Background
The development of the TrainerBase Trainer Opportunity Management
System (TOMS) has come about because of feedback from members. The
majority of this feedback has been in the form of complaints or
criticism;
- from advertisers about the fishing exercises of applicants and
- from applicants about not receiving responses to applications
from advertisers.
With this in mind TOMS has been created to hide the identity of an
advertiser and email applicants about the progress of an opportunity.
TOMS is prescriptive in the way that it works and imposes constraints
on the opportunity process. That is the point of the system, provide a
set of rules and triggers by which participants within the system are
notified of actions taken.
Modus Operandi
There are two sets of individual members involved within TOMS:
- Advertisers; are users who post an opportunity. An
advertiser can add many opportunities but cannot apply to their own
opportunity.
- Applicants; are members of the Learning Practitioners'
Association who respond to an opportunity. An applicant can only
make one application to a particular opportunity.
There is also the administrator but activities by them are mainly
behind the scenes.
An advertiser can post an opportunity either from within Edit Profile
(and choose to include this in TOMS) or from within the TOMS home page
(has logged in to TOMS) or by clicking on the Add an Opportunity link in
the navigation column on the left hand side of the site. Please read the
overview of the Opportunity forms.
The objective of posting an opportunity within TOMS is to use the
system as the only management tool for the particular opportunity. It is
therefore suggested that the advertiser seriously considers hiding their
details from applicants and certainly does not suggest that emails and
documents are sent direct; this defeats the benefit of using the system.
If an advertiser is not happy using the system or elements of it, their
opportunities should be posted into the open system.
An opportunity will take on a number of ‘states’ as it passes through
the system:
- New; open for applications to be made.
- Suspended (Display Until Date); the opportunity is no longer
visible on the system but is still being reviewed by the advertiser.
- Closed (Review End Date); the advertiser has finished the
recruitment process.
- Deleted, the opportunity is removed from the active list and is
only visible to administrators.
TOMS will send routine emails as an opportunity passes through the
system.
Once an opportunity has been posted by an advertiser, it must be
approved by the administrator before it becomes visible on the system.
Opportunities in TOMS are displayed in the normal Opportunities page and
in the TOMS. Only opportunities posted in the TOMS have a link to view
from within the TOMS.
A member of the Association can view an opportunity either by
visiting the Opportunities page and clicking on the ‘more...’ link or by
logging in to the TOMS and selecting the ‘>> View
All Opportunities’ link and clicking on the ‘more...>>’
link of the opportunity of interest. The TOMS logs the number of views
an opportunity gets.
The details of the advertiser may or may not be visible (it is
recommended that details are hidden, requiring applicants to use the
Apply button rather than emailing the advertiser direct). Again it is
recommended that if an advertiser places an opportunity within the TOMS
and includes their details in the opportunity, they advise any
applicants that has contacted them off line that they will only review
applications made via the TOMS.
A member can make an application for an opportunity by clicking on
the ‘Apply’ button. An application is made
but filling in the text box ‘Your message to the
advertiser’. If the advertiser has requested files such as a CV
or other information an applicant can upload up to 3 of these in the
second step of the process. Be aware that an application is actually
made on completion of the first step of the process and it is up to the
applicant to ensure they comply with the requirements. When an
application is made, the advertiser is notified by email of the
application and the applicant is sent a confirmation email that the
application has been lodged on the system.
An applicant can review current and past applications that they have
made by clicking on the ‘>> View My Applications’
link in the home page of the TOMS. The status of an application is
displayed. An applicant can withdraw an application prior to it being
reviewed by the advertiser. An applicant can edit an application they
have made whilst the appication is still in the 'New' status (it has not
be reviewed by the advertiser). To edit an application click on the ‘>>
View My Applications’ link in the home page of the TOMS and click
o the 'Edit' link. An applicant will be
notified by the TOMS when an opportunity is suspended; either when the
Display Until Date is reached or the advertiser decides they no longer
wish to receive any more applications. If an application has not been
reviewed or actioned by the advertiser, the applicant will be notified
that they have been unsuccessful with their application when the
opportunity is closed; either when the ‘Review End Date’ is reached or
the advertiser decides they have finished with the recruitment process
for that particular opportunity and selects to ‘Close’ the opportunity.
An advertiser can manage opportunities and progress an application by
logging in to the TOMS and clicking on the ‘>>
View My Opportunities’ link. The ‘MANAGE >>’
link provides access to a particular opportunity. The opportunity is
displayed within the Opportunity Details page. The advertiser can see
the number of views made to the opportunity and the number of
applications. To view the list of applicants the advertiser clicks on
the ‘...click to view >>’ link of the
Number of Applicants:. In the applicant list page is an overview of the
applications made to the particular opportunity. This includes the name,
date application made, the status of the application and the level of
match with the opportunity requirements. Matches are made on the
subjects, sector experience and levels worked within organisations. The
higher the number the more focused the match e.g. Management Development
has been specified as a subject. There are a number of applicants with
matches ranging from 0.32 to 4.67. The applicant with the 0.32 match has
likely ticked in excess of 70 subjects that they train in, the applicant
with a match of 4.67 has likely less than 25; the latter indicating they
are more specialised. It is up to the advertiser to determine whether
they want broad or narrower match. The same principle is applied to
sector and level thought scaling is higher as there are fewer sectors
and even fewer levels within organisations.
The advertiser can review an application by clicking on the ‘Review’
button for that applicant. When an advertiser clicks on this button the
applicant is notified by email automatically that the advertiser has
reviewed their application. This notification happens the first time a
review is made and only once. In the application review page the
advertiser can:
- View an applicants profile.
- Download any files that have been uploaded.
- Dismiss an application.
- Proceed an application.
Clicking on the Applicant’s Profile button brings up that members
profile in a new window and allows the advertiser to gain a better
understanding of the applicant. It is essential that an applicant
ensures their profile details are up to date and accurate.
To review any of the files the applicant has uploaded the advertiser
clicks on the ‘...view >> ‘ link. This
brings up the list of files. To download the files the advertiser right
mouse clicks the relevant ‘Download’ link
and clicks on the ‘Save target as’ or 'Open
in new tab' or other option in the popup menu depending on your
browser and version. Once the advertiser has reviewed an application and
decided to take an action they can either dismiss the application or
proceed with the application.
Clicking on the ‘Dismiss Application’
button brings up a window which displays a system generated message that
will be sent to the applicant. The advertiser has the option to include
a personal comment. It is advised that the advertiser does so. The
dismiss option changes the status of an application and sends the
dismiss email to the applicant. The applicant is not informed of the
advertiser’s details.
Clicking on the ‘Proceed Application’
button brings up a window which displays a system generated message that
will be sent to the applicant. The advertiser has the option to include
a personal comment. It is advised that the advertiser does so. The
proceed option changes the status of an application and sends the
proceed email to the applicant. The applicant is informed of the
advertiser’s details.
An advertiser is able to Suspend and then Close and opportunity at
any time prior to the Display Until Date and Review End Date. Any
applicants that have not been proceeded or dismissed when an application
is closed will be notified by the TOMS that they must assume their
application has not been successful.
The TOMS has been developed as a facility to enable communications
between advertisers and applicants and is not part of the negotiation
process between parties. The emails sent by the system do not constitute
a binding contract between an advertiser, an applicant or TrainerBase as
part of the Learning Practitioners' Association.
Conclusion
The TOMS automates the first round of an opportunity recruitment
process where evidence shows that there can be a significant number of
applications made for an opportunity. For the benefit of both
advertisers and applicants, it is recommended that any opportunity
posted within the TOMS uses the TOMS as the management system and the
advertiser does not enter into dialogue outside the system; this
undermines the significant advantages of the system and the automation
of communications between advertiser and applicant.
If there is anything else you would like to know about what the
Association is doing to benefit its members please feel free to contact us.
Peter Mayes
Chief Executive The Learning Practitioners' Association
incorporating
TrainerBase
www.trainerbase.co.uk
E: peterm@trainerbase.co.uk
T: 01239 711544
F: 01239 711724
M: 07970 746077
Offices:
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The Copse, Carmarthen Road, Newcastle Emlyn, Wales, SA38 9DA
LONDON:
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The Learning Practitioners' Association: Company registered in England and Wales Reg. No.
6456450. Registered office address: 23 College Street, Lampeter, SA48
7DY
TrainerBase is a trademark of GirlingMayes Ltd
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