This guide supports policy alignment between Talent Acquisition (TA), Legal, and Security teams when using the identity verification with CLEAR in Greenhouse Recruiting’s Real Talent suite.
The goal is to define a clear, defensible approach that balances candidate experience with organizational security. By the end of these discussions, your organization should have clear answers to three questions:
- When should identity verification requests be sent to candidates?
- What candidate experience does your organization want to provide for identity verification processes?
- What is the internal protocol when candidates fail verification, are unable to complete verification, or decline to complete an identity verification?
Note: This document is intended as a reference for Greenhouse customers and their usage of Real Talent features. None of this is intended to be legal advice, nor are any of the answers provided intended to override or contradict the advice of your legal counsel.
Understanding identity verification
Identity verification allows candidates to securely and privately confirm their identity directly within Greenhouse Recruiting using CLEAR, a secure, third-party identity platform that uses biometric data to confirm a person’s identity. Access to the biometric data is limited to CLEAR; the biometric data will not be submitted to, or accessed by, Greenhouse.
Process overview
- Send verification request: Users with the necessary permissions can send identity verification requests from the candidate’s profile at any stage of the hiring process.
- Candidate receives verification request: Candidates are notified of the request through email and are provided with instructions to complete the request using MyGreenhouse.
- CLEAR verification: CLEAR verifies the candidate using over 60 security signals, including government ID authentication, a selfie check with liveness detection to prevent impersonation, and device and network metadata.
- Viewing verification status: Verification status appears in the candidate’s profile. Candidates can also view their status in MyGreenhouse.
Possible statuses include:
- Verification complete: The candidate successfully verified.
- Verification failed: One or more checks did not pass.
- Unable to complete: The request was declined, expired, canceled, or the candidate’s location was unsupported.
- Pending: The candidate has not yet completed verification.
- Expired: The candidate has been sent a past verification request, but it has not been completed within 14 days.
This feature does not use automated decision making based on the result of a candidate’s identity verification request. Your recruiting team will make the final decision regarding a candidate’s eligibility in conjunction with other signals.
Note: Answers to common security and legal questions around identity verification can be found here.
Designing your identity verification process
Identity verification can be used at any stage of the hiring process, and some organizations apply it multiple times during a candidate’s journey.
Remember, identity verification helps reduce the risk of impersonation, duplicate profiles, and other fraud, but it is not a definitive assessment of candidate authenticity. Verification results should be evaluated alongside internal security policies and decision-making frameworks.
1. Define when to send verification requests
Teams should have clear guidance on when identity verification requests are sent. This varies based on organizational needs and risk tolerance.
Key Question: When should identity verifications be sent to a candidate?
| Example standard | Why it might be implemented |
| Before the first interview stage | Confirms candidate authenticity before significant time investment while limiting verification volume to qualified candidates. |
| Before any on-site stages | Verifies identity before granting access to physical office locations. |
| During multiple stages | Verification may occur at multiple points, such as prior to in-person interviews and before high-sensitivity or executive interviews. |
2. Define the candidate experience for identity verification requirements
While disclosure of identity verification is not required, many organizations establish standards to promote transparency and consistency.
Key Question: What candidate experience does your organization want to provide for identity verification processes?
Potential discussion topics:
- When are candidates informed of the identity verification?
- What is the organizational position on identity verification requirements for specific roles?
- How do recruiters discuss identity verifications with candidates?
- Can candidates opt-out of identity verification?
- Who is the decision-making authority for identity verification requests?
Note: Answers to common candidate questions around identity verifications can be found here.
3. Define how verification edge-cases are handled by your team
The policy should specify actions for each verification status, with particular attention to failures and incomplete verifications.
While failing an identity verification may be straightforward, there are many reasons why a candidate may not be able to complete or otherwise would decline an identity verification:
- Lack of access to required technology (camera, smartphone).
- Rare platform, account, or device issues that cannot be resolved promptly.
- Location not supported by CLEAR.
- Personal discomfort with identity verification.
- Social or religious objections.
Organizations should define consistent handling for these scenarios.
Key Question: What is the internal protocol when candidates fail verification, are unable to complete verification, or decline to complete an identity verification?
| Example standard | How it might be implemented |
| Offer an alternative path | Legal/security team establishes procedure for the handling or collection of additional ID data for in-person ID check. |
| Sending a new identity verification request for certain failure reasons | For minor or explainable issues, recruiters may allow candidates to resolve problems, such as disabling VPNs or updating personal information, before sending a new request. |
| Synchronous verification | Recruiter attempts to resolve specific issues, such as a selfie-match failure, by conducting a real-time visual identity check during a virtual interview. |
| Manager escalation and decision-making | Recruiters review verification outcomes with a TA Manager before proceeding. |
| Security team handoff | Candidate profiles are transferred to Security or Compliance for review and decision-making before further progress. |