FORM -2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
PROVISIONAL
specification
(See Section 10; rule 13)


A SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USE IN THE RECRUITMENT INDUSTRY
TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD.,
an Indian Company of Nirmal Building, 9lh floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, Maharashtra, India

THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION DESCRIBES THE INVENTION



Field of Invention:
This invention relates to a system, apparatus and method for use in the Recruitment Industry.
Background of the invention: (introduction)
Employee referral methods are known in the industry that that enable employees to make money by referring candidates to the organizations in which they are employed.
Objects of the invention:
Benefits of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention: Organizations
o The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention increases reach of BYB to 2nd /3rd degree away resources. o Reduce bottle neck in current employee referral system. Organizational issues
- Lack of a structured employee referral program
- Sub-optimal internal marketing of the program " Sub optimal referral incentives
- Lack of processes / technology backend to manage ER
programs
Employee issues
- Limited reach - can only refer people 1 degree of
separation away
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- Lack of clarity on what constitutes a good prospect for the role
- Low financial incentive
o Reduce referral spasm by effectively using push down and push up point management system which is a principal feature of this invention.
o Higher quality of hires: higher productivity
o Reduced total cost of hiring
o Management time
o Reduced attrition
o Higher employee satisfaction —> reduced attrition
o Reduced hiring TAT (Talent Acquisition Time)
Individuals
o Access to relevant jobs
o Make money through by forwarding jobs to friends and by referring people for jobs
Effective Comparison of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention with other existing web services is done by doing rigorous market research which concludes that the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention is superiority.
The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention innovatively uses Social Networking to cater hiring needs of an organization.
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Summary of the invention:
The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention is different from existing social networking sites in its razor sha.rp focus on solving the employee referrals problem and also in its integration with the existing employee referral platforms of large companies. It has commerce and information workflows that are currently missing in any other social networking site. Thus it is able to add unique value to both organizations & individuals.
The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention is first of a kind of Enterprise oriented; internet based social networking, employee referral method.
Call center service (Customer care Service) is integral part of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention therefore the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention serves as End to End, single window of effective recruitment solution provided to Organizations.
The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention has a unique payment tracking mechanism used to track payment from organizations and distribute referral reward amongst referral chain.
Brief Description of the accompanying Drawings
Figure 1 shows the process flow of the system ancj apparatus in accordance with this invention and its integration with current employee referral system of an organization; and
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Figure 2 shows the Payment collection and distribution methodology in the system of figure 1.
Detailed description of the accompanying Drawings:
a) Process flow of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention and its integration with current employee referral system of organization. -The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention has the following Features
• How The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention works
o Job posting: Jobs will be posted on the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention portal. Employee will have user account on the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention . Buddies of employee and buddies of employee's buddy will also have account in the system . o Employee referral: Employee browses through job openings/ walk in drives posted on the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention . From his social networking/ friend's group he forwards the job opening to his friend (Buddy ]). Job opening wiJi have Referral amount against it. Employee needs to expend push down points to push job opening to his buddy. Push down point will be credited to every user's account annually. Employee or user can push down job
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opening till the time he has push down points left with him. O Buddy 1 application: As soon as buddy 1 sees job opening in his referral inbox, employee gets message saying job opening is read by buddy. Buddy applies against opening by filling in an application package . Push down points expended by an employee to push down job application is reimbursed. The Organization gets a message about the interested candidate and his application. Job application comes to the employee who needs to push up the application towards the job destination by using push up points. Employee needs to fill in mandatory attribute form (objective recommendation to be given by the employee to buddy 1) for buddy 1. Employee can write subjective recommendation (optional), comments on the CV if any, rate the applicant. Employee pushes the application to the Organization using push up points which will act as a credibility indicator for Organization to shortlists the C V and functionality of recruitment cell of respective Organization follows.
• Going further if buddy 1 is not interested to apply, he forwards the opening to his friend buddy2 using the push down points and the pusl-, down points of employee will be reimbursed.
° Extension to Buddy Network Buddy2 sees job opening and alert message- job opening is read by buddy2, is sent to


buddyl and employee. Buddy2 applies against opening by filling in the organization's employee application package. Application goes to buddy 1. Message is sent to buddyl, employee and Organization that there is a candidate interested to apply/join. Due to time constraint, Organization is allowed to shortlist candidate directly for the interview. Buddyl's push down points is reimbursed as soon as buddy2 applies. Buddyl needs to fill in attribute form and rate application of Buddy 2 and using pushup points, buddy 1 pushes application to employee. Employee fills in attribute form for buddy 1 and rate buddyl. Employee using his push up points pushes application towards Organization. Organization sees weighted average rating of buddy 2 which will be calculated taking weighted average of rating given by buddyl to buddy2 and rating given by employee to buddyl. The Organization shortlists the CV and functionality of a recruitment cell of respective Organization resumes.
b) Payment collection and distribution methodology -
• Offer letter is generated for a selected candidate/s - buddyl or
buddy2.
o The alert message is sent to the team of the system in accordance with this invention and referring chain.
• Candidate accepts the offer.
o Alert message is sent to referring chain and the team .
• Candidate joins organization
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o HRMS (integrated with the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention ) system sends alert message, Candidate has joined organization on said date, to the referring chain and the team of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention. o Once this message is received, the team of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention initiates payment collection from concerned organization. o Organization deposits partial amount, in the bank account of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention as per organization's policy - e.g.; 60% of referral amount is paid once candidate joins the organization. (And remaining 40% once candidate completes minimum stay policy of organization) • As soon as candidate completes minimum stay in the organization, the team sends a message to the joiner and referring chain reminding joiner of his friend's pending reward. o Joiner sends message using his official id to the team "Which will be auto marked to Referring chain and Organization. o Once this message is received, the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention initiates remaining collection from concerned organization - e.g.; 40% of remaining amount, as candidate completes minimum stay Policy of organization. o Remaining collection is deposited in the bank account of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention
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as a output of payment collection process initiated by the team of the system and apparatus in accordance with this invention . • The team then distributes referral amount in referring chain and deposits in user's bank account.
o Reward can be withdrawn by user once reward hits
particular mark in bank account, meaning once a
predetermined amount is accumulated, user can withdraw
the money.
Thus this invention envisages a structured platform that enables employees
to make money by referring candidates in the 2nd / 3nd degrees of separation
in support of the hiring needs of their organization.
The system and apparatus in accordance with this invention is enterprise oriented web (internet) based employee referral method. Social networking is used to increase critical mass (supply) to cater demand of talent from organizations. Organization's referral program is extended till 3 degrees of separation away from job destination.
Job requirements can also be forwarded by employees to their groups of friends in other social networking platforms, they are subscribed to. Innovative anti spamming methodology is used to reduce noise in the enterprise oriented web (internet based) employee referral system.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particular features of the preferred embodiment and the improvisation with regards to it, it will be appreciated the various modifications can be made in the
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preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. These and the other modifications in the nature of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in art from disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.
Dated this 20lh day of November, 2008.
[Mohan Dewan
Of RK Dewan&Co Applicants' Patent Attorney
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