More evidence that the recruitment industry needs tighter regulation!

This extract from a Business Day article written by Chris Zappone outlines that as a result of the tougher economic climate, many Recruitment Consultants are resorting to unethical and unprofessional tactics.

Please use the link at the end of this post to view the entire article.

Ghost jobs - recruiters fight the downturn

Chris Zappone
July 20, 2009 - 11:25AM


Dubious methods

Mr Rowson has heard stories about consultants at other agencies calling candidates for interviews about jobs that may not exist, or "ghost jobs'' in the language of recruiters.

"When they get the candidate to interview for existing or non-existing jobs, they quiz them as to whatever other roles they're going for, or being considered for,'' he said.

Those consultants then "try to find out the name of the company and position ... contact the company and try to market other candidates that they have on their books into those positions''.

Industry journal Recruitment Extra lists recruiters plagiarising a rival's ads in order to learn the client's identity from the candidate's response as a practice some unethical recruiters resort to.

Another tactic, the journal said, is to phone a recruiter pretending to be a candidate in order to find out the client's identity, giving the recruiter a sales lead.

At least one white-collar recruiter asks candidates to list the applications lodged elsewhere by the candidate.

"Please provide us with contact details of where you have already interviewed or presented your resume in the last month so we do not duplicate our efforts,'' the application requests.

Although the desire to avoid approaching one client with the same candidate is legitimate, laying out the information on request provides a tempting source of future clients for the recruiter, insiders say.

Honest dealings

Candidates "should expect honest dealings'' from recruiters, a spokeswoman for RCSA said.

The RCSA code "does not permit recruiters to advertise for positions that don't exist; demands that advertisements 'accurately describe what, if any, jobs are available'; and only allows them to advertise 'for positions which they have permission to recruit'.''

"If a job seeker believes they have been treated in a way that breaches the code, they can report it,'' the RSCA said. "We recommend that both employers and candidates deal with RCSA members, who are accountable to this code.''

czappone@fairfax.com.au

http://business.theage.com.au/business/ghost-jobs--recruiters-fight-the-downturn-20090720-dq4c.html

Thanks to Chris Zappone for highlighting this.

BusinessDay

Please forgive this analogy, but you may agree that launching a start-up is professionally the equivalent of a pregnancy. Of course, I’m not referring to the physical pain of pregnancy or trying to compare a company to an actual baby. Still, I can imagine there is a similarity in that nervous excitement you feel; that feeling of the great unknown you are about to enter. Will everything work as planned? What if something goes wrong? Leaping off that cliff is exciting/stressful/overwhelming/thrilling all at the same time.

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Things will be stressful over the next few weeks and for the coming months, although I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Being in a start-up gives you the freedom to swing for the fences; something everyone should do at least once or twice in their lives. So wish us luck as we enter the waiting room, with your support I’m hoping we’ll have a successful and healthy birth.

Kind regards,

John Millican
Managing Director
ph (02) 8006 8115
www.recruitercritic.com