How do I check a staffing agency’s candidate database for stale records?
Sample the database yourself. Pull a random set of records, check when each was last contacted or updated, and try reaching a few candidates. Ask how often the list is cleaned and whether candidates agreed to be stored. A large database full of old or unusable records is less useful than it looks.
Ask for the system export rather than a summary. Sort by last activity and see how much of it has been touched lately. Look for duplicates, missing contact details and records with no notes. Patterns in those gaps show how the agency keeps its data.
Then test it. With the seller’s agreement, contact a small sample of candidates and see how many respond and still want to be considered. Compare the answer with how many placements came from the database as against new sourcing. Look at how candidates are tagged as well, such as by skill, availability and location. A database searched by tag only works if the tags are kept honest, and stale ones quietly send recruiters after people who have moved on.
Ask about permission. Candidates give personal details with certain expectations, so find out what they were told, how they can ask for removal and whether such requests are honoured. Your lawyer can say what applies to the data you would take over. Finally, ask who maintains it. If one recruiter knows which records are real and others do not, that knowledge walks out with them. Ask what routines keep the database tidy and see evidence that they are followed.
Key takeaways
- Sort by last activity and sample records at random.
- Contact a few candidates to see how many respond and still want work.
- Ask your lawyer what applies to the personal data you would receive.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
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