The NPAworldwide mission statement emphasizes that we value Professionalism, Honesty and Integrity, Knowledge, and Teamwork. Ethics are important to our membership. Over the years, I’ve been tasked with teaching, or in my words, reminding, members and recruiters of our Best Practices.
 

Anytime a member owner or recruiter has called or emailed me about an Ethics question, I try to lead with two thoughts:

  1. How would YOU like to be treated if you were on the other end? Put yourself in the reverse position before you decide your course of action.
  2. What information or activity prompted you to take action, to be interested in the candidate? 

Lesson one: A trading partner responds to your job order/assignment with a candidate. Upon review of the resume/CV, you recall that you had seen this candidate in the past. You go to your database and find out you’ve had the resume/CV all along.

Which holds true?

A. It won’t be a split – you had the resume/CV before your trading partner sent it to you.

B. It will be a split.

The correct answer is: B. It will be a split. The BUT FOR rule applies. The email from the exporter prompted your activity – you didn’t consider the candidate BEFORE that email. Think of yourself in the reverse, how would you expect to be treated if you were the exporter? OR when you send a candidate to your employer client – what activity prompted the interest in the candidate?