4H01 External Hires

When externally filling management jobs, particularly higher level management jobs, contractors frequently opt not to use conventional recruitment sources such as newspaper or trade publication advertising, but rather use executive search firms or informal referrals from current executive level employees, or both.

While filling a job by hire, including by using search firms or informal referrals, rather than by promotion or transfer, does not in itself violate any of the laws OFCCP enforces, COs must be alert to any evidence or external hiring patterns that indicate that the decision to hire from the outside discriminates on the basis of a prohibited factor.