Does headhunting service ensure confidential staff selection?

Confidentiality and headhunting are two things that are commonly associated, but headhunting service does not in itself guarantee confidentiality. Confidentiality itself depends on the headhunting project manager, the agreements with the employer, the confidentiality standards applied, etc. Thus, if the highest level of confidentiality is to be maintained, there are 4 things that need to be considered:

1.Determine what is confidential information during the headhunting process

In the preparation phase of each headhunt, the project manager must clarify what information is considered confidential and what information cannot be shared with the candidates involved in the selection process. The name of the company may be confidential, but even the company’s field of activity, size, organisational structure, area of operation, etc. may be confidential. By keeping confidential information within limits, the headhunting project manager can ensure the quality management of the process. When identifying confidential information, it is important not to create an overload of information. The less information that is disclosed, the greater the risk that a candidate will refuse to take part in a selection process of which he or she knows almost nothing. It is therefore always worth consulting with the headhunting project manager to find a balance when identifying confidential information.

2.Determine when and what information can be disclosed at different stages of the headhunt

In a confidential headhunting process, information is normally disclosed in stages. This is done in order to keep candidates engaged and motivated. Candidates avoid participating in several stages of the selection process without receiving any additional information about the employer. This is why it is necessary to determine at which stage of the headhunting process, and exactly what information can be disclosed to candidates, so that they do not lose interest in the selection process.

3.Specify what information is available to the headhunting project manager

The headhunting service project manager receives a large amount of information from the employer looking for a recruit, so the employer must take care to ensure that the information is of good quality and up-to-date. A headhunting project manager who knows only part of the situation or isolated facts may incorrectly shortlist candidates, misjudge the suitability of the candidates and make incorrect assessments to the employer. Trust in the headhunter to ensure confidentiality of information is crucial here. If he or she does not have that information, the headhunting process will simply be of low quality.

4.Understand the benefits and risks of confidential headhunting

The headhunter must explain to the employer that confidentiality is both beneficial and risky. Often employers are so focused on the confidentiality of headhunting that they lose sight of the essential goal of recruiting the best possible candidate. The rule here is simple: the less information that is disclosed, the fewer competent candidates are willing to sacrifice their time in the headhunting process. After all, they risk wasting their time only to realise later that the employer or its field of activity is unacceptable, uninteresting or unviable. Therefore, when it comes to the confidentiality of headhunting, it is not only the employer that needs to be considered, but also the candidates and their interest in knowing at least basic information about the position.