Association Adopts First Ever Code of Ethics for Job Board Industry

The International Association of Employment Web Sites (IAEWS), the trade organization for the global online employment services industry, has introduced the first ever code of ethics for job boards and career portals.

Stamford, CT (PRWeb) April 14, 2007 -- The International Association of Employment Web Sites (IAEWS), the trade organization for the global online employment services industry, has introduced the first ever code of ethics for job boards and career portals. Representing over 1,000 employment sites around the world, the Association has now set the standard for business operations and practices in one of the fastest growing and most successful segments of e-commerce. That industry has grown from a handful of fledgling job boards ten years ago to thousands of sites that now generate almost $3 billion in recruiting advertising annually.

“This Code of Ethics,” said IAEWS Executive Director Peter Weddle, “reassures both job seekers and employers that a job board displaying the IAEWS Member icon is one they can trust. These are sites that treat customers and users, alike, with dignity, integrity and respect.” Dan Honig, COO of WorkplaceDiversity.com and the Chair of the IAEWS Working Group on the Code of Ethics, put it this way, “The Internet can sometimes seem like the wild west. You never know what’s going to happen to you. Well, now you do, at least when it comes to employment. This Code sets the bar for what people should expect from job boards.”

The IAEWS Code of Ethics

IAEWS Members are leaders in their industry. In acknowledgment of that role, they agree to adhere to the following Code of Ethics:

Confidentiality
We will maintain a privacy policy that is open and transparent. We will adhere to generally accepted principles for the use of information acquired online, to include the full disclosure of what personal information is collected and how it is used and/or released to others.

For example, Members will carefully protect hosted individual passwords and clearly indicate the use of all individual contact information.

Fairness
We will operate with respect for our customers and deliver our products and services as promised. In addition, we will compete fairly in the marketplace and not slander our competitors.

For example, Members will provide easy-to-find and up-to-date contact information on their sites for both employers and job seekers.

Honesty
We will not engage in deceitful or deceptive business practices. We will deliver our products and services as they are represented in our sales and marketing materials and provide accurate data on their performance and our operations.

For example, Members will make every effort to ensure that all job postings displayed on their sites are genuine employment opportunities.

Responsibility
We will serve the interests of all of our customers—employers, recruiters and job seekers. We will resolve customer issues to the best of our ability.

For example, Members will clearly state how long a resume will be archived on their sites and respect that commitment.

Self Regulation
We acknowledge that compliance with the IAEWS Code of Ethics is a condition of membership in the Association. We will adhere to the Code in all aspects of our business operations and expeditiously remediate any areas of noncompliance.


Why a Code of Ethics and Why Now?

The IAEWS Code of Ethics was developed, ironically, because of the job board industry’s success. That success, coupled with a low barrier to entry, has led to a continuous influx of new sites online. While many of these new entrants strengthen the industry, some do not. They engage in unethical practices such as selling the contact information of job seekers to marketers without individual permission and not accurately representing the traffic their site generates for advertisers. The IAEWS Code of Ethics was created to help consumers tell the difference between those job boards that are committed to the highest standards of business and those that are not.

About the IAEWS

The IAEWS is the trade organization for the global online employment services industry. It is open to any organization that owns or operates a job board or that provides products and services to those sites. Association members include commercial enterprises, professional associations and societies, newspapers and trade publications, radio stations, and affinity groups. Currently, the Association boasts a membership that operates over 1,000 job boards and career portals in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information, please see its site at www.EmploymentWebSites.org.

Labels: Job boards