Reference checks inside your onboarding platform 

An employment reference check is the process of contacting a candidate's previous employers or supervisors to verify their work history, job performance, and suitability for a new role.

In Australia, reference checks are standard practice in recruitment, particularly for labour hire, healthcare, and professional roles where clients require verification before placement. 

Reference checks contact previous employers for performance feedback and work history verification. Background checks verify compliance requirements such as police checks, right to work (VEVO), and qualifications through official databases and third-party providers. Onboarded supports both reference checks and 25+ types of background checks on one platform. 

With automated online reference checking, responses typically arrive within 1 to 3 business days. Manual reference checking by phone can take 1 to 2 weeks due to time spent chasing referees. Onboarded users get automated reminders to follow up with referees, reducing delays. 

Most Australian recruitment agencies collect 2 references per candidate as standard practice. Some industries and clients require more. With Onboarded, you can configure the number of references required per candidate and role type. 

Yes. Onboarded allows you to create multiple reference check templates with different questions, rating scales, and formats. You can tailor templates by industry, role type, or specific client requirements. 

Yes. Onboarded offers three timing options: automatic (triggered when the candidate completes onboarding), post-interview (sent after interview stage), or manual trigger (collect referee details first, then send when you're ready to hire). 

Effective reference check questions cover job title and responsibilities, dates of employment, reason for leaving, strengths and areas for improvement, attendance and reliability, and whether the referee would rehire the candidate. Onboarded provides customisable templates with both rating questions and open-ended questions. 

Reference checks are not legally mandated in Australia, but they are considered best practice and are often required by clients, particularly in healthcare, aged care, government, and enterprise contracts. Failing to conduct reference checks can expose agencies to negligent hiring claims if a candidate causes harm in their role. 

Onboarded sends reference requests directly to the email addresses provided by candidates. The platform tracks referee responses, timestamps, and IP information. For higher assurance, you can cross-check referee details against LinkedIn or company directories, or request references from company email domains rather than personal addresses. 

Yes. Onboarded integrates with JobAdder, Bullhorn, FastTrack360, Vincere, Workforce One, and other recruitment platforms. Completed reference checks sync back to the candidate record in your ATS automatically. 

Yes. Onboarded allows you to download completed reference checks as PDF reports. Reports can be fully branded with your company logo and colours, providing professional documentation to share with clients. 

Poor hiring decisions cost Australian businesses an average of $23,860 per hire (AHRI). Beyond direct costs, placing an unsuitable candidate can damage client relationships, result in contract losses, and expose your agency to liability. Reference checks reduce these risks by verifying candidate claims before placement. 

Unlike standalone reference checking tools, Onboarded Reference Checks is built natively into your onboarding platform. This means no separate logins, no copying candidate data between systems, and reference status visible alongside all other compliance documentation. Candidates and compliance data stay in one place.