Matched-based employment system and method

Abstract

A method of operating an employment system is provided. The method includes generating a score for each of a plurality of possible results compared to information associated with a user, enabling the user to access a result of the plurality of possible results if the score generated for the result meets a threshold condition, enabling the user to adjust the threshold condition and preventing the user from adjusting the threshold condition beyond a minimum threshold condition. The score can be a bi-directional matching score. The minimum threshold condition can include a minimum score. The minimum score can be determined based on the percentage of the plurality of possible results that would be accessible to the user.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A method of operating an employment system comprising:
 generating a score for each of a plurality of possible results compared to information associated with a user;   enabling the user to access a result of the plurality of possible results if the score generated for the result meets a threshold condition;   enabling the user to adjust the threshold condition; and   preventing the user from adjusting the threshold condition beyond a minimum threshold condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the score is a bi-directional matching score. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the minimum threshold condition includes a minimum score. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the minimum score is determined based on the percentage of the plurality of possible results that would be accessible to the user. 
     
     
         5 . A method of operating an employment system comprising:
 presenting a user with a first question;   receiving an answer to the first question;   presenting a user with one or more subsequent questions;   receiving an answer to each of the subsequent questions, wherein at least one subsequent question is selected based on an answer provided to a previous question;   setting match information for the user based at least partly upon at least one of the subsequent questions or the first question; and   generating match scores using the match information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of setting match information comprises:
 weighing a first match data item and a second match data item equally. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of setting match information comprises:
 weighing a first match data item more heavily than a second match data item. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the subsequent questions asks the user to provide a plurality of attributes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the user is also asked to rank said plurality of attributes. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating an employment system comprising:
 generating match scores between a plurality of employment seekers and a plurality of open positions;   determining a set of match results associated with an open position wherein the match results in the set are each associated with match scores that meet a threshold value; and   sending information to an employee seeker associated with the open position automatically, wherein the information includes data about at least one match result in the set.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the data includes a formatted document associated with an employment seeker of the at least one match result in the set. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the information includes a list of fixed size of the highest scoring match results in the set. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 enabling the employee seeker to modify a notification configuration wherein the notification configuration effects the step of sending. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 waiting a minimum time period after the step of sending before sending additional information to the employee seeker associated with the open position automatically, wherein the additional information includes data about at least one match result in the set not previously sent to the employee seeker. 
 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to operate an employment system, said computer program product comprising:   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate a score for each of a plurality of possible results compared to information associated with a user;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enable the user to access a result of the plurality of possible results if the score generated for the result meets a threshold condition;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enable the user to adjust the threshold condition; and   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to prevent the user from adjusting the threshold condition beyond a minimum threshold condition.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the score is a bi-directional matching score. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the minimum threshold condition includes a minimum score. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17  wherein the minimum score is determined based on the percentage of the plurality of possible results that would be accessible to the user. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to operate an employment system, said computer program product comprising:   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to present a user with a first question;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to receive an answer to the first question;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to present a user with one or more subsequent questions;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to receive an answer to each of the subsequent questions, wherein at least one subsequent question is selected based on an answer provided to a previous question;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to set match criteria for the user based at least partly upon at least one of the subsequent questions or the first question; and   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate match scores using the match criteria.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a computer to set match information comprises:
 computer readable code configured to cause a computer to weigh a first match data item and a second match data item equally. 
 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein the computer readable code configured to cause a computer to set match information comprises:
 computer readable code configured to cause a computer to weigh a first match data item more heavily than a second match data item. 
 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the subsequent questions asks the user to provide a plurality of attributes. 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 22  wherein the user is also asked to rank said plurality of attributes. 
     
     
         24 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to operate an employment system, said computer program product comprising:   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate match scores between a plurality of employment seekers and a plurality of open positions;   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a set of match results associated with an open position wherein the match results in the set are each associated with match scores that meet a threshold value; and   computer readable code configured to cause a computer to send information to an employee seeker associated with the open position automatically, wherein the information includes data about at least one match result in the set.   
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 24  wherein the data includes a formatted document associated with an employment seeker of the at least one match result in the set. 
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 24  wherein the information includes a list of fixed size of the highest scoring match results in the set. 
     
     
         27 . The computer program product of  claim 24  further comprising:
 computer readable code configured to cause a computer to enable the employee seeker to modify a notification configuration wherein the notification configuration effects the step of sending. 
 
     
     
         28 . The computer program product of  claim 24  further comprising:
 computer readable code configured to cause a computer to wait a minimum time period after sending the information before sending additional information to the employee seeker associated with the open position automatically, wherein the additional information includes data about at least one match result in the set not previously sent to the employee seeker.