Moral Compass?

Back in the time of Christopher Columbus he used DR or Dead Reckoning and Celestial navigation to find is way to the New World. Later Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts used a compass to find their way so as not to get lost while on hikes. They are also taught the tenets of having a good moral compass by following the Laws of the Scouts which cover areas such as being honest and fair, friendly and helpful, be responsible for what they say and do, use resources wisely and leave the world a better place.

A lot of us grew up in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and I think right now most of us are wondering what has happened when we have people like Illinois Governor Blagojevich and Bernie Madoff operating in such a way as to cause harm to others? One could definitely say that Blagojevich wasn't trying to use resources wisely and Madoff certainly wasn't trying to leave the world a better place than he found it; other than for their own gain.

How does someone get off track and blatantly steal from people for such a long time? It's heart breaking to see just how many individuals, couples and families are ruined by Madoff's lack of a moral compass.

The moral compass light has been shown on the Recruiting Profession from time to time as well. Unfortunately all recruiters can get lumped in with a few that have tarnished our profession. So what can we as Recruiters do to gain and keep the trust of candidates and clients?

For starters let's treat everyone with respect; whether it's in person or on the phone. That means honoring their request to not contact them or not send their resume out to a client without first asking permission. How about keeping the Scouts Laws in mind as we go through our day. As recruiters we should be in the business of building relationships, not making a fast buck. (Remember Madoff?) I believe the overwhelming majority of recruiters are into building relationships with only a few dipping their toes into the dark waters.

Throughout history it has taken a few crazy people to make us think maybe now is the time to get back to the basics. Like I have always said, Ethics never go out of style.