You recruited them, laid them off, now they're in hock

"Before, so many of us were living a good life here...Now we cannot pay our loans. We are all just sleeping, smoking, drinking coffee and having headaches because of the situation."

To make matters worse, a "new draft media law [in Dubai] would make it a crime to damage the country’s reputation or economy, punishable by fines of up to 1 million dirhams (about $272,000). Some say it is already having a chilling effect on reporting about the crisis."

So you recruited them, sold them on the community, the area, the lifestyle, then gave them pink slips. Now they're struggling - don't you feel bad about it?

Read the article here

Comment by Maureen Sharib on February 12, 2009 at 7:33am: “If I can’t pay it off, I was told I could end up in debtors’ prison.” ~ Frenchwoman in Dubai
If I were her I'd beat a hasty retreat out of this Arab emirate. But if I were a man, I'd think about staying: "Today Dubai's debt is at $70 billion." Sounds like a drop in the bucket.

Comment by Steve Levy on February 12, 2009 at 7:40am: I knew it - you finally took to reading Bob's favorite paper.

Comment by Steve Levy on February 12, 2009 at 7:47am: What's interesting is that recruiters do in fact paint exceptionally rosy pictures; so when the rose turns pink and the former employee is left in a quandary and then the employee complains, it's "Sorry, you should have made better decisions."

Now I'm not talking about taking out a jumbo and laying out 50% of one's paycheck to a mortgage - this is simply personal irresponsibility - but when you uproot, move, and inculcate yourself into a community only to have your lifeline pulled away, it isn't just your fault.

No one talks about this.

Comment by Jennifer Berry on February 12, 2009 at 10:25am: I just can't fathom why a foreign national on a temporary work visa would sign up for that kind of debt. This is why it's not legal in this country. Although many people have successfully skirted that and signed up for subprime loans even though they didn't have legal work in the US. (Believe me I used to work for a subprime company I came across a bunch of cases.)

But to the Recruiting ethics issue. I think this one is a two parter - how you sell the candidate and who you choose as a client.

I myself have struggled with this one as well. I have worked with a company in the past that honestly made me feel like a snake oil salesman. In the end I decided to steer certain people away from my company that I felt didn't have the scruples or thick skin to handle the place. I actually told a candidate: "You're a really nice person, and speaking as a friend, I think you should look elsewhere. Trust me - you would not be happy here." If you oversell you are just going to cause more turnover and headache for yourself, and you are doing a disservice to the candidate. You don't have to scare people away necessarily, but don't try to sugar coat a piece of crap either.

As to client base - I think we have to make the decision to be ethical people even if it might hurt us in the short run. I think this lack of personal ownership and 'mercenary mentality' is why we are in the current economic crisis. For me the question isn't, "Will this company let me represent them?"
Rather, "Do I want to represent this company? Do I want to risk damaging my reputation in the community by representing them."

**By the way the person I said that two nine months ago not only thanked me profusely, but contacted me a few days ago to retain my services as a resume writer and job coach.

Comment by Steve Levy on February 12, 2009 at 1:30pm: The seemingly good relationship with the person whom you steered away notwithstanding, it sure is a slippery slope we put ourselves on when we do this; any recruiter with a conscience larger than their wallet has probably done this.

But then again...how many times have I recruited under the early on assumption that all was ice cream and puppy dogs only to see that with a more experienced (or perhaps jaded) eye, that it was all gilded lead. Hopefully some of us conduct a little due diligence and look at what financials we can find - a CFO or company rep tells you all is grand when in fact the lawyers are knocking on the doors.

Recruiters oversell - instead of "Sure they've downsized from 70 to 30 employees and their business has fallen off but this sure is a tremendous opportunity for the right person and you know what? I think you're that person, I really do."

Try this with any position you're currently filling - are you telling it like it is?

Comment by Candace on February 12, 2009 at 2:09pm: I would think that anyone looking to leave a position for a new one in a new company, in this market, has their eyes wide open.