CV ‘identity theft’ – Do you know the law?

Posted in Candidates, Clients, General News

Think ‘identity theft’ and what comes to mind? Someone sifting through your (unshredded) financial data, intercepting snail mail or perhaps, for the more sophisticated scammer, phishing.

There’s a kind of identity theft used by so-called professional recruiters that we thought we should warn you about, candidates – and employers. It’s a practice that despite being illegal, is uncommonly, well, common.

The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses 2003 regulations state that a recruitment agencies MUST get confirmation from a candidate that he or she is willing to work in the position before putting his or her details forward.

However, in a recent 300-strong discussion on LinkedIn, it’s clear that this is not the case. Not only are some recruitment companies  sending out CV’s without first obtaining a candidates permission (whether because they are unaware of the regulations or are choosing to ignore them), they are also claiming a fee from employers on the basis that ‘they got their first’.

So, how do you protect yourself – and stay on the right side of the law when job-hunting and recruiting?

First, ensure you are signed up with a reputable recruiter. REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) membership is a good indication that the recruiter subscribes to best practice. Secondly, when you’re registering with a recruiter, make they don’t ask for ‘blanket permission’ when it comes to forwarding your CV to employers. Any recruiter worth their salt should only be putting you forward for suitable job roles, and logging each time they are sent out.  CV’s should be targeted for the right role, to the right employer and not sent out scattergun – something which also increases the likelihood of your being called for interview. Thirdly, ask whether they are compliant as part of their terms of business.

Employers wanting to protect their brand and ensure they get properly briefed, vetted and prepared candidates  should likewise refuse to deal with non-compliant recuiters.

Simples.