Head hunting is not a bush-hunting terminology but instead, is a concept in the corporate world of
business. It is defined as a form of recruitment process that locates and selects qualified individuals to
fill up vacant executive offices. This does not imply that the headhunter is making a job offer. It is simply
a recruitment system whereby headhunters locate and nominate top talent individuals who are highly
skilled and can contribute immensely to the progress of an organization. The head hunting process is
also known as the “Executive Search”.
However, talents are scarce and it can be challenging to locate individuals with quality resumes and
experience. Some organizations have thus implemented various head hunting aid including the use of
executive search agencies, management consultants and employee recommendation and referrals.
Here’s a look at the ethical issues that this mode of recruitment presents:
– Confidentiality
Headhunters are expected to possess the quality of confidentiality concerning the vital information of
candidates. Either deliberate or accidental, head hunting is faulted when the contact info of talented
individuals are made known to the public. So the identity of nominees should remain protected.
– Adequate sourcing and combining outplacements
All available sourcing channels should be efficiently explored to discover hidden talents. Also, in a bid to
ensure legitimate evaluation, unemployed or outplaced candidates should surface on the list.
– Validity in the list of candidates
Executive search firms should present a valid list of nominees based on the findings of a verified source.
Also, inquiries should be made to seek the consent of applicants as to whether their details should be
presented before a governing board.
– Integrity
Although the process of locating highly skilled candidates is burdensome, headhunters are expected to
maintain integrity and not go to extreme lengths in searching for talented applicants. Professionalism
should be upheld in the search process and unfavorable observations should not be overlooked.
– Responsibility of the Governing board
Ethics wise, it is binding on the governing board to make sure that the recruitment process is made
open to all qualified nominees. Each and every candidate should be given free and fair consideration.
Also, if a candidate is nominated from within the institution, unbiased research should be conducted as
to whether the required standards are met.
