Reliable, responsible and correct recruitment are important requirements for organizations and recruiters. The foundation lies in compliance with laws and regulations. On top of that, candidates may expect to be treated professionally and respectfully by anyone involved in recruitment. The Recruitercode supports organizations and recruiters in shaping professional recruitment while leaving enough room for customization and individual identity. It not only provides a framework for professional recruitment but also reflects positively on recruiters and organizations that commit to it.
The Recruitercode outlines the values, responsibilities, and rules of conduct that belong to recruitment. It describes professional practice and gives recruiters insight into their own role and responsibility. The rules, responsibilities, and values are aligned and reinforce one another. Simply signing the code is not enough — our goal is to integrate it into your daily work as a recruiter and into your organization’s processes. In this way, the Recruitercode becomes a guiding principle for your actions.
The key question is: what does correct recruitment look like in your organization, based on your specific context and identity? You need to identify which aspects within your organization require (extra) attention in order to work more — and eventually fully — in line with the Recruitercode.
If you want to promote the Recruitercode, you should fully embrace it and start experiencing it as second nature. In the beginning, this requires discussions with colleagues, management, and/or clients. Start, for example, by mapping out existing challenges and solutions within your organization that relate to the Recruitercode. Consider conflicting interests or needs that are difficult to reconcile. If you get stuck, you can ask the Recruitercode Committee to think along with you. This step helps ensure organizational support and encourages colleagues to endorse the Recruitercode.
Because the Recruitercode describes the fundamental principles of recruitment, you may add non-conflicting additional rules tailored to your organization or recruitment approach. Once all recruitment colleagues within your organization commit to your “unique” Recruitercode, you may present it as such. This ensures a shared understanding of what professional recruitment entails.
A possible step-by-step plan:
If you are a recruiter or play a role in the recruitment process, you may endorse and promote the Recruitercode, provided you meet the following minimum requirements:
The Recruitercode is designed for individual recruiters or colleagues involved in the recruitment process. However, organizations as a whole may also participate and sign, provided that all recruiters and colleagues involved in recruitment individually commit to the Recruitercode. In that case, the organization is responsible for ensuring compliance among all participants in its recruitment process.
The starting point is to inform candidates that you work in accordance with the Recruitercode. The Recruitercode is therefore written in a way that is understandable for all stakeholders: recruiters, candidates, hiring managers, and clients. For communication purposes, we provide you with the most recent Recruitercode and logo in digital format.
The Recruitercode follows a complaints procedure designed to do justice to all parties involved. More information about the rules and procedure can be found on our complaints procedure page.