End the 'first past the post'

03 March 2010

Ray Ellis’s Soapbox in Recruiter, 17 February, championed relationshipbuilding rather than bombarding clients with indiscriminate CVs

A very good article indeed, and a subject close to my heart. It’s ironic that whenever PSLs are created or renewed, agency ethics and practices are always high on the agenda (and rightly so). However, when you study the T&Cs the CV acceptance criteria is always ’first past the post’.

At NES, we recently won PSL status with a major food manufacturing client and, in response to this requirement, requested that this clause be changed in the case where it is challenged, and the candidate be given the opportunity to contact the client to confirm which agency they wish to be represented by.
Our client agreed to this amendment, and it is something that we will look to push going forward.
Lee Knowles, director, NES UK