Telesis Interactive has automated processes and put Johannesburg-based placement agency The Working Earth online by developing a self-administered Web-enabled applications process.
Prior to the development, based on Progress Software`s 9.1C database and WebSpeed integrated development environment (IDE), The Working Earth performed all parts of the placement process manually, including placing adverts, categorising responses to establish candidate shortlists and then forwarding suitable candidates to the client.
"Telesis Interactive has consistently remained close to the heart of The Working Earth`s philosophies and objectives, providing innovative ideas and maintaining the highest professional standards," says a Working Earth spokesperson. "The Working Earth enjoys a solid and rewarding relationship with Telesis Interactive and looks forward to it continuing on this basis as we diversify into exciting new technology arenas."
Telesis Interactive is a Web development and hosting services company based in Cape Town and uses the UUNET SA backbone. Telesis Interactive is also in the process of becoming a Progress Software independent software vendor (ISV).
The Working Earth wanted the paper trail removed and all aspects of the placement process automated. The company had security concerns because the information it handles is confidential, while it also needed to provide uniformity and consistency of information.
The Telesis Interactive solution sees the website split into three primary areas to suit the different types of users: an administration interface for staff; administration areas for advertising clients; and the public interface.
"The project took three months to complete, from concept through to going live," says Andrew Glenister, account manager at Telesis Interactive. "There are currently 23 000 registered users with an average 100 applications being received per advert."
One of the primary automation features that has eased pressure placed on The Working Earth staff is the screening and competency assessment.
It is divided into three categories, each with different question types, and was compiled by industrial psychologists. The first category immediately eliminates unsuitable candidates with compulsory multiple choice questions about the position being applied for. The second category scores candidates against national norm tables to aid the compilation of a shortlist, and the third category allows for candidates to express themselves.
"The system we developed allows the screening process to be objective and criteria-based," says Glenister. "It is totally transparent and without the danger of prejudice based on race, gender, disability or any other potentially subjective criteria."
Each candidate completes an online r'esum'e consisting of a series of questions relating to their education, skills and past work experience. This aids in the consistency and uniformity of information that the system must work with and that is relayed to customers for final selection. During the process candidates remain informed through automated, personalised e-mails and they can log onto the system to monitor the progress of their application, as well as update their r'esum'e.
Administrators are assigned access levels according to their responsibilities on the system. Advertising clients, for example, only have access to maintain their shortlists. Adverts can be posted in advance and flagged to go live in conjunction with their corresponding printed press versions and they can also be set to expire on a specified date.
"Not quite as automated as the candidate response and monitoring system, all site content, adverts, questions and administrator access levels are maintained via the administration area by the customer, alleviating pressure on Telesis staff to update the Web site and ensuring information accuracy and empowering users," says Glenister.
Telesis Interactive uses Progress Software databases for all its online development work, which is one of the reasons it chose WebSpeed as the IDE for The Working Earth`s solution.
WebSpeed is designed for rapidly building and deploying scalable e-business applications that process large volumes of transactions.
"WebSpeed front-ends on Progress databases make for the fastest, smoothest way of handling data from online sources. Development time is also substantially reduced. We`ve looked at various products over the years and the easiest, quickest and most stable has been WebSpeed," concludes Glenister.
"WebSpeed is a proven toolkit for building Web applications and lets developers perform many functions via the browser, such as code editing, file management and database reference," says Rick Parry, MD of Progress Software SA. "It also brings developers the benefits of the flexible Progress programming environment, where developers can structure development based on project requirements."
Share
Editorial contacts