Ethical headhunting ñ not an oxymoron...

An independent executive search firm is aiming to alter negative perceptions of the industry by preventing its researchers from using false identities when approaching prospective clients and candidates.

Cheshire-based Warren Partners has taken a stand against unethical search firms, which have long allowed their outsourced research partners to assume pseudonyms in order to glean information about company structures and salaries. When calling financial services firms, for example, some researchers have been known to say they are calling from the FSA.

Warren Partners, which specialises in headhunting executive and board level individuals across the retail and consumer, professional and financial services, manufacturing and business to business sectors, encourages clients to alert the firm if they feel they have been misrepresented in any way.

Jolle Warren, managing director of Warren Partners, explained: ìSince our inception in 1999, we have operated under the philosophy of ëtreating others as we want to be treatedí. This is not a complex idea but it seems, in a sector not known for trumpeting moral values, that few have taken it on board. After all, weíve all heard the story about the headhunter who ëfishesí for candidates by advertising fictitious roles.

ìIn fact, experience tells us that an increasing number of headhunting approaches nowadays are made with the intention of expanding a database rather than filling a specific role. But for those of us who have built a business on the principles of openness and honesty, and believe that success in executive search is achievable without the application of deceit or fraud, to be tarred with the same brush as such charlatans is nothing short of abhorrent.

ìInsisting that our researchers are open and honest ensures maximum peace of mind and transparency throughout our organisation. Of course, it also makes our job harder and more time-consuming but we are determined that our clients and candidates should have the right to expect a certain level of service. We are, therefore, meeting the costs of this investment ourselves and are proud to be leading the fight to overturn the negative media stereotype of the ruthless, manipulative headhunter driven solely by fees.î