If I build a product on this idea, I know every job seeker under the sun would jump in but what about the employers? Does a market exist, can I expect early adopters?
Also you assume employees would love it. But what happens when you get blackballed in the system by a bad actor? How do you dispute what prior employers said about you?
Past employers generally only confirm dates of employment, title, vague job responsibilities. Calling a company to check prior employment will go to HR. The most telling question: Would you hire Joe Bloggs again? Beyond that past employers rarely say anything for fear of lawsuits. A former "toxic boss" may cost you a job prospect but by doing so they have put a pot of gold on the table for you and your lawyers.
Only an idiot lists references when they aren't sure what the reference will say if contacted. Of course recruiters and employers know that, so they only give so much weight to what former colleagues or professors have to say.
Professional certifications may have some value, as long as everyone knows they are fair and objective and measure actual abilities. So many useless certificates exist, and even the good ones get gamed, that I doubt they carry much weight.
Are they not doing that already? Even with all the current processes, employers are taking a chance. If a candidate profile is good, can't they take the same chance without all those processes?
Your best shot (imo) is to find a way to officially certify developers for a demanded tool. Otherwise I don't ever see this idea taking off.
Take LinkedIn as example, and the messages from recruiters inviting for an interview. Why can't they get the profile checked by hiring managers and send out an offer directly? Once the candidate accepts it, collect the documents and run background checks and deny if there is discrepancy.
I work through an agency, haven't done anything resembling a modern tech interview in 15 years.
Disclaimer: 10X Management represents me, but I post my own opinions, I don't speak for them.
The "every job seeker" who "jumps in" is in practice bottom of the barrel- that's why they are seeking. How are you going to make them more attractive than any of the certificate/upskill/bootcamp/yadda yadda things that already exist.
Moving a little higher up the abstraction tree, either you are taking responsibility for the work/person or you are not. If you are, then you are a contracting agency. If you are not, you are a body shop. These are both just cattle businesses. Employers are not finding their staff through those commodity channels.
That said, the hiring market is so broken for all sides a good sounding pitch that ignores the reasons for the breakage can probably get traction. But absent a strategy- like top of market consultancy as a service- or bottom market consolidate federal work programs/grants/yadda yadda into a single place- it doesn't seem like the legs will run that long.
