Can a Recruiter Call Your Boss?

A question that often comes up when I talk to people who are looking for to switch jobs is if a recruiter can call their current boss. That’s a major concern.

If you’re not currently working, then it doesn’t matter. You don’t have any concern that a recruiter will call and inadvertently get you fired.

However, if you are currently working, then there is some cause for concern. Many people worry that a recruiter will call their boss for some reason and tip off the fact that you’re seeking to job change.

That can happen and that can be a disaster.

It’s not often, it’s not done on purpose, but there are situations where a recruiter can call your boss for a reference check and end up causing a tremendous amount of strife at the workplace.

What we’re going to do here is review some of the precautions you can take when you are working with a recruiter and you are also currently working. Most people do not want their current boss to know that they are on the job hunt. So, for that reason it’s important to take some steps that will help to reduce the chances that you end up in a difficult situation.

Do Recruiters Call Previous Employers?

First, let’s address the main concern here. Do recruiters call prior employers? Yes, often times they do. This should not be an issue unless you have not informed them that you are still working at that particular company.

Sometimes people do not indicate on their resume that they are still at a company. As an aside, other people don’t list an end date when they are no longer working at a company. Both can create issues when working with a recruiter.

But in this case, yes, you should be careful if you are still working at a company an your recruiter thinks you’ve left. In that case, they might believe that it is perfectly acceptable to contact the employer for a reference check. And it most certainly will cause an issue.

There are a few reasons that recruiters will call previous employers. Most of the reasons center around checking references. It’s paramount in the recruiting industry that you make sure that a candidate is who they say they are. Otherwise, you are going to place people in roles where they cannot perform and where they will undoubtedly fail.

It’s standard procedure for a recruiter to obtain references from a past employer when they are interviewing and recruiting someone. However, in the current work culture, that can be very difficult.

Many employers are not comfortable with providing references for former employees due to the legal issues surrounding this. In many cases, the most they will do is provide an employment verification.

There’s really no incentive for a recruiter to reach out and contact your boss and let them know you’re looking for a new job. Recruiters just don’t do those things.

At What Point Do Recruiters Contact References?

This is a tricky question to answer. Much of it depends upon the recruiter as well as the recruiting agency. Some agencies do want to check references before you even interview with a client. Other agencies and recruiters really only check references once the first interview has been scheduled.

It all depends upon the particular recruiter and the firm where you are working through. If you’re working with a really small firm that does exclusive placements, then they are going to want to do reference checks before setting you up with a client.

The higher level the firm, the more exclusive the clients the recruiters work with, the more likely it is that you are going to have to undergo reference checks before an interview.

If this is the case, then it is important that you make sure that the recruiter is clear about when they can contact your boss. Sometimes it’s acceptable, and other times you are not going to want the recruiter to contact your boss.

If you’re working with a short term temp agency, then it is often the case that they will ask for references, but not necessarily check them. This is especially true with high volume temp agencies where recruiters are placing many people on short term projects. In these cases, there is a more urgent need to find people for roles and fill the roles. Therefore, much of the reference check protocol is sidelined.

Can You Tell A Recruiter Not To Call Your Boss?

Of course you can tell a recruiter not to call your boss. However, realize that the only reason that makes sense if that you are not telling them you are interviewing elsewhere.

And that’s fine. Recruiters understand how delicate that process can be. When you have a job, but you are looking to leave, it makes perfect sense to line up another job before you quit. That’s the only smart thing to do.

The only tricky thing to do is to remember to be delicate when discussing why you are looking to leave your current workplace. You do not want to speak negatively about your boss. Even if you have a horrible boss, it’s not a great idea to speak ill of them. This can make you look bad in the eyes of recruiters as they might see it as a sign that you’re a disgruntled person.

So, instead of complaining about your current boss, just say that you are looking to leave because it’s no longer a good fit. Be diplomatic about it. And also make it clear that they cannot reach out to your current boss as it might create tension at work and they might let you go (which is known to happen). There are lots of people who have stories that they share on forms like Reddit.

I would suggest that you do not simply tell a recruiter to not call your boss without any explanation. If you do that, then it will likely make the recruiter suspect about why you don’t want your boss contacted and perhaps suggest that you’re a candidate who needs to be reviewed a bit more and perhaps not someone they should work with.

Working vs Not Working: Why It Matters

Obviously it is important to discuss the working vs not working paradigm. If you’re someone who is not currently employed, then you might think that it’s better to list that you are working. Why? Well, there is a bias towards hiring people who are already working.

Some people think that if a person isn’t working, then it basically means that they are not a productive person or else that they are lazy.

While sometimes this is true, there are legitimate reasons for not being employed. Sometimes a company closes down, sometimes you relocate, etc… all valid reasons.

While most recruiters will tell you that, especially in areas where people have supportive government housing, free food, and free medical, the absence of work does ring alarm bells, it’s better to be upfront about it.

Recruiters in large metropolitan cities where huge sections of the population exist on permanent unemployment have to contend with fake job seekers (more on this in a later article) so if you’re cagey about your employment record, they will definitely suspect you are only going through the motions to recertify yourself for free housing and continued unemployment.

However, if you are not working, then recruiters will feel comfortable calling your prior employer. There is no risk that they will get you fired for interviewing for a new job!

If you are working, then it’s very important to be upfront with recruiters. The flip side to the coin regarding listing yourself as working when you are not working is that it can actually close some doors!

If a recruiter thinks that you are only interviewing in order to negotiate a better job offer, or you will need two weeks to resign, or you will hesitate about actually leaving your full time employment, then they might not even contact you.

Some people out there interview to get better offers and then return to their boss and ask for a raise.  Every recruiter has dealt with people who don’t actually want to get a new job but are pretending for some reason—and headhunting someone away from their current place of work is a much more challenging skill that requires a great deal of effort.

So, if you’re really not working and are actually free at the moment, then it makes sense to state that clearly on your resume with a defined end date for your most recent job.

Worried About a Recruiter Contacting Your Boss?

Alright, if you are working and you’re afraid that if a recruiter contacts your boss, then you should follow these steps:

• Make it very clear that you do not want your boss contacted
• Don’t list your current company on the resume (a bit tricky)
• Extend the dates of your prior job (if it’s a comparable title/role)

The first method should be sufficient with most recruiters. If, however, you are still concerned that the recruiter will contact your boss, then what you might want to do is extend your previous job dates. You can let your recruiter know why you are doing this, and it will only really help in a situation where you held a similar role.

However, for all but the most sensitive roles and most excitable and unpleasant bosses, I would suggest simply telling your recruiter the full story. Be transparent and let the recruiter know that you could lose your job if your boss finds out that you’re working with a recruiter and seeking to leave and find a new job.