APS, IEN FORM STRATEGIC ALLIANCE

PARIS, FRANCE, April 5, 2000 -- Advanced Personnel Systems, Inc. (APS) and Intervention, Etude & Negociation, S.A. (IEN) have established a strategic alliance to market and sell SmartSearch Online in France, Belgium and Switzerland. Doug Coull, APS' president, and Xavier P. Negiar, IEN founding partner, made the announcement.

SmartSearch Online is an Internet-based staffing management system that eliminates the need for companies to purchase expensive hardware, software or technical support. The system features APS' SmartSearch database and has a 'user-friendly' interface that can be learned in minutes. And, since it is Web-based, users can use their database anytime, anywhere they have Internet access.

According to Coull, APS has developed a French version of SmartSearch Online designed to meet the human resource needs of the French-speaking European market.

"SmartSearch Online will offer businesses throughout France, Belgium and Switzerland a number of benefits. Companies will have instant and unlimited access to their resume database and can avoid having resumes pile up," he said. "It will save them time, money and it's secure - each company's database is private and protected by the most current database security system."

Coull added that companies can also set up customized search plans that can automatically identify new resumes meeting certain criteria, thus avoiding time consuming efforts to identify newer candidates. SmartSearch Online can also broadcast e-mail to multiple candidates. "This will save time tracking down candidates because employers can e-mail hundreds, even thousands of candidates instantly to ascertain their job interest," he said.

"We are very excited about our new relationship with APS," Negiar said. "SmartSearch Online is a proven performer in the United States. There is more outsourcing in France and other European Union (EU) nations and studies conducted by our firm indicate there is a substantial market for the product."

APS (http://www.aps2k.com), established in 1985, is located in Oceanside, CA, about 30 miles north of San Diego. The firm pioneered Internet-based staffing management systems and is now a nationwide industry leader. In 1990, APS created SmartSearch, a jobs-driven, scanning-based staffing management system used by companies nationwide.

IEN (http://www.iensa.com), established in 1990, is a Paris, France-based management consulting firm. Services include strategic marketing planning and labor/law human resources technical management. IEN is a member of Syntec Management (comprised of 54 management-consulting firms in France). The company is also certified by the Office for Professional Quality in Management Consulting.

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