Online recruiter JobServe is to launch a product that monitors candidates’ activities to make job matching easier.

Managing director Robbie Cowling (pictured) says the new technology, called Alchemy, is the biggest development since he founded the site in 1993.

Alchemy will allow the site to monitor what jobs candidates are looking for and where so employers can make more informed choices over which candidates to contact for interview.

Already patented and about to undergo preliminary tests, Alchemy could be launched within a month.

The technology will also give details about how actively a candidate is looking for work, so recruiters do not waste time phoning people uninterested in a new job.

Candidates can choose to use, or not use, Alchemy. They can still use the site in a conventional way.

“If you were to use this on a dating site, a woman may put that she is looking for a man who is blond, with a good sense of humour,” said Cowling. “But she may actually be looking for a man who is tall, dark, handsome and rich. This would allow you to make a better match for her.”

E-cruitment consultant Dave Ray said: “Tracking people is what the internet is good at and a lot of people are starting to tap into that.”