Hiring has become harder to read. AI tools now help candidates polish résumés, applications, and even interview answers, so many employers feel they’re meeting a carefully curated version of each person. Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal notes that more companies are responding by reaching beyond the references candidates provide. The drive to do so is easy to understand, yet secret reference calls carry risks that can quietly weaken good hiring decisions. Fortunately, employers can gain the same depth of insight in a more transparent way.
What Is a Backdoor Reference Check?
A backdoor reference check happens when an employer contacts someone who isn’t on the candidate’s reference list, such as a former manager or colleague found through a mutual connection. A Zety survey of 1,000 US workers found that 37% learned a prospective employer had contacted backdoor references about them, and LinkedIn and social media make those connections easier to identify.
Why Do Backdoor References Often Fall Short?
The draw is an “unfiltered” opinion, but unfiltered doesn’t always mean accurate. An informal source may have worked with the candidate only briefly, may have a complicated history with them, or may have no visibility into their recent work. And because the candidate never learns what was said, they have no opportunity to add context or respond. That gap allows bias to shape a decision, and a strong candidate could be passed over because of one remark no one thought to question.
How Can Backdoor Checks Put Candidates and Your Brand at Risk?
Many job seekers haven’t told their current employer they’re exploring new roles. A call to someone inside their organization can expose a confidential search and even jeopardize their present job. Candidates who discover this may withdraw or share the experience with their network, which can tarnish your employer brand. In a competitive talent market, a reputation for respecting candidate privacy is a real advantage worth protecting.
Are Backdoor Reference Checks Legal?
It depends on where you operate and how you approach it. Some hiring resources advise obtaining written permission before contacting references outside a candidate’s list, and honoring any request to limit contact to the references they provided. Since rules vary by state and industry, review your process with employment counsel and include consent language in your standard hiring paperwork.
What Does Better Reference Due Diligence Look Like?
Thorough vetting and transparency work well together. In practice, this means letting candidates know early that you may speak with people not on their list and agreeing on any boundaries around their current employer. When important feedback comes up, give the candidate a chance to explain the professional relationship behind it. It also helps to request a wider mix of references, since feedback from peers and from people a candidate has managed offers a more well-rounded view of performance and work style. Standardized questions focused on concrete examples keep evaluations consistent, and a professional screening partner can verify employment history and credentials in compliance with applicable laws.
Employers who choose open, consistent reference practices make better-informed decisions and show candidates exactly the kind of organization they’d be joining.
*Disclaimer this blog is not offering legal advice.
Nexxt is a leading HR technology company that uses today’s most effective marketing tactics to reach candidates at scale. Learn more about hiring with Nexxt.