Are you back channeling enough?

Back-channeling (getting backdoor references) is one of the ways hiring managers and recruiters are using more frequently to find out extra information about candidates.

Networking sites liked LinkedIn and Facebook are making it easier to find out information about a candidate without their knowledge. Recruiters have been taking it a step further and reaching out to connections of the potential hire to get an unofficial reference.

Omer Molad is the CEO and founder of Vervoe, an AI-powered skill testing platform that helps companies make hire hiring decisions. He recognized that the hiring process can be painful for firms.

‘’Everyone backchannels where they can, not just recruitment agencies. When candidates provide references they’ll offer people who will speak positively about them. Often hearing an unfiltered opinion can add further insight,’’ he said.

Is the growth in back chanelling because candidates are now less trustworthy? ‘’It’s more about traditional methods being unreliable and biased. Resumes and traditional interviews are not predictive methods of hiring and result in recruiters and hiring managers favouring people they like rather than people who can do the job’’.

Molad believes informal reference checks can add a different data point to build confidence and fill in some gaps. ‘’The best people to speak to are people who have worked with the candidate directly, ideally someone in the same team,’’ he adds.