Does S2Verify Call Previous Employers?

Reference checks have always been a part of a quality hiring and screening program at any organization, but now they’re more critical than ever with the rise in remote work. 

Hybrid hiring makes it more challenging to screen candidates effectively and retain employees over time, increasing overall HR risk. Plus, candidates are lying on their resumes these days more so than ever before. 

Why Reference Checks Are Important 

Reference checks counteract that risk by confirming the accuracy of the information provided by the candidate during the hiring process and on their resume. This process–of contacting a candidate’s previous employers, colleagues, or academic instructors to ask questions and verify details–can provide critical insights into a candidate’s work ethic, personality, and suitability for the job.

They also provide a more accurate picture of a candidate’s skills, experiences, and character from less biased perspectives. By conducting quality reference checks, hiring managers can gain a more objective and comprehensive view of a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas of concern. 

But, reference checks are time-consuming and require strategy–especially quality reference checks that ask the right questions to get the most useful, insightful responses. 

Using Screening Services to Speed Up Them Up

Thankfully, there are dedicated services out there to help hiring managers speed up the reference process and get the answers they need.

Some services offer a simple employment verification to confirm the details and essential facts about applicants’ previous jobs (i.e. start date, end date, salary details), while others go beyond that to offer reference checks. Reference checks build on the information from employment verification by giving employers critical, more qualitative insights into a candidate’s work history. 

Faster, More In-Depth Reference Checks with S2Verify

At S2Verify, we do just that. We verify an applicant’s prior employment history via electronic verification resources whenever possible–resulting in faster-than-average turnaround times. 

When electronic verification is not possible, S2Verify will call the Human Resources department at a previous employer or a former supervisor of the applicant to confirm details. Through this method, our expert team gets consistently faster, more in-depth results than an in-house resource. 

S2Verify also helps employers customize the reference check process to target desired results–rather than offering a uniform solution that might not fit the business. We work with hiring teams to develop legally-approved, strategy-driven scripts to use during reference calls and to establish a cap for the number of attempted calls to be made within a specific time frame (i.e. minimum of one call per day).