Using Websites to help check References: Trend Or Fad?

In today's world, the use of references in the hiring process has become crucial. According to data from ResumeLab, 36 percent of applicants openly admit to lying on their resumes. Gone are the days when resumes used to be the only evidence of a candidate's skills and capabilities.

Recruiters now prefer using references to ensure they're selecting the proper candidate and obtain detailed information about the candidate's previous employment directly from the people with whom they've worked closely. As the use of references grows in popularity, online tools to check employment references have emerged.

But the real question is: Is it a Trend or a Fad? Let’s find out.

It’s a Growing Trend

The use of online tools is a developing trend as most companies are still getting introduced to it. Using these tools makes it simpler for recruiters to stay organized and make better hiring decisions. It enables recruiters to automate reference checks and speed up the process, making it easy for both the recruiter and the candidate.?

It’s a Fad

Nowadays, most recruiters use online reference-checking tools to save time and money. On the other hand, some companies still prefer to manually review references and haven't made the switch to online tools. However, each process has its pros and cons. Automated reference checks could also prove to be risky. Employers must take care to follow all legal requirements while conducting reference checks.

Before moving forward, an employee's consent is required. If a former employee is asked to fill out a form, there is no control over who fills it out or how they make use of the confidential data. It is still in question whether or not these tools should be used.

To Summarize

Companies must consider whether automated reference checking fits within their hiring process and if a decision is taken to switch in the future, laws and regulations must be taken into account.