Dear Nicky,
One of my candidates recently called me, upset that she'd been contacted by another NPA partner who saw her details on Marketplace. Her job search is confidential and she was really worried that her resume was posted on some public site. I know our sharing site is private and members-only, but obviously she didn't understand that. What should I do to avoid a repeat scenario?
Puzzled in Paw Paw
Dear Puzzled,
This is a great question! Members really should not add candidates to Marketplace WITHOUT informing the candidate of what you're planning to do and how the process might work for them. This is especially true if you are in the EU, or working with candidates in the EU (or any other place with strict privacy laws). In some countries, candidates have the right to know where their personal information is being stored. Since members can download a candidate's resume from Marketplace, all candidates should be advised of this in advance and given the opportunity to opt-out of network sharing.
Your conversation might go something like this, "I belong to NPAworldwide, a global recruitment network that connects me with 1,500 recruiters on six continents. I would like to share your credentials with my network partners so they can evaluate you for suitable job openings they have. This is a private network; your resume will not be visible to employers or recruiters outside of NPAworldwide. My partners may contact you directly to discuss career opportunities that may be a good fit. Do I have your permission to share your resume and career plans with my partners?" Ideally, you may want this to be an email so that you have a trail of the candidate's opt-in or opt-out permission.
Assuming your candidate agrees to NPAworldwide distribution, you can send a more detailed follow-up note. Here is a sample letter that Kay Durkin of Phoenix Partners shared with us a number of years ago. Members are free to modify this letter and use it with your own candidates as needed.
Thanks for writing,
Nicky
send letters to: nanderson@npaworldwide.com