Leslee Lacey

We’ve all heard infamous stories about military recruiters telling young impressionable prospects that joining the military will send them around the globe. Those recruiters tend to leave out the possibility of dodging bombs.

There are these types of recruiters in all types of employment, including long-term care. Some pursue an even narrower niche by recruiting specifically in those fields for management or C-suiteexecutive levels (CEO, CFO, COO). Given that all recruits oversee the welfare of a vulnerable elderly population, it is important to have a recruiter you can trust.

An employment recruiter is defined by one who is involved with adding new individuals to a population or sub-population, specifically in the world of finding people employment. In a nutshell, recruiters find a job seeker a relevant job. A reputable recruiter within the senior care industry will typically be paid a commission by the company that hires the employee. That commission is usually based on a percentage of the new hire’s salary (typically only the initial year of employment). And reputable recruiters will usually have some type of agreement that if it doesn’t work out between the company and employee within a certain time period, they will continue the search without additional charges applied to the client.

Most people think of recruiters as sales people. However, it’s imperative that they follow a basic recruiting code of ethics. MedBest, a senior care recruiting firm, has broken down the basics regarding the recruiter’s Code of Ethics toward potential hires (candidates or job seekers).

RECRUITER’S CODE OF ETHICS FOR CANDIDATES:

  • For starters, recruiters are required to be very clear and honest about the requirements and benefits for the available position. This means recruiters should disclose any information supplied regarding pay, benefits, expected hours of work, length of employment, and any other expectations that could influence whether the candidate would want to forge ahead with an offer. This prevents the candidate from wasting his or her time on a job that is not a good fit.                                                                             

The senior care and long-term care industries operate 24 hours a day. If the time requirements are not conducive to the candidate’s family life, he or she may not be able to truly consider the job. This could unfairly place the candidate in a negative light with the client, who could provide future employment in a niche industry. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone. Plus, if you can’t trust your recruiters to tell the truth about something you will eventually find out, the question arises of other areas where they are not forthcoming.

  • Recruiters should always have verbal or written permission from candidates before submitting them to a specific position. Having too many resumes out can send the wrong message to companies. A respected potential hire should be thought of as a selective or premium candidate. Do you really want half the industry knowing how easy you are to access? If your industry is specific, such as senior care where many managers and executives know each other, your current job could be jeopardized because the word is out you are looking elsewhere.
  • Recruiters should disclose or not refer any candidate who is known to engage in illegal or questionable business practices. This means if a recruiter is trying to place Al Capone in a job, they would need to mention the words “organized crime boss.” Or the recruiter could opt not to refer this candidate, which is probably a wiser move.
  • Recruiters must keep the candidates information confidential and only apply it towards finding employment. Reputable recruiters are not supposed to use information about you for ANYTHING other than finding you a job. So if you happen to be Angelina Jolie, and were looking to transition to a job in the long-term healthcare business, the recruiter shouldn’t be talking to TMZ. It’s a violation of your privacy, and could end up hurting your reputation, and thus your job opportunities.

And that is the basic Recruiters’ Code of Ethics when dealing with a candidate. Look for our future blogs which will include the Code of Ethics between a recruiter and a client/employer. 

Leslee Lacey is a MedBest public relations consultant in Tampa, FL. MedBest is a nationwide healthcare recruiting firm that places mid- to senior-level management, including C-suite, within all areas of senior care.