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Let’s discuss backdoor reference checks. Story time:
My colleague Natalie Brown had a contact go through a bad experience. That person was looking for a job. Another recruiter did a backdoor reference. They reached out to people she works with and asked about her, without permission.
Pretty terrible. Natalie did a Linked poll about it.
How did 1/3 of people think backdooring is “totally acceptable”??? (Me being one.)
Well, there’s 2 types of backdoor references:
1. Asking people they work with currently. People you don’t already know, unsolicited.
This is terrible and unforgivable.
2. Asking a contact you trust who used to work with the person.
Imagine hiring for your firm. You have a close friend or business contact who worked with them before. Someone you trust to tell you the real deal and not blab.
You’re trying to tell me you wouldn’t ask? C’mon now.
Lost in all this: traditional references are garbage. Anyone can find 3 yes-men. In my entire career, thousands of reference checks, exactly 1 didn’t give a glowing review.
Last thing:
Everyone should be doing this when they interview.
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