The Recruiter Code is a coherent set of practical guidelines and ethical principles, rules and views. It is a professional code with which the recruiter also communicates to candidates what they may expect from him or her.
The initiative comes from the professional community itself. We know that recruiters are viewed critically, while many of us serve candidates, applicants and employers every day with professional advice and great dedication. In March 2019 we issued a public call, and based on those responses a committee was formed that does justice to the breadth of the profession. The Recruiter Code before you is the tangible result, version 1, July 2021.
The Recruiter Code is intended for everyone who plays a role in recruiting employees. This is not limited to those with the job title recruiter, because every candidate who comes into contact with recruitment should be able to count on a professional and careful application procedure. This also includes recruitment assistants and vacancy holders.
We aim to achieve further professionalization of the recruiter’s profession and to arrive at a commonly supported view—call it consensus—on how a professional recruiter practices the profession.
As a recruiter you want to be able to state that you adhere to common and generally accepted standards within recruitment. The Recruiter Code creates a clear, shared frame of reference for everyone who comes into contact with a recruiter.
Recruiters who practice the profession professionally contribute to a strong and attractive employer image. The same applies conversely for recruiters who do not take this so seriously. Handling recruitment well therefore helps in attracting new employees.
That is a deliberate choice. There are many different forms of recruitment. The Recruiter Code forms a universal basis that participants can make more specific at their own discretion by adding matters.
The Recruiter Code comes from the professional community itself, so in fact all users are jointly the owners. It is not permitted to claim “ownership” or exclusive usage rights of the Recruiter Code. It is the Recruiter Code Committee that decides on the content of the Recruiter Code.
Some organizations use the NVP Recruitment Code. The NVP Recruitment Code focuses on the application procedure between applicant and organization. The Recruiter Code focuses on the work and behavior of the recruiter. We state that the recruiter acts in accordance with the NVP Recruitment Code.
We organize at least once a year, in June, an online feedback session in which all registered members can participate. We do note individual suggestions or feedback, but no correspondence is possible about this. You can enter into conversation with us about the Recruiter Code via this contact form.
It sometimes happens that we seek reinforcement for a committee. If you would like to support the organization behind the Recruiter Code, please contact Koen Roozen (chair) via koen.roozen@hetrecruitingkantoor.nl
At this moment you cannot and do not need to be certified before using the Code. We believe the Recruiter Code works best when it is used in a low-threshold and voluntary way. Once the Recruiter Code has become a common standard, we do not rule out certification in the future.
Simply endorsing the Recruiter Code is not sufficient. The intention is that you actively apply the rules of the Code in your own work as a recruiter. This means, for example, that you must ensure you work in accordance with the legal GDPR requirements.
As a recruiter you may claim that you work according to the Recruiter Code if you apply it in full and communicate it clearly to all candidates. How you make this known is up to you.
The Recruiter Code is an individual code. As an organization you may only refer to it if every recruiter employed by you is registered with and works in accordance with the Recruiter Code.
We believe the key to good recruitment (behavior) lies with individuals: handling confidential data safely or treating everyone equally is embedded in the knowledge and behavior that the recruiter demonstrates every day.
Registering is very simple. Leave your details on this page and within a few days we will publish you in the register.
Simply registering is not sufficient. We strongly advise you to carefully check whether you comply with all applicable legislation and, if necessary, take action on it.
Send an email to info@recruitercode.nl
and we will remove your data from the register.
We assume the Recruitercode is written clearly. If you have questions or doubt about the correct application of rules, you can always present them to us via the website.
No, you may not change the code at your own discretion. Because the code describes basic rules, you may draw up additional provisions for your own organization or way of working. The distinction between the Recruitercode and your own internal rules must be clear to candidates. We make no statements about matters not included in the official Recruitercode.
If you endorse the Recruitercode, you must clearly communicate this to candidates. This can be, for example, by adding it to your signature, mentioning it in job postings, or in the acknowledgement email you send to applicants. Your communication must make it clear that a candidate can appeal to the Recruitercode in case of complaints.
You cannot join as an organization. Once everyone in your organization endorses the Recruitercode principles and registers individually, you can of course state that all colleagues follow the Recruitercode.
No, that is not possible.
In the Recruitercode we refer, among other things, to GDPR and other legislation. We understand that there are differences in experience and knowledge among recruiters, but we also state that everyone must know and apply the basic knowledge and legislation.
Every recruiter who conforms to the Recruitercode may state this in their communications. Only if all colleagues individually endorse the Recruitercode may you use it as an organization in your communications.
Yes. We believe the code can also help in professionalizing or safeguarding professional recruitment within your organization or for internal applications.
The Recruiter Code itself does not monitor compliance. It is your responsibility to clearly inform applicants that you work according to the principles of the Recruiter Code. Candidates are therefore the ones who hold you accountable for compliance with the Code.
Everyone who uses the Recruiter Code must clearly communicate this to candidates. The Code is written in a way that is understandable for candidates, and we assume that they will report misuse through the complaints procedure.
As a candidate, you can file a complaint with the Complaints Committee of the Recruiter Code if you believe that a recruiter has not acted in accordance with the Recruiter Code in their dealings with you.
You can only file a complaint after you have contacted the recruiter in question and their response or proposed solution has been unsatisfactory to you.
A complaint can only be submitted in writing. Please make sure to read the complaints procedure first before filing a complaint. You can find it here.
Every complaint is reviewed. Once the complaint is clear and complete, we contact the recruiter who is registered with the Code. If the complaint is justified, the recruiter may receive advice, guidance, or a sanction. The complainant will receive a copy of the decision.
There is a Complaints Committee that handles complaints. This committee is made up of experts and is supported by a lawyer. We apply the principles of hearing both sides before reaching a final decision.
Anyone who violates the Recruiter Code twice loses the right to claim they work in accordance with it. Because recruiters join voluntarily, we assume good intentions. After a first valid complaint, a recruiter may be temporarily suspended. After a second valid complaint, the recruiter will be removed from the register.