Product category:
Recruitment services
News Release from: Jobshop UK | Subject: Employment agency regulations
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 09 January 2008
Are employment agency regulations being
flouted?
Tracey Wood, Director of Jobshop UK, argues that some agencies are not only breaching Conduct of Employment Agencies/Business Regulations 2003 but also data protection legislation.
The Conduct of Employment Agencies/Business Regulations 2003, which came into force on 6 April 2004, were designed to bring clarity to the industry, protect workers and employers and reduce bad practice One of the most important changes to regulations required recruitment agencies to obtain detailed information on both the position to be filled and their candidates' suitability for it
This article was originally published on Marketingservicestalk on 4 Sep 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Under these regulations, recruitment agencies now have to obtain a candidate's consent in writing before submitting their CV to a prospective employer.
Recently some agencies have taken a fast-track approach to recruitment by downloading CVs from Monster.co.uk and sending them off to potential employers or recruiting online without interviewing or testing the candidate and certainly not checking their qualifications.
If a CV is simply downloaded from the internet without a candidate's written permission, an agency is not only breaching conduct regulations but also data protection legislation.
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Whilst e-recruitment is an ideal method for agencies to carry out psychometric testing to filter candidates, it cannot replace the face-to-face interview.
The recruitment industry has worked hard over the past years to create a reputation of honesty and professionalism.
Recruitment agencies that cut corners by simply collecting CVs off the internet and sending them to employers without interviewing candidates will, in my opinion, have a detrimental affect on the industry.
Such agencies have no clear view of the type of position the candidate is looking for or his or her potential.
Prior to choosing a recruitment agency, a company should check exactly what they are paying for and ask employees and business associates about their experiences of recruitment agencies in the area.
A company should ask how the agency screens and selects the candidates that are sent to them.
A high-quality agency will not only interview candidates face-to-face but will also check their academic and employment references before they are sent for interview, matching five out of six of the skills that have been specified.
A top agency will visit your company to be clear about your vision for your business and the requirements needed to fulfil your organisational objectives.
They will develop and understanding of your business so that they can put forward the best possible applicants for the position ensuring you recruit the right person for the job.
Over GBP12 billion is lost each year through poor recruitment decisions.
Ensuring that you choose the right employment agency for your business could ultimately save you time and money.
The long-term success of any organisation depends to a large extent on its people - their level of commitment, expertise, creativity and dedication to quality and customer care.
There is a growing body of evidence to show that a skilled workforce has direct bottom line benefits in terms of overall business performance.
Many companies use an employment agency to ensure they can fill vacancies.
However, recruitment agencies such as Jobshop UK carry out thorough interviews, testing and screening of candidates, act professionally and ethically and have the knowledge and ability to look outside the box to ensure that those they send for interview will bring additional skills to the job.
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