Back door references, also known as off the record references, refer when people not listed as references on the Employment Application by a job seeker are contacted. When job seekers apply to a job and are interviewing, they erroneously assume that their candidacy is confidential. Sadly, this is not the practice. Even worse, Hiring Managers and employees frequently will reach out to current colleagues, disclosing that the candidate has applied for a job and discuss the candidate’s history and capabilities with them.
I have seen candidates burned by back door references which could not be verified and were obtained from someone who did not manage the candidate. This is a reality for which all candidates need to be prepared and ready to address.
With the spread of social media, it can be very tempting for employers to try to obtain references without a candidate’s knowledge. But it’s an unethical potentially discriminatory practice. It’s perfectly valid to require references for a finalist prior to going to offer. Candidates understand that offers are contingent upon successfully passing background verification. Off the record references are totally different.
What is an Off the Record Reference?
To clarify, off the record references or back channel references is the process of contacting former and current colleagues not listed as references on their Employment Application of a candidate and discussing the candidate’s history and capabilities with them. While the idea is to gain a broader picture of the candidate beyond the carefully curated references that are certain to result in positive reviews, if the person providing the “reference” did not directly supervise the candidate, it offers low reliability and validity. And can result in slander and defamation against the candidate.
It breaches the confidentiality of a candidate’s job search.
It’s unethical. Candidates assume when they apply for a role that the confidentiality of their candidacy will be protected. By trying to obtain an off the record reference that was not authorized by the candidate, the person seeking the reference is basically notifying the current employer that the person is actively interviewing with your company. Violating confidentiality does not result in a positive candidate experience and has legal consequences.
It makes a recruiting process look unprofessional.
Hiring Managers don’t like risk. If they feel that their current assessment process isn’t truly resulting in great hires, they resort to workarounds. The backdoor reference is the ultimate workaround that backfires. Employers should focus on implementing a reliable selection and assessment system that predicts job performance. Implementing good systems is far more effective than getting back door references to mitigate risk.
Verification of negative information is impossible.
If a back channel reference brings up something negative about a candidate, it’s not possible to verify the negative concern with a candidate without jeopardizing the anonymity offered to the reference. Employers are stuck with a potentially unreliable negative reference and no way to verify the validity.
CareerRx ProTips for Legally Defensible Reference Checks
Require Consent
Inform potential employers by email that they need your express permission before contacting references. Reiterate to your Recruiter that under no circumstances should anyone reach out for off the record references.
Provide An Official Reference List
Add your official references on your employment application and also email the list to your Recruiter. Indicate that you require advance notice before they contact your references so you can notify them.
Focus On Your Past Managers
Someone who has managed you for a significant amount of time is going to be your most valuable reference.
Check Official References Prior to Extending Offers
Many Hiring Managers want to check references prior to extending a verbal offer. That’s reasonable. Others want to include reference checks with the background verification process once the candidate accepts an offer. In each case, the references are former managers submitted in list of official references
About The Career Launcher
After spending years managing Talent Acquisition for Fortune 500 companies, The Career Launcher created the CareerRx™ program along with ResumeGenie™ for resume optimization.
In CareerRx™, she shows job seekers how recruiting and job search has been transformed by constantly changing recruiting technology including applicant tracking systems, social media, LinkedIn Recruiter, Indeed.com and how we must change our definition of “job search” to launch and continuously promote an Online Career Brand.
With over 20 years of hands on direct recruitment experience, The Career Launcher demystifies the online job application process and offers job seekers a comprehensive research based program to jump start their job searches. She provides an insider’s perspective to what companies are seeking from candidates in the interview process.
It’s time for you to go beyond the resume. When it comes to your career, you can’t sit on the sidelines in the social media revolution. Click below to jumpstart your job search today with CareerRx™.