If you’re serious about a candidate, you need to conduct reference checks. Here’s a basic rule about reference checking that’s probably not 100 percent true, but you should follow it 100 percent of the time. Strong candidates have strong references who will openly tell you about them. Lack of good references is a sign of a potential problem.
Strong candidates have strong references who will openly tell you about them. Lack of good references is a sign of a potential problem.
There are very few exceptions to this rule. Here’s one: Once in awhile, a candidate’s job search is extremely confidential. Under these circumstances, it’s sometimes hard to find a colleague will-
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ing to vouch for the candidate if he’s been there for a long time.
In this case, look for someone who has recently left the com- pany. Since 1978, when I became a headhunter, I’ve never had a problem getting a reference from a good candidate. Once a candi- date is serious about a job, a reference check is in order. Good candidates expect it, and they will find some good references for you. This is a great sign. It means the candidate is serious about the position. I become anxious if a candidate can’t give me a few people to call.
A few years ago at one of our training sessions for hiring man- agers, a buttoned-down vice president of HR vehemently disagreed with my contention about references. First, she told all of the man- agers attending not to provide references for anyone. She then said they should only give the bare minimum of information about an employee who had left the firm in order to avoid any liability. I then asked her about one of her coworkers we both knew very well, and asked whether she would give me a complete and positive refer- ence about her. She said, “Of course, but that’s different, I know her.” And that’s why there are no exceptions to the basic rule. Good people know other good people who will tell you openly about them. Weaker people come up with excuses about why they can’t give you references.
Corporations restrict references in order to protect employers from lawsuits from their former employees if the references are neg- ative or less than stellar. Some companies are now stating that em- ployees can give open references if it’s clearly stated that the reference is personal. In September 2005, the U.S. government is- sued a pamphlet, entitled “Reference Checking in Federal Hiring:
Making the Call.” While it primarily covers how to check references when hiring government employees, it addresses many issues faced in private industry. Here’s one point that suggests why you must conduct reference checks: “An additional concern is the possi- bility of negligent hiring accusations when employers do not take sufficient care to check an applicant’s background.” The main issue is if someone you hire causes your company to be sued, then you could be considered negligent because you didn’t conduct a proper reference check. As far as I’m concerned, you’re negligent if you don’t conduct a battery of checks and tests after the first inter- view, whether you get sued or not.
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➤ How to Really Conduct a Reference Check
Conduct the reference check just like the interview by getting spe- cific examples to prove a generality and then by fact-finding. Even those people who do give you a reference may talk in glowing terms or generalities. Don’t buy into this. Instead, dig deep and get facts and details to support the overall statement. If someone says the candidate has great team skills, ask for specific examples.
It’s important for the hiring manager to personally check at least one or two references. It doesn’t matter when you conduct the refer- ence check, although sometime after you’ve established intent and before the last round of interviews is best. Don’t quickly delegate this important task. The HR department or the recruiter has a vested interest in placing the candidate, so they won’t be as inquis- itive as the hiring manager. Plan on at least 20 to 30 minutes for each reference, because this gives you time to do some fact-finding. The key to good interviewing and good reference checking is to ask many questions and get examples. Use peers, subordinates, and supervisors as references. Subordinates are sometimes the best references, so don’t ignore these people.
Although not getting a reference is a sign of a weak candidate, getting flowery, glowing comments is not the sign of a good candi- date. References, even from strong candidates, need to be validated.
First, determine the quality of the reference, then get the reference to give specific examples to validate the hyperbole and generalities.
1. Qualifying the Reference
The following reference check checklist is divided into two distinct parts. First, qualifying the reference and, second, qualifying the candidate. The quality of the reference is as important as what the reference tells you about the candidate. Let’s address this first.
All of the information in the checklist will allow you to place the reference’s subsequent comments in context. If the reference is personal, ignore it. If you decide to use it, get great examples of exceptional, above-the-call-of-duty activities. From nonwork- related references, determine why the candidate is special and how this relates to on-the-job performance. Volunteer work, of some sort, would apply here. This is especially useful for candidates just starting their careers when there’s not a great deal of work history.
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REFERENCE CHECKING CHECKLIST Part 1—Qualifying the Reference
Determine the relationship to the candidate. Find out the titles of both the reference and the candidate, how long the working rela- tionship lasted, and their most recent contact.
Obtain the reference’s current title, company, and the scope of the job in comparison to the job when the reference knew the candidate.
Determine the reference’s scope of responsibility by asking about the size of his or her organization and the number and types of people on the staff.
Determine what the company environment was like—pace, stan- dards of performance, quality of the people, and the quality of the processes and systems.
Knowing what criteria a reference uses to rank performance pro- vides additional insight into the quality of the reference, and also a means to validate the reference’s comments. The reference might value traits differently than you do, so this could be important.
Some of the more common value systems include teamwork, inter- personal skills, results independent of methods, intelligence, com- mitment, character, and loyalty. You can get many different answers about accomplishments depending on the rating system used.
2. Qualifying the Candidate
Use the checklist on page 173 to qualify the candidate. You will rarely obtain all of this information, but this will help guide your thinking when you’re on the phone. The key to good reference checking is to get details and examples to back up general state- ments about the candidate’s competency. If the reference states that the candidate was really committed, ask the reference to give you an example that best demonstrates this trait. If you probe like this a few times, the reference will realize you’re serious. Most refer- ence checkers just want to check boxes. By showing your profes- sionalism this way, the reference will be more open and frank.
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The key to good reference checking is to get details and examples to back up general statements about the candidate’s competency.
Start the second part of the reference check by asking for an overall summary of strengths and weaknesses. From this, you can cherry-pick your way through the balance of the reference items.
The key is to ask for a specific example demonstrating the skill or behavior the reference mentioned. If initiative was mentioned as a key strength, ask for a specific accomplishment demonstrating ini- tiative. Do the same thing for weaknesses. Don’t form judgments about the candidate based on generalities from a reference. Get proof with good examples. This is the most important aspect of good reference checking.
Get proof with good examples. This is the most impor- tant aspect of good reference checking.
Ask the reference to compare the candidate to others at the same level. “How would you rank this person among other people you know at this level?” is a good opener. Ask how many are in the group and what percentile the candidate falls within (i.e., top 10 percent, top 25 percent, or top 50 percent). Then find out the basis for this ranking, like team skills, energy, or technical competence.
Ask what it would take for the candidate to move into the top 10 percent or top 5 percent. This will get at weaknesses. Also ask where this person excelled, and again get an example for proof.
Here are a few other good ways to uncover weaknesses. Ask the reference to describe the one single thing the candidate could do or change in order to be more effective. Then find out how the lack of this affected performance. At the end of the interview, ask the ref- erence to summarize the candidate’s overall performance on a scale of 1 to 10. Usually, you’ll get a number anywhere from 6 to 9. Then ask what it would take for the candidate to move up 1 point. Asking whether the reference would rehire or work with the candidate again and under what circumstance is also revealing. Probe this to confirm previous statements.
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REFERENCE CHECKING CHECKLIST Part 2—Qualifying the Candidate
Please give me a summary of (candidate)’s strengths and weak- nesses. Get examples of accomplishments to support major strengths and weaknesses.
How did the weaknesses affect job performance?
Can you give me some examples of where the candidate took the initiative?
How would you rank this person as a manager? Get an example to prove it.
How strong was this person in building/developing teams or working on teams? Get examples and note the types of people the person worked with.
How would you rank this person’s overall technical competence in [job-specific] area? Get specific examples.
Is technical competence a real strength? Why?
Determine timeliness and reliability—get examples of meeting deadlines under pressure.
Find out ability to handle pressure or criticism. Ask about the company and environment. Get examples.
How strong a decision-maker is the person? Can you give me some examples and how they were made?
Would you rehire the candidate? Would you want to work with this person again? Would you work for this person again? Why or why not?
How would you rank this person’s character and personal values system? Why?
How would you compare this candidate to others at the same level you know? Why is the candidate stronger (or weaker)?
How would you rank the person’s overall performance on a scale of 1 to 10? What would it take to move up 1 point?
What advice would you give this person on how he could be more effective in his next job?
Use the reference to confirm the information obtained during your actual interview with the candidate. Throughout the interview, you should have obtained numerous examples of the candidate’s greatest accomplishments. Ask the reference to validate this infor- mation. Get examples of core success traits and see whether the
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traits and examples are the same as the candidate described. If different, find out why. Ask the reference about the candidate’s ac- tual involvement in the major accomplishments. Compare this to what the candidate has stated. It’s easier to correlate information if you focus on the most exceptional work the candidate has done in each job.
Conduct the reference check with an open mind. If you really want to hire the candidate, you might unintentionally avoid asking the tough questions. Many years ago, a senior executive at a large health care company told me he was asked to provide a reference for a candidate we both knew. The candidate was solid, but not a star, more an individual contributor than a manager. The senior ex- ecutive told the person conducting the reference that the candidate was a superb analyst, but only an average manager. He said that once he mentioned this, the HR person conducting the reference did not ask any further questions about management and tried only to reinforce the strengths.
You can get any answer you want by conducting a reference check the wrong way. If you are not objective and are unwilling to change your opinion, it’s a waste of time to even conduct the refer- ence check. It’s embarrassing to admit you’ve made a mistake in judgment and eliminate a candidate at the last moment. It’s a much bigger mistake to go forward and hire someone you shouldn’t have, no matter how important it seems at the time.
Reference checking allows you to validate the candidate’s true role in each major accomplishment. Concerns about style can also be addressed. Weaknesses can be validated with other references.
As the hiring manager, you’ll also get some great tips on how to bet- ter manage or motivate the candidate if hired. You can prevent more hiring mistakes with a good reference check than any other method.
But we’ve seen hiring managers ignore negative data because they were too sold on the candidate. This is another important reason to stay objective until completing the whole evaluation process.