Checking references to make sure a candidate is a great fit for your company is indeed a skill. Not everyone is an expert at sourcing top talent, but there are some tactics hiring managers can apply when checking references. We can’t give you all our tricks, but we can provide you with these basics tips that should help:
– Employee References/Referrals: If you have a current employee who’s recommended another candidate, take a closer look at that person. Of course, the recommendation depends on the individual doing the referring, but usually, we find employee referrals are often solid ones.
– Standard References: Getting the standard three references for a candidate should be a priority. Aside from job performance, ask specific questions about their previous job that will relate to the newer opportunity.
– Letters of Recommendation: What types of letters of recommendations do they have? What was the level of manager or executive who wrote the letter? What type of details does the letter have if any? Does the letter have details specific to the job? Is the reference available to contact regarding the letter of recommendation?
– Testimonials: Does your candidate have a background where they are provided everyday testimonials? Some positions like consultants or customer service representatives have open testimonials or service ratings that are excellent references when reviewing a candidate’s potential.
– LinkedIn Endorsements & Recommendations: LinkedIn recommendations are professional comments posted by LinkedIn members to their colleagues. These can provide some helpful insight into a person’s professional background. LinkedIn Endorsements are another way to check a candidate’s skills. Be sure to cross-check a person’s endorsements with their profile experience to show any consistencies or inconsistencies. Recommendations and endorsements won’t provide a complete story about a person’s references, but they will offer you a glimpse of a candidate’s potential.
References can easily determine a candidate’s worth. And today some reference checks include background and credit checks depending on the company, industry and position. It takes years of experience to be able expertly check references. If you find you’re struggling with reference checks, find an experienced recruiter or partner to help. At Corporate Resources of Illinois, we take reference checks very serious and have a proprietary system to ensure our clients get the best talent. To learn more about our service, please visit our Bradshaw Reference page.
What are some simple things you do to check a person’s references?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the Founder and CEO of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency located in Schaumburg, IL who assists employers with finding the right hire. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
