Is it ethical for a recruiter to ask an applicant to work on a private project?
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Some years before "The Workplace" existed, I interviewed for the position of software developer at a small software company (around 70 employees). The interviewer told me he did not work for the company: he was an independent recruiter, but he handled the whole recruiting for that company. He handled all the interviews and made the decision whether to hire or not: the owner completely trusted his judgement.
During the interview we discussed the issue of outside placements. One might choose to join a company to be part of its culture and amenities and yet never experience any of it because one works for months or years at other companies. Which may work out well, or not well at all. At this point, he said that all the open positions were for outside placements, although the company was considering starting an inside development department. Then he asked if I would be able to develop an app on a topic he was very interested in. I pointed out that it was a complicated topic and asked whether that app would be a project for the new inside department. He said, no, that it was his personal pet project and that he would pay for it himself. I considered it but could not foresee a good outcome and finally declined. When we parted, he said he saw me as a good candidate for the new department and would contact me if it ever went ahead.
I got a rejection letter some weeks later. I was not surprised at this, and do not regret turning down his offer, but I have always wondered how appropriate or ethical this recruiter's behavior was.
interviewing software-industry
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
|
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Some years before "The Workplace" existed, I interviewed for the position of software developer at a small software company (around 70 employees). The interviewer told me he did not work for the company: he was an independent recruiter, but he handled the whole recruiting for that company. He handled all the interviews and made the decision whether to hire or not: the owner completely trusted his judgement.
During the interview we discussed the issue of outside placements. One might choose to join a company to be part of its culture and amenities and yet never experience any of it because one works for months or years at other companies. Which may work out well, or not well at all. At this point, he said that all the open positions were for outside placements, although the company was considering starting an inside development department. Then he asked if I would be able to develop an app on a topic he was very interested in. I pointed out that it was a complicated topic and asked whether that app would be a project for the new inside department. He said, no, that it was his personal pet project and that he would pay for it himself. I considered it but could not foresee a good outcome and finally declined. When we parted, he said he saw me as a good candidate for the new department and would contact me if it ever went ahead.
I got a rejection letter some weeks later. I was not surprised at this, and do not regret turning down his offer, but I have always wondered how appropriate or ethical this recruiter's behavior was.
interviewing software-industry
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
To clarify, the app had nothing to do with the job you were interviewing for but was an entirely separate project from the recruiter?
– AffableAmbler
yesterday
i voted to close this. sorry. this isn't the forum for ethics discussions, and seeing how little most people know about ethics as a subject, the responses are never very interesting. why, I might ask, do you care about the ethics of an interviewer for a role years ago?
– bharal
yesterday
Just curious, but what is "outside placement" ? (Is that the same as working as at a company in a contractor or vendor role?)
– selbie
yesterday
Not very ethical, IMHO.
– Joe Strazzere
yesterday
I would doubt that turning down the recruiter's project cost you the job. After all, be stood to gain financially if you were placed. I see them as two separate things.
– Mawg
4 hours ago
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Some years before "The Workplace" existed, I interviewed for the position of software developer at a small software company (around 70 employees). The interviewer told me he did not work for the company: he was an independent recruiter, but he handled the whole recruiting for that company. He handled all the interviews and made the decision whether to hire or not: the owner completely trusted his judgement.
During the interview we discussed the issue of outside placements. One might choose to join a company to be part of its culture and amenities and yet never experience any of it because one works for months or years at other companies. Which may work out well, or not well at all. At this point, he said that all the open positions were for outside placements, although the company was considering starting an inside development department. Then he asked if I would be able to develop an app on a topic he was very interested in. I pointed out that it was a complicated topic and asked whether that app would be a project for the new inside department. He said, no, that it was his personal pet project and that he would pay for it himself. I considered it but could not foresee a good outcome and finally declined. When we parted, he said he saw me as a good candidate for the new department and would contact me if it ever went ahead.
I got a rejection letter some weeks later. I was not surprised at this, and do not regret turning down his offer, but I have always wondered how appropriate or ethical this recruiter's behavior was.
interviewing software-industry
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
Some years before "The Workplace" existed, I interviewed for the position of software developer at a small software company (around 70 employees). The interviewer told me he did not work for the company: he was an independent recruiter, but he handled the whole recruiting for that company. He handled all the interviews and made the decision whether to hire or not: the owner completely trusted his judgement.
During the interview we discussed the issue of outside placements. One might choose to join a company to be part of its culture and amenities and yet never experience any of it because one works for months or years at other companies. Which may work out well, or not well at all. At this point, he said that all the open positions were for outside placements, although the company was considering starting an inside development department. Then he asked if I would be able to develop an app on a topic he was very interested in. I pointed out that it was a complicated topic and asked whether that app would be a project for the new inside department. He said, no, that it was his personal pet project and that he would pay for it himself. I considered it but could not foresee a good outcome and finally declined. When we parted, he said he saw me as a good candidate for the new department and would contact me if it ever went ahead.
I got a rejection letter some weeks later. I was not surprised at this, and do not regret turning down his offer, but I have always wondered how appropriate or ethical this recruiter's behavior was.
interviewing software-industry
interviewing software-industry
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
asked yesterday
Elise van Looij
1255
1255
To clarify, the app had nothing to do with the job you were interviewing for but was an entirely separate project from the recruiter?
– AffableAmbler
yesterday
i voted to close this. sorry. this isn't the forum for ethics discussions, and seeing how little most people know about ethics as a subject, the responses are never very interesting. why, I might ask, do you care about the ethics of an interviewer for a role years ago?
– bharal
yesterday
Just curious, but what is "outside placement" ? (Is that the same as working as at a company in a contractor or vendor role?)
– selbie
yesterday
Not very ethical, IMHO.
– Joe Strazzere
yesterday
I would doubt that turning down the recruiter's project cost you the job. After all, be stood to gain financially if you were placed. I see them as two separate things.
– Mawg
4 hours ago
|
show 1 more comment
To clarify, the app had nothing to do with the job you were interviewing for but was an entirely separate project from the recruiter?
– AffableAmbler
yesterday
i voted to close this. sorry. this isn't the forum for ethics discussions, and seeing how little most people know about ethics as a subject, the responses are never very interesting. why, I might ask, do you care about the ethics of an interviewer for a role years ago?
– bharal
yesterday
Just curious, but what is "outside placement" ? (Is that the same as working as at a company in a contractor or vendor role?)
– selbie
yesterday
Not very ethical, IMHO.
– Joe Strazzere
yesterday
I would doubt that turning down the recruiter's project cost you the job. After all, be stood to gain financially if you were placed. I see them as two separate things.
– Mawg
4 hours ago
To clarify, the app had nothing to do with the job you were interviewing for but was an entirely separate project from the recruiter?
– AffableAmbler
yesterday
To clarify, the app had nothing to do with the job you were interviewing for but was an entirely separate project from the recruiter?
– AffableAmbler
yesterday
i voted to close this. sorry. this isn't the forum for ethics discussions, and seeing how little most people know about ethics as a subject, the responses are never very interesting. why, I might ask, do you care about the ethics of an interviewer for a role years ago?
– bharal
yesterday
i voted to close this. sorry. this isn't the forum for ethics discussions, and seeing how little most people know about ethics as a subject, the responses are never very interesting. why, I might ask, do you care about the ethics of an interviewer for a role years ago?
– bharal
yesterday
Just curious, but what is "outside placement" ? (Is that the same as working as at a company in a contractor or vendor role?)
– selbie
yesterday
Just curious, but what is "outside placement" ? (Is that the same as working as at a company in a contractor or vendor role?)
– selbie
yesterday
Not very ethical, IMHO.
– Joe Strazzere
yesterday
Not very ethical, IMHO.
– Joe Strazzere
yesterday
I would doubt that turning down the recruiter's project cost you the job. After all, be stood to gain financially if you were placed. I see them as two separate things.
– Mawg
4 hours ago
I would doubt that turning down the recruiter's project cost you the job. After all, be stood to gain financially if you were placed. I see them as two separate things.
– Mawg
4 hours ago
|
show 1 more comment
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To clarify, the app had nothing to do with the job you were interviewing for but was an entirely separate project from the recruiter?
– AffableAmbler
yesterday
i voted to close this. sorry. this isn't the forum for ethics discussions, and seeing how little most people know about ethics as a subject, the responses are never very interesting. why, I might ask, do you care about the ethics of an interviewer for a role years ago?
– bharal
yesterday
Just curious, but what is "outside placement" ? (Is that the same as working as at a company in a contractor or vendor role?)
– selbie
yesterday
Not very ethical, IMHO.
– Joe Strazzere
yesterday
I would doubt that turning down the recruiter's project cost you the job. After all, be stood to gain financially if you were placed. I see them as two separate things.
– Mawg
4 hours ago