Can a recruiter send your CV without permission? It’s a question we’re hearing more often from job seekers, and one every candidate should understand before registering with a recruitment agency.
A few weeks ago, we explored unsolicited CVs from an employer’s perspective, where organisations receive candidate resumes they never requested from recruitment agencies they had never engaged.
This week, we’re looking at the other side of the story.
The candidate.
Many people assume that when they register with a recruitment agency, their CV will only be shared with employers they’ve agreed to be considered for.
Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
What Does an Unsolicited CV Mean?
Most recruiters do the right thing. They discuss opportunities with candidates, obtain permission before making introductions and only submit CVs for genuine vacancies they have been engaged to recruit.
However, not every recruiter works that way.
An unsolicited submission can happen when your CV is sent to an employer without your knowledge, before you’ve agreed to the opportunity, or before the recruiter has an established relationship with that organisation.
Sometimes there isn’t even a live vacancy.
Instead, your CV is being used to see whether an employer might be interested in starting a recruitment conversation.
Why Does It Matter?
At first glance it might not seem like a big issue.
After all, more exposure should mean more opportunities.
Not necessarily.
Sending your CV without your knowledge can have unintended consequences.
You may be introduced to organisations you would never choose to work for.
Your details could reach a company where you have friends, former colleagues or business contacts before you’ve decided you’re interested.
In the worst cases, we’ve even heard stories of CVs finding their way to a candidate’s current employer.
Fortunately those situations are uncommon, but when they do happen, the consequences can be significant.
Your CV Is Personal Information
Your CV isn’t simply a document.
It contains personal information about you, including your employment history, qualifications, contact details and often information about your career aspirations.
In Australia, organisations that collect, store and disclose personal information are generally expected to comply with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles.
Before registering with any recruitment agency, it’s worth asking how your information will be managed, whether your CV will only be shared after you’ve given permission, and whether you’ll be told where it’s being sent.
Your career is important.
Your personal information is too.
The Opportunity You Never Knew You Lost
There is another risk that candidates rarely consider.
Some employers choose not to progress candidates who arrive through unsolicited submissions.
Not because they don’t like the candidate.
Not because the person isn’t suitable.
Simply because they don’t want to become involved in a potential dispute about recruitment fees or candidate ownership.
The candidate never hears about the opportunity.
The employer misses out on someone who may have been an excellent fit.
Nobody wins.
Four Questions Every Candidate Should Ask
Before allowing any recruiter to represent you, ask four simple questions.
Do you have an established relationship with this employer?
Has the employer asked you to recruit this role?
Will you obtain my permission before sending my CV to any organisation?
Will you tell me exactly where my CV is going, every time?
A professional recruiter should be able to answer every one of those questions clearly and confidently.
If they can’t, it’s worth asking why.
Our Approach
At Sense Recruitment, we believe your career and your personal information deserve the same level of care.
We never send a candidate’s CV to an employer without first discussing the opportunity and receiving the candidate’s permission.
Every time.
We also believe you should know who you’ll be meeting, why the role is available and what the employer is looking for before your CV is ever submitted.
That’s how professional recruitment should work.
After all, you’re not just a CV in a database.
You’re trusting someone with your career.
This article is intended as general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Privacy obligations may vary depending on individual circumstances.
About #SixthSense
Some lessons only come from experience.
#SixthSense shares the observations, trends and practical advice we’ve gathered from almost two decades of recruiting across Western Australia. They’re the conversations we’re having every day with employers, candidates and contractors, shared to help others make better hiring and career decisions.
Sense Recruitment
Suite 6, 996 Hay Street, Perth WA
Phone: +61 8 9481 8111
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.senserecruitment.com.au
