A Reading-based recruiter is warning that the government will step in to regulate the online recruitment industry if abuses of candidates' privacy continue.

John-Paul Tointon, managing director of JP Executives, said that candidates will start to bring legal action against job boards for misusing their information. He told Recruiter: "Data protection laws are being broken all the time online, when CVs are sent out without the candidates' permission. Companies encourage it by offering money to the first recruiter that sends the chosen candidate's CV."

He said candidates are starting to turn against online recruitment and cites the experience of one person who posted his CV on a large job board and within hours had received around 40 calls from recruiters who had sent on his details without permission.

"The internet is an awesome tool for recruiting but it needs to be used in the right way. It has turned candidates into commodities, and are seen as just a fee," added sales and marketing specialist Tointon.

On a general note, he went on to say that organisations need to address their approach to sales targets in improving staff retention. Tointon said that about half of sales people leave their jobs within two years because of target-related sackings. He added that employers need to have something in place to combat the problem, to re-energise and motivate their people in order to stop them looking for new jobs.

Tointon, whose firm recruits marketing and sales professionals in IT and related industries, added: "I give my customers candidates that never get in that danger zone. I'm going to give them candidates who have passion and drive, not just the skills. Passion can't be trained."