Principles for Professional Conduct for Career Services & Employment Professionals

Publication of the National Association of Colleges and Employers

Helping students attain successful careers and building professional relations between employers and career services requires commitment and professional conduct by all parties.

NACE principles demand objectivity and openness in employment opportunity selection, fair and equitable recruitment with students and employers and finally, informed and responsible career decision counseling.

I. Career Service Professionals will…

1.Provide unbiased career counseling by exercising thorough knowledge of career fields, opportunities, the educational institution for which they work and the students whom they serve.
2.Provide students information on a range and types of career opportunities as well as providing employers accurate information on the educational institution and students.
3.Provide equitable recruitment services to all employers despite levels of contributions and gifts and establish reasonable guidelines regarding use of career services by employers, organizations and international employers.
4.Comply with all EEO and affirmative actions principles regarding equity in matters of national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability.

-Refer all students and notify all employers regardless of aforementioned affiliations.

-Help recruiters diversify applicant pools.

-Provide services responding to cultural diversity and respond to complaints of noncompliance with EEO directives.

1.Exercise confidentiality in students’ written records, reports and database information unless consent, safety or health concerns necessitate dissemination.
2.Inform students of availability, purpose and policies of career planning tests and provide qualified interpretations.
3.Charge appropriate fees only when budget requires, but no student should be denied services based on financial limitations.
4.Advise students on their professional obligations to employers during recruiting including but not limited to: timeliness, accuracy in application and interview information, accepting and declining positions with professionalism, engaging only employers in whom students are interested and requesting reimbursement for the recruitment process only when legitimate expenses incur.
5.Encourage and counsel international students in employment opportunities that comply with their U.S. work eligibility, immigration laws and skills.
6.Educate employees of the NACE principles and respond to complaints of noncompliance.

II. Employment Professionals will…

1.Refrain from improperly influencing job acceptances with tactics including but not limited to: undue time pressure, and the encouragement of revoking other employment opportunities. Employers should communicate decisions to candidates within the agreed upon time frame.
2.Refrain from seeking special favors in recruitment through gifts and contributions.
3.Know their recruitment field and industry to accurately supply applicants with correct employment information.
4.Provide fair and equitable compensation for revocation of employment commitments.
5.Not include alcohol in on or off campus recruiting.
6.Comply with EEO principles regarding equity in matters of national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
7.Refrain from biased selections, inquiries and application requirements.
8.Exercise confidentiality in students’ written records, reports and database information unless consent, safety or health concerns necessitate dissemination.
9.Provide qualified testing administrators and evaluators in a nonbiased notification and selection process.
10.Follow career services guidelines, even when recruiting with other organizations on campus.
11.Honor scheduled arrangements and recruitment commitments.
12.Inform career services and students of the cultural and lawful realities and limitations of international employment.
13.Educate employees involved in the hiring process in the NACE principles and respond to complaints of noncompliance.

III. Third Party Recruiters will…

1.Be well versed in recruitment fields and EEO principles regarding equity in matters of national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
2.Refrain from biased selections, inquiries and application requirements.
3.Not directly charge students for services; those who do should not be permitted on campus.
4.Disclose clients whom they are representing including employer credentials, types of positions available and persons reviewing student application material.
5.Obtain prior written consent from student to disclose information to employers; and authorization to represent employers to students.

Copyright Notice: NACE members have the permission of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, copyright holder, to download and photocopy the Principles for internal purposes. Photocopies must include this copyright notice. Those who do not hold membership, or who wish to use the document for other purposes, should contact Claudia Allen, callen@naceweb.org, 800/544-5272, ext. 129. Electronic reproduction is prohibited.