5 Proven Backdoor Hire Prevention Methods

Develop a Strong Vendor Management Strategy

Companies must also adhere to rigorous internal control practices over these third-party relationships to ensure businesses get the most out of their external partnerships without noncompliance risks. This is where a strong vendor management strategy comes in.

A robust vendor management strategy is essential for preventing backdoor hires. Clear, well-defined agreements are crucial when working with multiple recruitment agencies or vendors.

This includes setting expectations on candidate submissions, exclusivity periods, and fee structures.

Implement a Centralized Candidate Tracking System

Are you a business that deals with high volumes of candidates but is still dealing with tedious administrative processes?

Do you struggle to track each applicant’s journey throughout the recruiting process – from when they apply for a position until they step into their new role? If so, it could be time to consider implementing a centralized candidate tracking system.

A centralized candidate tracking system can provide a bird's-eye view of all candidates in your pipeline. Through this secure system, you will have complete control over all aspects of your recruiting needs in one place while also reducing overhead costs and streamlining onboarding processes.

Educate Your Hiring Team

The wrong hire can be damaging and costly — from decreased productivity to negative interactions with team members or customers; it’s important that your company has strong hiring practices in place to ensure you avoid making a bad call.

But what about those sneaky ‘backdoor hires’- potential employees that slip through the cracks because they weren't initially identified during the hiring process?

Educating your hiring team on backdoor hire prevention methods may be one of the most important steps to forming a winning team. Ensure that your internal recruiters, hiring managers, and decision-makers know the risks of backdoor hires.

Conduct Thorough Reference Checks

Reference checks evaluate a candidate's qualifications and uncover any hidden contractual obligations. During the reference check process, ask questions about the candidate's past and current employment.

Find out if contractual commitments with other organizations or agencies may prohibit them from joining your company.

Reference checks should be comprehensive and include speaking with previous employers, supervisors, and colleagues.

Legal Safeguards

When hiring, whether you are a large corporation or small business owner, you need to adopt preventative methods to ensure that you comply with all laws and regulations while keeping your front doors closed on unfair competition or other nefarious activities.

One of the ways many businesses do this is by utilizing legal safeguards for their backdoor hire prevention process. A thorough understanding of legal issues surrounding recruitment and having sound policies and procedures in place can drastically mitigate risks associated with backdoor hires.

This includes incorporating non-compete and non-solicitation clauses into your employment contracts clearly defining the terms and consequences of backdoor hires.

While such legal safeguards can act as a deterrent, they also provide a basis for legal action should a backdoor hire occur.