Editor's Comment

10-June-2009 | By DeeDee Doke

Without question, the hot topic of the week has been the revelation that The Guardian, long seen as a critical vehicle for recruitment advertising, is dipping its toe into candidate representation. The fury has been palpable in some quarters, while other recruiters have taken a more sanguine view of the development. Causing the most anger is what seems to have been this highly regarded media group’s stealth approach to introducing its test venture. The Guardian’s commercial director Adam Freeman says major advertisers were told; perhaps many were. But the fact remains that recruiters with significant numbers of ads on Guardian Jobs had not been told. Stealth does not become The Guardian, with its credible, ethical reputation - a great brand, if you will.

Questions remain about how this aspect of Guardian Jobs People is actually being executed in its test phase and what the plans are for its future and elsewhere. The Guardian’s competitors at News International and The Daily Telegraph gave us a sharp ‘No comment’ when asked about their own plans. Is a shake-up in the world of recruitment advertising on the horizon