By Kevin Roth

You are presented with a PERFECT candidate, but she currently works for a former colleague who you would never want to “poach” from. What do you do?

Before you get all concerned about any sort of ethical dilemma, get the full story behind the candidate’s circumstances.

– How active are they in their search?

– Where do they stand in other interviews?

– Did they apply to the position or was it more of an aggressive recruiting effort to get them?

If the candidate already has one foot out the door and is actively interviewing elsewhere, you are doing absolutely nothing wrong by exploring your opportunity with them.

On the contrary, one could argue that you’re doing the wrong thing by NOT engaging them.

– If that former colleague of yours is going to lose this employee, don’t you think they would rather lose them to a friend than another random company or competitor?

– If your opportunity really is a perfect match, doesn’t it seem more unethical to block them from it? At that point, you’re not only affecting their career, but you’re also preventing yourself and your team from a potentially great addition.

“It’s not personal, it’s strictly business” – Michael Corleone