needs, all jobs pertinent to the one of the associated candidates are offered substantially simultaneously to the one of the identified candidates. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of the method according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a more detailed overview of the method according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a preferred embodiment of candidate identification steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a preferred embodiment of electronic candidate folder preparation steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a preferred embodiment of resume reviewing steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a preferred embodiment of interview day preparation steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a preferred embodiment of interview day steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a preferred embodiment of interview session steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a preferred embodiment of offer decision steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a preferred embodiment of offer letter preparation steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a preferred embodiment of applicant tracking steps according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a preferred embodiment of network interconnection utilized by the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates estimated scaled up results obtainable utilizing the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     By adopting the approach of the present invention a business entity can reduce the overall expenditures associated with recruiting efforts by: coordinating efforts, combining resources dealing with advertising budgets, job fairs, recruiters, employment of new information technology and centralizing the recruiting effort. However, one should realize that such an approach is not merely the centralization of the recruiting function as many of the critical stages of recruitment will remain decentralized and within the control of managers. 
     Referring now to the several figures, wherein like references refer to like elements of the invention  FIG. 1  illustrates the underlying concept of the present invention. By providing company hiring needs  1  to a regional recruiting center (RRC)  5  according to the present invention, company hiring teams can make offers using an invitational interview concept. The RRC  5  preferably provides consolidated resources associated with advertising, job fairs, employment agencies, IT/Internet support, contract recruiters, college recruiting and special recruiting events. 
     Generally, technical recruiters associated with the RRC down select the candidate pool and invite candidates to interview. Business unit (division for example) hiring managers interview these candidates at the RRC on predetermined days for example. Preferably, each day focuses on a particular skill set. The RRC director then coordinates collaborative roundtable sessions associated with each independent business unit&#39;s needs and the candidates who have interviewed. Pursuant to this session, select candidates will be offered one salary with one or more business units. 
     The advantages to such an approach include that the RRC acts essentially as a forcing function, thus shortening cycle time from hiring need recognition to actual hiring of an employee. Further, the controlled integrative environment should provide each candidate with a more positive impression of the company as a whole (including each independent business unit) thus making it a more attractive employer to the candidates. 
     Further advantages to be realized include reducing the number of interview hours required of hiring managers, increasing the acceptance ratio by utilizing coordinated offers, hand-selected hiring managers and better focused recruiters, and an increased employee quality by using a centralized gatekeeper. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 2 , therein is illustrated a more detailed diagram according to the present invention. First, hiring needs  1  are communicated to the RRC  5 . Resumes of potential candidates  15  are collected by the RRC S. Candidates  20  are then identified from the collected resumes  15  and are provisionally associated with at least one of the hiring needs  1  communicated. These candidates  20  are telephonically screened and are invited  25  to attend an RRC interview day. 
     On the RRC interview day to which the candidates were invited, they are preferably first briefed  27  regarding the RRC process and informed as to what they can expect. The candidates are then individually interviewed  30  while compensation reviews  35  and security checks  40  are conducted. Feedback  45  from the interview sessions  30  and  50  from the compensation reviews  35  and security checks  40  are used in a roundtable review  55  of each of the interviewed candidates which leads to consolidated offer letters being distributed  60 . Finally, candidate follow ups  65  are conducted by the RRC of each candidate. 
     Referring now to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  illustrates the preferred steps of candidate identification. Prior to a RRC interview day, preparation activities are required. During the Interview Day Preparation phase, candidates are identified, Electronic Candidate Folders are created, an on-line review of candidate resumes is performed and candidate education occurs as described in the sections following. 
     Upon receiving job requirements from the Participating Business Units (divisions for example), Job Requisitions  65  are entered into a database  70  (hereinafter referred to as the Resumix Software System). At the same time, as potential applicant resumes  15  are received, they are scanned and input into the Resumix Software System. 
     Based on RRC Job Requisitions opened (unfilled for example), the Resumix system performs a search  75  against open requisitions  65  and resumes  15  to identify applicants that meet job requisition requirements. Upon matching an applicant to job requisition, an RRC Recruiter  80  telephones the identified applicant  85  and conducts a telephone screen  90  to determine if the skills and experience of the applicant matches the resume  15  received. Upon passing the telephone screen  90  the applicant  85  is invited to the RRC for an in-house interview. The candidate is scheduled for an interview appointment and given a web site address, user name, and password to access the RRC external web site, and instructions on the web site applications required to be downloaded and filled out prior to arriving at the RRC. 
     The RRC Recruiter  80  sends a soft copy of the applicant resume  15  via electronic mail from the Resumix Software System to a RRC Scheduler  95 . In addition, a list of applicant names  100  that have been invited to interview are sent via electronic mail to the RRC Scheduler  95 , for use in preparing Interview Day Electronic Candidate Folders  110 . 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 4 , upon receiving the names of invited candidates  100  and soft copy resumes  15  for each candidate, the RRC Scheduler  95  prepares for the interview day. Accessing the RRC Alta Vista Forum  105 , for example by using a commercial off the shelf software package available such as a web browser, the RRC Scheduler  95  creates an electronic folder  110  for the Interview Day for each candidate name. Each candidate folder  110  is populated with the associated candidate resume  15 . 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 5 , upon completion of the electronic candidate folder  110  preparation, an electronic mail message  120  is sent to the Business Unit Hiring Managers  125 , informing each manager  125  of the availability of candidate resumes  15  for review prior to arriving to the RRC for interviews. 
     Upon receiving an electronic mail notification  120  that resumes  15  are available on-line for review, Business Unit Hiring Managers  125  preferably review candidate resumes  15  prior to the interview day. Resumes  15  are accessed using the RRC Alta Vista Forum  105  via a web browser. Preferably, hiring managers  125  select resumes  15  for review using two different methods. The first access method is through a selection of the Interview Day folder and subsequently through each Candidate Electronic Folder  110 . The second method is through the use of a Search Engine to select candidate resumes using key word and date parameters. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 6 , after receiving an invitation to interview at the RRC, each candidate  85  is required to call and schedule an appointment and to fill out employment forms  130  prior to the interview day. Each candidate  85  is provided a web site address and corresponding name and password to access the RRC external web site  135 . 
     The RRC external web site  135  preferably serves as a vehicle to communicate the following information:
         Information on the participating business units   Information about living and working in the business unit&#39;s geographical area   Information on preparing for a successful interview   Employment forms to download and fill out prior to arrival   Directions to the RRC   Visit preparation instructions.       

     Upon accessing to the RRC Web Site  135 , each candidate  85  downloads and preferably fills out the following employment forms  130 :
         Job Application   EEO Form   Conflict of Interest Form   Security Form.       

     All forms  130  are preferably collected upon each candidate&#39;s  85  arrival to the RRC, but could also be electronically transferable to the RRC for example utilizing the website  135 . 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 7 , at the same time of the general briefing  27 , the RRC Scheduler  85  begins to populate the Regional Recruiting Information System (RRIS)  140 , an access database which houses the results of the interview day, with Candidate information  145  derived from the interviews, resume, phone interview, forms  130 . Candidate Information  145  that is captured in the RRIS  140  preferably includes:
         Candidate Name   Candidate Title   Candidate E-mail Address   Candidate Work Phone Number   Candidate Home Phone Number   Candidate Fax Number   Candidate Address   Candidate City   Candidate State   Candidate Zip Code   Candidate Social Security Number   Candidate Ethnicity (Maintained in restricted files; entered if self identified)   Candidate Gender (Maintained in restricted files)   Candidate Comments.       

     During a RRC Interview Day three main activities are performed by RRC Personnel. These activities include Candidate Check-In, Interview Sessions, and an end of interview day Offer decision meeting as described in the following sections. 
     Upon arriving at the RRC, each candidate  85  is preferably welcomed by the RRC Receptionist  150 . The RRC Receptionist  150  collects the employment application forms  130  from each candidate  85  and then preferably escorts each candidate  85  to the technology lounge  155 . 
     The technology lounge  155  provides a waiting area as candidates  85  wait for the Interview Sessions to begin. It provides a desktop area (preferably including kiosks  245 ) where each candidate  85  can access the external RRC web site  135  to continue to conduct research and where each candidate  85  can interact with business entity softcopy information materials. The I&amp;S Sector Information Program  160  provides insight into I&amp;S Sector Businesses, which participate in the RRC, and the products that are developed within the Information and Services Sector. 
     Upon receiving a hardcopy of each candidate folder  110 ′, the RRC Receptionist  150  provides the form package  130 , with the exception of the Security Form  130 ′, to the compensation analyst  185 , and the Security Form  130 ′ to the Security Manager  165 . At the beginning of each interview session, each candidate  85  is escorted into a large conference room and attends a general briefing. The general briefing  27  provides information on the hiring business entity, and educates the candidate  85  on the RRC and what to expect during the Interview Day. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 8 , upon completion of the general briefing session  27 , each candidate  85  is escorted back into the Technology Lounge  155  and awaits his first interview. The RRC Hiring Managers  125  and RRC Security Manager  165  introduce themselves to each candidate  85  in the technology lounge  155  and proceed to individually escort each candidate  85  to a designated Interview Room. Each candidate is interviewed and upon completion is escorted back into the technology lounge  155 . Upon completion of each interview, a Hiring Manager  125  returns from escorting the Candidate  85  to the Interview Room and accesses the RRIS database  140 . The Manager Information that is captured by the RRIS database  140  preferably includes:
         Social Security Number   Business Identifier   Name   Title   E-mail Address   Work Phone Number   Home Phone Number   Mail Point   Fax Number   Comments.       

     The Manager  125  begins to enter a real-time assessment  170  of each candidate  85  derived at least in part from the interview. Hiring Interview information  170  captured preferably includes:
         Hiring Manager Name   Business   Hiring Location, including City and State   Candidate Name   Position Interviewing for   Communication Skills Assessment   Technical Capabilities Assessment   Work Experience Assessment   Degree   Major   Years of Applicable Experience   Hiring Band, if required for business   Resume Accuracy Assessment   Compensation Range Assessment   Hire Status Assessment   Comments.       

     Upon completion of a Security Interview, a Security Manager  165  returns from escorting a candidate  85  to the technology lounge  155  and completes a Security Interview Assessment  175  form which is kept separate from the RRIS  140 . Security Interview information  175  captured preferably includes:
         Candidate Name   Candidate Potential Clearance Level   Current Clearance Level   Current Clearance Status   Comments   Security Evaluation   Security Manager Name.       

     Candidate  85  continues to interview based on a preset schedule for the Interview Day. At the end of the Hiring Manager  125  and Security Manager  165  interview set, each Candidate  85  meets with a recruiter  80 . The Recruiter  80  escorts each candidate  85  to an interview room and conducts a closing interview. Upon completion of the Closing Interview, each candidate  85  is preferably thanked for his time and completes the interview day. The Recruiter  80 , upon escorting the Candidate  85  back to the Receptionist  150  returns to the interview room and accesses the RRIS  140  to enter a closing interview assessment  180 . Closing Interview Assessment information  180  captured preferably includes:
         Recruiter Name   Candidate Name   Current Salary (if applicable)   Last Increase (percentage, if applicable)   Last Increase Amount (dollars, if applicable)   Time of Next Review (if applicable)   Minimum Salary Requirements   Location Preference/Business Name   What it will take for the candidate to work for Business entity   Additional comments.       

     During the Interview Session, an RRC Compensation Analyst  185  accesses the RRIS database  140  and reviews interview assessment data  170  for each candidate  85 . Based on the assessment data  170 , the Compensation Analyst  185  determines a price point to offer to each candidate  85  and enters the Compensation Analyst assessment  190  into the RRIS database  140 . The Compensation Analyst Assessment  190  preferably includes:
         Compensation Analyst Name   Compensation Offer   Comments.       

     Referring now also to  FIG. 9 , upon completion of all Interviews for the interview day, all personnel who have been active in the interview day ( 80 ,  125 ,  165 ,  185 ) meet to discuss candidate offers for select candidates  85 . Preferably, a director  195  of the RRC acts as the facilitator of the offer decision meeting. 
     During the offer decision meeting, at the end of the interview day, the RRC Director  195  facilitates a review of each candidate  85  that attended the interview day. Each candidate&#39;s Interview Assessment Data ( 170 ,  175 ,  180  and  190 ) are reviewed and an offer, including price, and companies offering a position are determined. The RRIS database  140  is preferably projected from a desktop platform onto a large conference screen for the Director&#39;s  195  use in facilitating the session for example. Final offer decision information  200  is captured in the RRIS database  140  upon agreement for each candidate  85 . Offer Decision information  200  captured preferably includes:
         Business   Hire Decision   Hiring Manager   Compensation Offer   Sign-On Bonuses   Decision Comments.       

     Any candidate  85  not receiving an offer is reflected as rejected in the database  140 . Candidates  85  are preferably defined with the following Hiring Statuses:
         No Hire   Hire for Business entity   Potential Hire for Future   Hire for other hiring need of Business Entity.       

     Upon completion of the Offer Decision Meeting, a Candidate Offer Decision Report  210  is preferably cycled and printed from the database  140 . Referring now also to  FIG. 10 , after the Interview Day Decision Offer Meeting, a series of Post-Interview activities are performed. These activities include Offer Letter Preparation and Applicant Tracking Updates as described in the following sections. 
     Upon completion of an Interview Day, the RRC Scheduler  95  accesses the RRIS database  140  and runs the automated Offer Letter and Thank You Letter Reports  220 . Each candidate  85  who has not received an Offer Letter  220  is sent a thank You Letter  220 . The Offer Letters  220  and Thank You Letters  220  are exported from the RRIS database  140  into a Rich Text Format file for example. Using Microsoft Word or any other suitable means, the Scheduler  95  reviews and concatenates the Offer Letters  220  down to one Offer Letter  230  per candidate using the Offer Letter Decision Report to ensure that all Offers are reflected in each letter  230 . In addition, the Thank You Letters  220  are reviewed in soft copy format prior to printing hard copy versions  230 . 
     Upon completion of the Offer Letter and Thank You Letter soft copy preparation  220 , the letters are printed ( 230 ) and provided to the assigned RRC Recruiter  80  for final review, and approval. Upon receiving the approval, including the Recruiter  80  signature, each letter  230  is sent to the respective candidate  85 , preferably by Federal Express for example. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 11 , along with reviewing and approving the Offer or Thank You Letter  230 , each Recruiter  80  preferably logs into the Resumix Software System  70  and updates the Applicant “Disposition” and “Offer” Statuses  240  for each candidate  85  that has interviewed for an LMC position. If a Candidate  85  has not been extended an offer, the Disposition statuses  240  preferably reflect the reasons for the decision. 
     If an offer is extended, upon receipt of a candidate&#39;s  85  response, the candidate&#39;s decision data is entered into an “Accept” or “Reject” status fields within the Applicant status  240 , in addition to the candidate&#39;s “Hire Date” if applicable. 
     Referring now also to  FIG. 12 , preferably the technical center includes multiple kiosks, each of which preferably include a Pentium II computer, a mouse, a keyboard, a flat panel display, an Internet browser such as Netscape Communicator, other Internet software such as NetNanny, and productivity software such as Microsoft Office or the like (collectively designated as  245 ). 
     Preferably, each interview room includes a Pentium computer for example, a mouse, keyboard, monitor, Internet browser such as Netscape Communicator, virus protection software, and other software such as Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office for example (collectively designated  450 ). Additionally, each interview room computer preferably includes a QWS3270 TN 3270 emulator for communicating with existing hardware (mainframe) and for accessing the database  140  for example. Preferably, the server/router/switch/hub configuration to implement the present invention includes a Cisco 4500 Router  455 , Cisco 5000 Switch  460 , Cisco 1924 Hubs  465 , and a Compaq 2500 Fileserver with NT Server w/service pack  470  for example. Also, a connection  250  to the entity&#39;s existing network  255  is provided. Preferably the Kiosk Internet Proxy Server  475  includes a Compaq 2500 Fileserver with NT Server w/service pack, and Netscape Proxy Server and server to insulate the kiosks  245 . Preferably each manager  125  is equipped with a Pentium II laptop, mouse, keyboard, docking station, display, modem, Ethernet adapter, an Internet browser such as Netscape Communicator, virus protection software such as McAfee Antivirus and other software such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and Microsoft Office Professional (collectively designated  475 ). Preferably each managers  125  laptop further includes a QWS3270 TN3270 emulator. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13 , estimated scaled-up results from a pilot program consistent with the present invention are therein illustrated. As illustrated therein, resumes  15  were collected  240  using sources such as media  260 , job fairs  265 , head hunters  270 , employee referrals  275  and other sources  280  and fed into the Resumix server  290 . These resumes  15  were then down selected  285  and phone interviews led to candidate scheduling  290 . Interviews were conducted  295 , offers were extended  300  and employees started working  305 . Estimating 35,676 resumes to be received each year, approximately 10% or 3,568 would be down selected and scheduled for an interview assuming  109  interview days per year. Of these 3,568 candidates 10% are estimated as not to show resulting in 3,243 interviews being constructed each year. Of these 3,243 candidates being interviewed approximately 74% or 2,400 are estimated to be offered jobs, 50% of those offered jobs or 1,200 are estimated to accept the offer. 
     Although the invention has been described and pictured in a preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. It is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.