Candidate Bill of Rights

The recruiting industry has been a staple in the business world for decades and has seen its influence grow as the global economy has grown more complicated and the world even faster moving. Organizations use recruiters to find top-tier candidates. Top-tier candidates often find using a recruiter helps them land the best opportunities. Recruiters often know about openings and potential openings first. Sometimes they are the only ones who know about an opportunity because the employer is conducting a confidential search or limiting posting locations.

Looking at it from another perspective, a recruiter is valuable during the screening process. She has pre-existing relationships with decision-makers that allow them access to information that will never make it in to a posting. They also have the ear of the decision-makers so they can explain problems in a candidate’s background and fill in blanks that make the candidate more appealing.

Working with a recruiter should be a supportive, positive and rewarding experience. In order for that to happen, both sides must commit to certain standards of behavior. In this entry we will discuss your rights as the candidate. This list isn’t exhaustive, but is a good start. If there is more that you will know from your recruiter, you should let him/her know early in the relationship so everyone is on the same page.

Candidate Bill of Rights

1. A Recruiter shall return phone calls within 48 hours. Don’t be offended if the calls are brief, however, as the more they are on the phone with you, the less time they have to contact potential employers who could be just right for you.

2. A Recruiter shall provide timely feedback. Whether after a submission of your resume, outreach to an organization on your behalf or after an interview, you have the right to know the result and any reasons for that result.

3. A Recruiter shall establish expectations at the first meeting with a candidate. This includes what you can expect from them and what they expect from you.

4. A Recruiter shall be honest and sensitive, but thorough in their understanding of you and your background. Be prepared to have detailed and personal conversations about your experience, goals and criteria for a new position.

5. A Recruiter shall be an advocate for you. Although they must always be honest with potential employers about you and your background, they must also be supportive of you. This means being supportive both in how they communicate with you and about you. Think of your recruiter as a sports agent representing your best interests throughout the entire process. Doesn’t everyone need a Jerry McGuire?

6. A Recruiter will be accurate and honest when representing you. They should not hold back or embellish information to get you interested in an opportunity or an organization interested in you.

7. A Recruiter should always treat a candidate as a valued professional.

8. A Recruiter should never submit or present your resume to an organization without your permission. Keep track of where you have submitted your resume and to which organizations you have authorized the Recruiter to represent you.

9. A Recruiter should always keep your identity confidential to the public except when authorized to present your resume to an organization.