Top Echelon Network Policy 9a
Issue: Candidate ownership with respect to time
Date: 02/05/91
Top Echelon Network adheres to the industry's "BUT FOR RULE" when it comes to how long a recruiter "owns" a candidate. If you receive the resume from a Top Echelon Network Preferred Member of "John Smith" in 1990, then dig that same Top Echelon Network Member’s candidate resume out of your database in 1999 and begin working from that original information, you should split the placement with the originating agency.
Spirit
of this Policy
The spirit of this policy is simple. If you capitalize off another recruiter's
efforts, you should compensate them for those efforts regardless of how long
ago they took place.
We have observed other organizations that have attempted to establish a fixed time frame on candidate ownership. Those organizations normally put a one-year cap on candidate ownership, and after one year and one day passes, the candidate mysteriously disappears. This is wrong and will destroy the trust aspect needed for any split-placement organization to survive.
Top Echelon Network is not saying that a candidate can only be represented by one recruiter. Top Echelon Network is not saying that a recruiter automatically "owns" a candidate because he/she distributed the candidate's resume out on a network system.
We are, however, saying that you should refer to the industry's "BUT FOR RULE" when you are determining what caused your actions with regard to a particular candidate. Was it that nine-year old Top Echelon Network resume that prompted you to "track down" and place the candidate? If so, you owe the originating agency a split. If, however, you found the candidate through your own normal recruiting or advertising efforts, you don't owe anyone anything.
We recommend that you keep good records of how you found your candidates and when you began communication with them. This way, if you are ever asked to prove "how you found" a particular candidate, you'll have the proof you need.
Obviously this policy is difficult to "police," but we all need to have faith in the honesty and integrity of our Preferred Members and Trading Partners.
See policy #8 for further information regarding the industry's "BUT FOR RULE."