Job Search Plus
Towards a More Comprehensive Job Search and Recruitment System
This document is intended to provide you with a set of features and capabilities that could be instrumental to extending Job Search to a more comprehensive job search and recruitment system JobSearchPlus. The intent is for you to think about all of the proposed features and capabilities in the context the various topics of the class since the midterm including: database recovery, database security, concurrency control and transaction processing, database architecture such as distributed database management systems, web databases, data mining and warehousing, etc.
JobSearchPlus would have the following features and capabilities, conceptualized as a set of high level components/applications, which require the creation and usage of multiple databases as opposed to the project that had a single database. There are six major components, specifically: JobSeeker, JobPoster, JobReviewEval, On-line Interview, In-Person Interview, and RecruitServs; these are reviewed in greater detail in the following.
· JobSeeker Component: This is essentially as defined in the project from this semester, but expanded to be nation and world-wide in terms of its availability. From a security perspective, a Jobs Seeker can create/update/delete his/her own profile, can review all of the posted jobs, can search for jobs that match his/her criteria, and can apply to one or more jobs. There is also the ability for a Seeker to delegate his/her responsibilities to an seeker aide is helping with the job search and would have a more limited security access as compared to the Seeker. JobSearchPlus also provides some additional capabilities to Seekers. There is a watch list that can be utilized in to monitor JobSearchPlus for new jobs that are posted based on any combination of degree required, experience, job title, company name, geographic area, etc. In addition, there is a secure communication feature that allows Seekers to interact with Posters regarding job opportunities and all of the communication required in the interview/recruitment process. This is needed since some Seeker are interested in keeping their job search confidential from their current employer.
· JobPoster Component: This is essentially as defined in the project from this semester, but expanded to be nation and world-wide in terms of its availability. From a user perspective, there are many different kinds of Posters: a human resource user that posts the position; a manager or some other higher level personal that is in charge of the search, can also post the position, and can interact with Seekers; an administrative user that interacts with Seeker during the interview process and oversees arrangements for on-line and in person interviews (see two components below); a business office user who interacts with Seekers regarding reimbursement for interview expenses or for paying from moving expenses; a personal assistant to assist in the transition of a Seeker in terms of moving and housing; etc. The manager job poster may his/her own watch lists that is able to monitor the profile of a Seeker (without knowing the actual name or other demographic info) to determine if a Seeker may satisfy a position with the ability to send a blind email. There is also secure communication feature between Posters and Seekers.
MainJobSearch DB: Note that both of these components and their users will also utilize many of the components below. Both Job Seeker and Job Poster components utilize the MainJobSearch Database that generalizes the current project UConnJobSearch DB schema to be more comprehensive. This includes relational tables for defining: all types users (seekers, poster, administrators, etc.); information on companies (name, address, contact); all the jobs that have been posted (both current and completed); information on seekers that includes their expertise, resume, preferences, etc.; the application table that contains foreign key linkages for each posted job and the seekers who have applied.
JobSeeker and JobPoster Tools: In terms of overall functionality, conceptually the different UI screens from the project can be logically organize into different sets of tools for different users. The Seeker would be able to access tools for registration (both create and update), resume creation/management, job search, and application (both submit and monitor via watch list); the Seeker aide would have more limited access (can’t do registration tool) and the Seeker would have the ability to delegate access privileges to the Seeker Aide. The Poster would be able to access tools for registration (his/herself and the company), to post/monitor positions, and to securely interact with Seekers; the Poster could also delegate some of these responsibilities to manager, human resource, administrative, and business office users and personal assistant. Each of these other users would then have limited access to some of the Poster’s tools.
· JobReviewEval Component: Allows a Poster to set up the ability to have multiple individuals participate in the job recruitment process and be able to review and evaluate applications online, enter comments/evaluations for every candidate for each job posted by a Company, and have an online collaborative interaction to rank candidates and make hire recommendations. From a security perspective, there would be many other types of users at the Poster’s company that would be authorized to utilize this component including the manager, human resource, administrative, and business office users and personal assistant. In addition, for some interviews, there may be other technical personnel of company that participate; e.g., for a software engineering position, in addition to the manager, a database engineer, a UI expert, a security app developer, etc., may all be need to be authorized to be able to use this component and participate in the on-line or in-person interview (see two components below).
Review-Eval DB: The Review-Eval Database tracks all of this information on a Poster by Poster basis for all of the jobs being recruited and evaluated. This includes relational tables for defining: for each posted position, the employees of the Poster’s company that are participating in the search process; an initial screening table that contains all of the seekers that have applied for a posted position to determine those individuals qualified to interview for the position to support the ability for all of employees of the Poster’s company that are participating in the interview to rate and comment with a foreign key link to the resumes of the seekers; and, an interview table that contains a subset of all of the seekers that met the interview qualifications to support the ability for all of employees of the Poster’s company that are participating in the interview to rate and comment with a foreign key link to the resumes of the seekers.
JobReviewEval Tools: In terms of overall functionality, the Review/Evaluation Component will also offer its own sets of tools for different users. The Poster would have a tool that would be able to assign different company personnel to participate in the job recruitment process for reviewing and rating applications and determining the interview list. All of the users of the Company involved in a particular interview for a specific job would have access to a rating/evaluation tool for both the screening and interview stages of the job recruitment process, which also includes the ability to view the resume of each candidate.
· On-Line Interview Component: Allows a Poster to set up and conduct on-line interviews via VIOP, Skype, Cell, Wi-Fi, etc. The component will include a scheduler (e.g., Doodle) to allow the Poster or an administrative user to gather data on availability from the Company employees (e.g., technical personnel) participating in an interview as well as all of the Seekers that will be interviewed for a particular position (as identified using the Job Review-Eval Component). Company employees will need access to provide schedules and contact information for the on-line interview. The interview itself will have the ability to have both live video streams of all participants and the ability for each Seeker to make an optional presentation (e.g., via PPT, PDF, etc.). There will be a record capability as well to record all of the information (voice, video, text, documents, etc.) that is collected during the interview process.
OL-Interview DB: The OL-Interview Database tracks all of this information on a Poster by Poster basis for each job, and for all Seekers being interviewed for the same job. This includes relational tables for defining and tracking: the attendees for the interview, the contact info to set up the online interview (IDs), the schedule for the interview, all recorded materials for the interview, etc.
On-Line Interview Tools: In terms of overall functionality, the On-Line Interview Component will also offer its own sets of tools for different users. All users from the Poster’s company participating in the interview as well as the Seekers being interviewed would need access to the scheduling tool to arrange the day/time of the interview and provide the contact info. There are also tools for conducting the interview itself via CIOP, Skype, or another online means that all users will have access to. During the interview itself, there are background tools for recording the media and storing in the database.
· In-Person Interview Component: Allows the Poster or an administrative user to schedule in-person interviews and the Seeker to make the appropriate transportation and lodging; Company employees (e.g., technical personnel) participating in the interview also need to enter schedules so that the interview and be set up with all involved parties. The scheduler for On-Line Interview can be reused here – and should also have a record capability to record all of the information (voice, video, text, documents, etc.) during the in-person interview. The transportation and lodger may point to specific sites for Seekers to utilize if the Poster has arrangements with different transportation (specific airlines, car rental agencies, limo agencies, etc.) or lodging (specific hotels, bed and breakfasts, etc.). This component will also need a reimbursement capability for the Seeker to submit all receipts for the interview to get reimbursed for the costs associated.
IP-Interview DB: The IP-Interview Database tracks all of this information on a Poster by Poster basis for each job, and for all Seekers being interviewed for the same job, and have information. This includes relational tables for defining and tracking: the attendees for the interview, the schedule for the interview, all recorded materials for the interview, travel arrangement/costs for reimbursement, etc. Note that both the OL-Interview and IP-Interview DBs may have many aspects in common and it may be possible to combine these two into a single database.
In-Person Interview Tools: In terms of overall functionality, the In-Person Interview Component will have tools similar to the OL-Interview component in regards to scheduling and recording for all of the users of the Poster’s company and for Seekers. The Seeker will have access to tools for making travel arrangements (travel and lodging) and for submitting for reimbursement of costs; the Poster’s representatives (business office user, and/or a personal assistant) would have access to a tool to process reimbursements.
· RecruitServices Component: Allows an administrative user, a business office user, and/or a personal assistant who all represent the Poster and the Company to provide a set of resources for the Seeker who has agreed to take a position at the company. This will include the ability for the Seeker to find housing (short term rental, longer term rental, purchase house, etc.), arrange and pay for moving (furniture and belongings, shipping cars, etc.), arrange and pay for travel (from the Seeker’s location to the new Job location), find information on the area (services, shopping, schools, etc.) in consultation with the personal assistant. There will be appropriate links to resources such as realtors, apartment complexes, moving companies, etc. There will also be the ability for the Seeker to store moving cost information to be reimbursed by the Poster who hired him/her by the business office user.
Recruit-Servs DB: The Recruit-Servs Database tracks all of this information for a Poster and all of the Seekers that they recruit for different positions. All of the information listed for the component will be included in this database. This includes relational tables for defining and tracking for each hired Seeker: a table for all of the arrangements associated with housing, a separate table for tracking moving arrangements, and a table that will be utilized for reimbursement of travel and moving expenses.
RecruitServices Tools: In terms of overall functionality, the RecruitServices Component will also offer its own sets of tools for different users. The Seeker will have access to tools for making relocation arrangements (travel and moving) and for submitting for reimbursement of costs; the Poster’s representatives (business office user, and/or a personal assistant) would have access to a tool to process reimbursements. This tool would be in common with the one for reimbursement for the In-Person Interview Component. There would also be a tool to allow communication about recruitment between the Poster’s representatives and Seekers.
Summary
Note that the assumptions and capabilities of JobSearchPlus have dramatically scaled up the requirements, capabilities and features, as realized by the proposal of a set of five databases: MainJobSearch, Review-Eval, OL-Interview, IP-Interview, and Recruit-Servs, the respective users for each Component, as well as the tools for each component.
There will be a number of problems on the final exam that design oriented, and ask you to play at different times, the role of a database administrator , database designer, application developer, etc., in answering questions involving database recovery, database security, concurrency control and transaction processing, database architecture such as distributed database management systems, web databases, data mining and warehousing, etc.
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