Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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25. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update in respect of her Department's plans to require jobseekers to upload a copy of their CV to continue receiving social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47009/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobsIreland (www.jobsireland.ie) is a free vacancy advertising and job search service provided by the Department of Social Protection to support both employers and jobseekers.

Jobseekers may search for jobs opportunities by accessing the bs Ireland website, the bseeker app or by visiting their local Intreo/Employment Centre. To connect employers with prospective employees who meet their recruitment needs, the Department also identifies and notifies potential suitable candidates of available job opportunities.

In order to improve the job/candidate matching capability of JobsIreland, a tender process is currently underway for a new job matching system. Subject to the outcome of the tender process it is anticipated that the new system will go live during 2015. Improving the job/candidate matching capability of this service will incentivise employers to use the service to provide more jobs for those who are unemployed.

This addresses one of the key pillars of Pathways to Work 2015 which is to ensure better engagement with people who are unemployed, so that in addition to the right of accessing efficient, work-focused income supports, unemployed clients also have a responsibility to engage with employment services, which is tailored to the client’s individual profile. One of the actions identified under this pillar is to make it a condition for receipt of jobseekers payments that jobseekers upload CVs to the bsIreland.ie or other employment sites at the request of their case officer.

In order to populate the new job matching site with sufficiently detailed candidate profiles to enable employers match their job requirements with suitable candidates, jobseekers will be asked to upload their CVs on bsIreland and other similar employment sites. In addition to providing evidence to the Department that the jobseeker is genuinely seeking, and available for, employment this will bring benefits to the jobseeker as it will improve their chances of being ‘matched’ with employers in three ways.

First, the new bslreland service will itself automatically match candidate profiles with suitable jobs and will notify both the jobseeker and the employer of the match details.

Second, employers will have the ability to refine the search parameters and conduct an ‘advance’ search for job for candidates with specific skills, qualifications and/or experience.

Third, jobseekers will have a similar search capability and will, by examining matching results, be able to refine the presentation of their CV to maximise its likelihood of being identified as a match for particular job types.

It is important to note that, unless otherwise specified by the jobseeker, candidate personal information, such as name and address, will not be visible to employers or other users. Instead candidate ID numbers will be used and these will enable prospective employers to communicate with jobseekers using messaging functionality on the system.

In addition jobseekers will only be requested to upload their CV in circumstances where their case worker is of the opinion that it is appropriate to do so. In particular it is not intended that jobseekers with significant barriers to employment, for example literacy problems, will be requested to upload their CV. Such jobseekers will, as is the practice at the moment, be referred to appropriate service interventions.