The ethics of sending your CV without consent: Why Property Industry Recruiters must do better

Sending a candidate’s CV without their explicit consent is not just unethical, it can cause real harm. This practice undermines trust, compromises candidates’ privacy, and can jeopardise their current employment or future opportunities.

Despite the importance of consent in the recruitment process, I recently encountered a recruiter who, without consulting the candidate, forwarded their CV to a company. It was not only disappointing, but also indicative of how some recruitment practices need to change.

A candidate might have numerous reasons for not wanting their CV sent to a specific company—perhaps there’s a conflict of interest, personal history, or it might simply not align with their career goals. When you send a CV without permission, you’re potentially damaging relationships between that candidate and future employers, not to mention risking the professional reputation of both the candidate and your own firm.

Why Consent Matters

Candidates often entrust recruiters with sensitive, personal information. Recruitment is not just about filling roles; it's about guiding careers and handling the process with care and respect. Failing to obtain consent breaks this trust. Moreover, candidates might know individuals at the company you're sending their CV to. They could be former colleagues or competitors. Without discussing the details first, a recruiter could unwittingly harm a candidate's professional standing.

ProFind Property Recruitment firmly believes that consent is not just a box to tick; it’s a fundamental part of ethical recruitment. As recruiters, our responsibility is to act in the candidate’s best interests.

The Harm to Candidates

Sending out a CV without consent puts candidates in a vulnerable position. Here's why:

• Loss of control: Candidates lose control over where their personal information is being shared.
• Duplicate applications: When a CV is sent by more than one recruiter to the same company, it makes the candidate appear disorganised and desperate, even though they might not be aware of it.
• Potential risk to current employment: Some candidates are in a confidential job search and do not want their current employer to know they are looking for a new role. A recruiter sending out their CV recklessly could risk that confidentiality.

Candidate Ownership of CVs

Some recruiters "spam" CVs to stake a claim over the candidate. When a CV is presented to a client, many recruitment contracts state that the recruiter "owns" the candidate for a specific time period, typically six months. This encourages unethical recruiters to flood the market with a candidate's CV to block competitors from representing that candidate to the same companies.

Candidates, take control of your job search. Work only with reputable recruiters who respect your wishes and involve you in every step of the process. Make sure you know where your CV is going, and don’t hesitate to ask questions or set clear boundaries with your recruiter. By sticking with one or two trusted recruiters, you can avoid the pitfalls of having your CV mismanaged or sent without consent.

Best Practices for Ethical Recruitment

At ProFind Property Recruitment, we prioritise transparency and candidate involvement in the recruitment process. Here are some best practices that all recruiters should follow:

• Always obtain explicit consent before sending out a CV. This should be done for each company, not just a blanket approval.
• Have an open dialogue with the candidate about their preferences and reasons for wanting to work at, or avoid, certain companies.
• Ensure the candidate understands the terms of representation. Let them know what happens if multiple recruiters send their CV to the same client.
• Maintain trust by keeping the candidate informed at every stage of the recruitment process.

Advice for Hiring Managers

At ProFind Property Recruitment we advocate only working with one recruiter your trust and building a relationship with them.

• Check you are working with a recruiter that operates ethically
• Build up a relationship with your recruiter. (Think how you would feel if a Vendor instructs you to sell their house on joint agency with 6 other agents knowing some of those agents are not ethical in their approach, how you feel about the Vendor and how much time and resource you devote to the sale)
• Refuse to work with recruiters who are guilty of unethical practice and help stamp out the rot. If they are prepared to act in this way, what else will they do to secure a placement?

How Candidates Can Protect Themselves

For candidates, it’s important to remain in control of your job search and ensure your recruiter is representing you in the right way:

1. Work with trusted recruiters who ask for your consent before sending your CV to any client.
2. Be clear about your preferences, including the types of companies or sectors you wish to avoid.
3. Limit the number of recruiters you work with. This reduces the chances of your CV being "spammed" and increases your ability to manage where your CV is sent.
4. Check the recruiter’s reputation and how they operate. A good recruiter will care about your personal brand as much as their own.

Conclusion

Recruiters have a duty to treat their candidates with respect and professionalism. Sending a CV without consent damages trust, jeopardises relationships, and can severely harm a candidate’s chances. Candidates must be selective about who they entrust with their career, while recruiters need to hold themselves accountable for how they handle CVs and job applications. At ProFind Property Recruitment, we are committed to always securing consent, ensuring transparency, and putting candidates first in every step of the process.

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