References

Module 8: Pre-Employment Reference Checking

Studies show close to 50% of all resumes include embellished statements or incorrect information. Checking references is a very important part of the representation and hiring process. Your clients depend on you to provide them with the best professional's who are skilled in the areas of expertise desired.

You should adhere to your own standard procedures for checking a candidates� references, but those standards should be parallel to the criteria you would be using if you where actually hiring the candidate yourself. You should be acutely aware of existing laws and of new laws which are constantly being written which can limit the ability for the employer and you the recruiter to ask a candidate's references certain important fact gathering questions.

We recommend you have a thorough reference checking process, but would also recommend consulting counsel regarding reference checking to ensure your own protection.

Reference Questions

Every candidate you represent should be able to provide a list of references from their former employers who can attest to their ability. You are the candidate�s representative and you must be able to extract information from them and their references in order to feel secure about placing them with any of your client's.

• Contact a minimum of three professional references [i.e. managers/supervisors (preferably), peers, professional contacts]. Document names, titles, relationships, and contact information.
• Be sure all of the candidate�s references are legitimate.
• Personally speak to each one of them before referring them to any of your clients.
• When you speak to them, make them aware of your client's needs. (Use the original Job Description)
• Be sure they are confident in your candidate's ability to handle the responsibilities.
• Make sure you ask them if they could personally use your services. Recruiting additional candidates and building new relationships should always be a priority.

In general, once you have established good rapport with the reference, and you have described the position your employer is considering the candidate for (if appropriate), here are few reference questions:

• What was the relationship between you and the candidate?
• How long did the candidate work for you?
• What was their title?
• What were their responsibilities?
• What were some of their most significant accomplishments in the position?
• What are their strengths.
• Where might they need to improve?
• How did their performance rate with others who were previously in this position?
• How did they get along with their other colleagues?
• Would you consider them to be conscientious, hardworking, and dependable?
• Would you rehire them if the opportunity was presented?

Discussing the Candidate�s Problem-Solving Abilities with the Reference

Don�t let the unexpected blind side you. Document the details provided by each of the candidate�s references. If a part of your candidate's responsibilities in the new job would be fixing existing problems, confront and address these issues in detail with their references. When you have finished, you should be confident in their ability to be effective in the new job. Below are some sample questions to gauge a reference�s feelings about your candidate�s problem-solving skills

• �There is an enormous amount of pressure to meet deadlines in this position, how would you describe their ability to organize their work load in order to handle time sensitive or high pressure situations?�
• "This position will inherit a staff who has very low productivity and morale. How do you feel this candidate can give this problem the attention it will require?"

Consulting the Reference

Reference checking is a great time for you to use your relationship building and consulting skills. It is also great way to find other qualified candidates for current or future openings. You can secure future job leads, build additional structure within companies, and even make immediate placements! Consult the references and discover their own career desires or professional needs. Every reference should be a new business development opportunity.