Slashdot Mirror


Using Machine Learning To Find a Better Job

An anonymous reader writes Artificial intelligence is gaining popularity in startups, with efforts ranging from virtual assistants to deep-learning approaches to business. An MIT Media Lab spinout called Beansprock is using natural language processing and machine learning to scour job listings for good matches for engineers and developers. The software breaks down users' skills and maps them to its understanding of open positions at companies. The site focuses on Boston-area jobs for now, but could expand if it's successful.

9 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Let me translate by Torp · · Score: 2

    They've automated the work of the drones that spam my linkedin profile after matching keywords and NOT reading anything in the free form text?

    --
    I apologize for the lack of a signature.
    1. Re:Let me translate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The unaddressed problem is that there is never any discernable relationship between the advertised job and the actual job - nor any relationship between the resume of the job seeker and the actual person...

  2. a bit of history by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Look up FlipDog, a spinout of the WhizBang startup in 2001.
    Got obsorbed by Monster.com.
    Had the same description.

  3. depends on the requirements of the position... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... here in Europe (Germany and Austria) those requirements usually look like a letter to Santa Claus...

    1. Re:depends on the requirements of the position... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Dear Santa,

      We need someone who has five years of experience in a new technology that came out six months ago. We can only pay in milk and cookies. Please send ASAP!

      Love,

      HR Dept.

  4. Mapping lies to lies... by tommeke100 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Crap in -> Crap out.
    But seriously, don't the common job sites do this already? I'm pretty sure a Monster; GlassDoor or LinkedIn already have departments working on better matching algorithms ( using NLP, supervised or un-supervised machine learning).

  5. job search / response by NynexNinja · · Score: 2

    I wrote a machine learning program that did when dice.com came online around 1990. I still use it today and it searches jobs (or any posting) on craigslist, monster, dice.com, hotjobs. It looks for keyword pattern matches in the job title, job description, etc, to give a score to a job posting, then if the job scores past a threshold, it will send a cover letter and email to the job. some of the most advanced features is that it will auto-generate sentences in the cover letter and/or job description depending on what it says in the job posting.

  6. MIT Media Lab by bluegutang · · Score: 2

    Interesting that this comes from MIT Media Lab - where you can find job descriptions like the following:

    2. UNDEFINED DISCIPLINE

    The Media Lab is a cross-disciplinary research organization focusing on the invention of new media technologies that radically improve the ways people live, learn, work, and play.

    We are seeking a new kind of early career faculty member, not defined by discipline, rather by his or her unique and iconoclastic experience, style, and points of view. You can be a designer, inventor, scientist, or scholar – any combination – as long as you make things that matter. Impact is key.

    This means somebody with at least these three sets of characteristics:
    1) Being deeply versed in a minimum of two fields, preferably not ones normally juxtaposed;
    2) Being an orthogonal and counter-intuitive thinker, even a misfit within normal structures;
    3) Having a fearless personality, boundless optimism, and desire to change the world.

    Any disciplines apply as long as their confluence shows promise of solving big, difficult, and long-term problems. And, most importantly, candidates must explain why their work really can only be done at the Media Lab. We prefer candidates not be similar to our existing faculty. We welcome applicants who have never considered academic careers. If you fit into typical academia, this is probably not the job for you.

    The position has no specific degree requirement. Instead, candidates must show evidence of engineering accomplishment, scientific achievement, design innovation or artistic accomplishment. We are looking for a strong mix of invention, discovery and expression.

    Applications should consist of one URL—the web site can be designed in whatever manner best characterizes the candidate’s unique qualifications. Web site should include a CV or link to a CV.

    I wanted to nominate David Icke :)

  7. Re:Useless by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, but many of the jobs you might have had were automated out of existence. Meaning that the ratio of jobs to applicants is shrinking because automation now creates fewer jobs than they replace. Either way, you'll be out of work eventually.

    --
    That is all.