“We decided that we’re not going to hire them.”
I had just answered a phone call from a CEO who we were recruiting for and was surprised to learn that they no longer wanted to pursue a certain candidate.
I had to ask… “What made you change your mind?”
Then, I heard something I really wish I hadn’t…
“I had an off-the-record conversation with a friend who also knows them. I learned something that tells me that they wouldn’t be right for this position. Just something personal, but it raised some red flags. We need to move on to other candidates.”
Three immediate problems with this thought process:
- You need permission to check their references.
- You can’t use an “off-the-record” conversation in an “on-the-record” way.
- You should never use personal information to determine a candidate’s professional ability to perform a job.
A Common Misconception
Over the years of being in Human Resources, I’ve seen a lot of misconceptions around hiring practices, and the “I’ll just call a friend of a friend” information gathering is a major one that most leaders still struggle to understand.
It is not fair or equitable to call an acquaintance of a candidate to ask about them without their expressed permission to do so.
The only way to appropriately check references is to follow the procedure of asking a candidate for their list of references and gaining their approval to reach out to those named on that list.
The only person checking references should be the person that is always assigned this task at your organization, and they should always use the same list of questions when discussing a candidate with their references.
Just because you know someone who knows that candidate does not mean that you can contact them without permission to gather information. Anything you hear or learn should not be used in your hiring decision.
Why This Matters
All organizations – no matter where you are located – should be concerned about deviating from their hiring procedures.
We’re seeing a rise in applicants filing complaints against organizations in regards to their hiring practices being unfair, inequitable and discriminatory. Checking references without permission and using information collected from that conversation to make a hiring decision is on the list of complaints filed.
Even if you don’t tell the candidate that the off-the-record conversation factored into your hiring decision, there is a huge possibility they will find out.
Save yourself from this issue and follow proper protocol.
Do This Instead
To build an engaged and productive team, leaders have to start by following a consistent, fair and equitable hiring process.
My best tips for creating a hiring process that builds great teams –
- Create a hiring process that involves specific steps to take from writing the job description to sending an offer letter, naming who in your organization will handle each step and its responsibilities. Then be consistent and follow it every time you recruit for a position and talk to individual candidates.
- Write a list of interview questions for each role and ask every applicant those same questions. Be thorough and thoughtful about how each response could help you determine professional ability and fit for that position.
- Make sure to include a step for officially requesting and gaining permission to contact a candidate’s references. When contacting references for multiple candidates, only ask the same list of questions for every person.
Fair, consistent and equitable hiring practices are for your benefit as you build the team of your dreams. Consistency in the process and asking the same questions helps you adequately determine fit and ability when interviewing candidates.
Remember, “not a good friend” doesn’t count as a reason to not hire someone. Be thorough, but make sure you’re following your hiring processes.
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