4 Tips For Smarter Reference Checking

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4 Tips for Smarter Reference Checking
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Reference Checking

• You should have a defined process for reference
  checking
• The goal should be to obtain the proper
  information to make an objective decision about
  the hiring of your candidate

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Types of References

• It is valuable to speak to references who have
  worked with the candidate in different roles
• Four types of references are peers, managers,
  direct reports, and close colleagues

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1-Save Reference Checks for Last

• Do not check references until you are ready to
  make the candidate an offer
• The candidate may not inform their current
  employer of their potential career move

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2-Speak with Their Direct Supervisor

• The person that directly supervised your
  candidate is more likely to have solid
  information
• Those who did not work directly with the
  candidate often give estimates, and will not
  concrete details and dates

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3-Formulate Efficient Questions

• Ask open-ended questions instead of yes or no
  type questions
• After confirming dates and titles, you can get a
  good feel for the candidate in as few as five
  questions

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Sample Reference Check Questions

• When did (name) work for your company? Could you
  confirm starting and ending employment dates?
  When did s/he leave the company?
• Did (name) miss a lot of work? Was s/he
  frequently late? Were there any issues you are
  aware of that impacted her/his job performance?

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Sample Questions Continued

• What were the candidates strengths as an
  employee?
• Did the employee get along well with those in
  their professional circle (managers, employees,
  customers)?

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4-Dont Waste Time with Personal References

• Personal references can end up being a monumental
  waste of time
• Only ask for references from past employers

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4 Continued

• You are saving time and sticking with a pool of
  objective references
• Its too hard for personal references to give
  real, objective insights about the candidate