How to Make the Best Out of Reference Checks

When we hire someone, we talk about "taking up references," which means contacting several individuals recommended by the potential employee. These individuals become a source of information for the recruiter in determining whether the candidate is worth recruiting.

A reference is a valuable data point that can help you make better decisions. We want to ensure that the person we hire will be able to succeed in the target job.

Why are reference checks essential?

References lessen the chance of making the wrong decision and performing poorly on the job by providing us with extra information about the prospect.

References are also an important check. They can verify information provided by the candidate on qualifications, employment history, salary, and job-related skills. When you consider the following, this check is critical:

• According to a Career Builder poll, 75% of respondents caught candidates lying on their resumes.

• According to a poll conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 53% of respondents discovered fraudulent information during their background checks.

• According to SHRM, more than 90% of human resource professionals claim they do reference checks regularly for various roles.

Reference checks are strict.

The references provided on a candidate's resume or CV are likely optimistic about them. We are occasionally asked to provide a reference for one of our coworkers. So we ask, "What do you want us to say about you?"

Regardless of how genuine the positive comments are, the recruiter occasionally receives an utterly balanced perspective.

If one of the references is the candidate's existing manager, keep in mind that if the supervisor feels 'left,' they may be less enthusiastic about the candidate than they are. If the prospect is being 'let go,' the manager may feel guilty and be more optimistic than the candidate deserves. If the reference is written, this tendency may be amplified.

When it comes to giving references, legal constraints complicate matters even more. Organisations that provide references have a legal obligation to both the employee and the potential employer. They may file a defamation claim if a reference is overly pessimistic, resulting in the candidate not being hired. While offering an unduly favourable reference or omitting essential facts may expose the organisation to a lawsuit.

It is easier to avoid accountability by not assessing the candidate's performance and providing only the most basic information about the person's job history, such as dates of employment, job title, and income. Unfortunately, a 'no comment' reference is meaningless.

However, references might help us make better decisions about prospective employees by providing us with additional information.

When you are having problems getting what you need during reference checks, try the following strategies:

1. Make setting up reference calls the candidate's job, not yours.

Contact candidates' references and arrange for someone to take your reference calls. This saves time and is a helpful indicator of how passionate the concerns are about your prospect. How great of a performer is she if they can not take the time to speak with you about her for a few minutes?

2. Request additional references.

If you do not have a clear picture of a candidate's strengths and flaws, ask, "Who else could have worked closely with this individual during her tenure with your company?" 

Give the candidate a call and request permission to contact these other references. The best performers usually have no issue with you speaking to additional references as long as it appears logical.

3. Refrain from delegating reference calls to junior personnel.

Refrain from assigning senior executive and manager reference calls to others. Instead, make these phone calls by yourself. Executives are far more inclined to share their candid assessment of a candidate with someone they see as a peer. Furthermore, it lets you learn firsthand about your prospects' strengths and limitations.

4. Always pay attention to what references do not mention.

Are the references enthusiastic? Do they wish to commend the applicant? Are they die-hard supporters of the candidate or only neutral observers? You want to hear connections and be genuinely excited about people during a reference conversation. A prospect who does not have enthusiastic recommendations is unlikely to be an A-player.

5. Make contact with previous superiors, peers, and subordinates.

We have all met persons whose managers adore them but whose subordinates despise them (and vice versa). Therefore, during your reference calls, speak with people at various levels of responsibility to gain a complete picture of the person you are contemplating hiring.

6. Take detailed notes on what the person says during the reference check. 

You should include your notes in the candidate's recruitment file. Always keep the skills and knowledge you want to assess for the target job in mind.

Do these things, and the value you get from the references you call will skyrocket.

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