Comments on: I Check References Each and Every Time I Extend An Offer http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html Hiring technical people and being hired can be difficult, no matter what the economy is doing. Use the tips here to hire better, or find a new job. Thu, 17 May 2012 14:01:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: HR World » Blog Archive » Wednesday Links: Hiring and Recruiting http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5082 HR World » Blog Archive » Wednesday Links: Hiring and Recruiting Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:13:49 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5082 [...] Hiring Technical People explains why referrence checks are a must for anytime she is going to be paying someone. All fields are required. Your E-mail will not be published. NAME [...] [...] Hiring Technical People explains why referrence checks are a must for anytime she is going to be paying someone. All fields are required. Your E-mail will not be published. NAME [...]

]]> By: Eric http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5076 Eric Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:00:20 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5076 References without context are hard to process. Bottom-line your dream answer would be an honest reply to "Would you work with this person again, why or why not?" 1) As others mentioned - I usually won't know the person giving the reference. I kind of need a reference on them. 2) A lot of references are worried about saying something they shouldn't for whatever reason. This makes them give up very little info. One of my most interesting experiences was when I got an reference in email and also a "backdoor reference" from people who had all worked with the candidate at the same time. Given the backdoor reference I could read between the lines of the written reference and the information matched - But if I hadn't had the backdoor reference the written reference would have essentially be a bland unhelpful bunch of info. The backdoor reference enabled me to decode the other one. Tough any way you look at it. References without context are hard to process. Bottom-line your dream answer would be an honest reply to “Would you work with this person again, why or why not?”

1) As others mentioned – I usually won’t know the person giving the reference. I kind of need a reference on them.

2) A lot of references are worried about saying something they shouldn’t for whatever reason. This makes them give up very little info.

One of my most interesting experiences was when I got an reference in email and also a “backdoor reference” from people who had all worked with the candidate at the same time. Given the backdoor reference I could read between the lines of the written reference and the information matched – But if I hadn’t had the backdoor reference the written reference would have essentially be a bland unhelpful bunch of info. The backdoor reference enabled me to decode the other one.

Tough any way you look at it.

]]> By: Lewis, AKA SeattleInterviewCoach.com http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5041 Lewis, AKA SeattleInterviewCoach.com Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:28:35 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5041 Checking references is a must do. It's an important data point, and it doesn't take much time to do so. I normally call 3-4 references and ask 2-3 simple questions. In those calls, you'll see recurring themes about the candidate -- both good and bad. Checking references is a must do. It’s an important data point, and it doesn’t take much time to do so. I normally call 3-4 references and ask 2-3 simple questions. In those calls, you’ll see recurring themes about the candidate — both good and bad.

]]> By: David A http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5024 David A Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:45:31 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5024 A lot of employers are advised to say almost nothing in any references they provide, to avoid litigation from the ex-employee. They simply confirm that the person worked for them over the period specified. I also know that in some occupations it is common to provide good references for bad employees, simply to make sure you get rid of them (this is in the UK, where firing bad employees isn't very easy). Either way, the value of references is dubious... A lot of employers are advised to say almost nothing in any references they provide, to avoid litigation from the ex-employee. They simply confirm that the person worked for them over the period specified.

I also know that in some occupations it is common to provide good references for bad employees, simply to make sure you get rid of them (this is in the UK, where firing bad employees isn’t very easy).

Either way, the value of references is dubious…

]]> By: Mandar Vaze http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5021 Mandar Vaze Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:06:33 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5021 Does LinkedIn recommendations help as References ? Obviously, one only displays "Good" recommendations. Does LinkedIn recommendations help as References ? Obviously, one only displays “Good” recommendations.

]]> By: George Dinwiddie http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5016 George Dinwiddie Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:34:09 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5016 Dwayne, I don't put a lot of stock into labels and evaluations given by references, but I LOVE the sorts of behavior descriptions that Johanna recommends asking about. I think that makes all the difference in the world. Dwayne, I don’t put a lot of stock into labels and evaluations given by references, but I LOVE the sorts of behavior descriptions that Johanna recommends asking about. I think that makes all the difference in the world.

]]> By: John Hunter http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5013 John Hunter Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:36:52 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5013 I think calling is sensible, but more out of an obligation that valuable info might be offered, than a real confidence it is going to be helpful. I find that they rarely are. Therefore I can certainly understand not wanting to call. I find the <a href="http://management.curiouscatblog.net/2006/10/07/hiring-the-right-workers/" rel="nofollow">whole hiring process far too ineffective</a>. So, I believe in checking references just in case they provide some light into the challenging but critically important area of hiring employees. I think calling is sensible, but more out of an obligation that valuable info might be offered, than a real confidence it is going to be helpful. I find that they rarely are. Therefore I can certainly understand not wanting to call. I find the whole hiring process far too ineffective.

So, I believe in checking references just in case they provide some light into the challenging but critically important area of hiring employees.

]]> By: Will http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5012 Will Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:23:42 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5012 I think the issue with references, is that they are generally one of the last parts of the process. Meaning, by the time you get references, you have basically 'decided' to hire this person. Therefore, I think that a lot of people do a 'best effort' or even use the references as a 'signaling event' (meaning if they can come up with good references, that is good enough). will at virtualjobcoach dot com I think the issue with references, is that they are generally one of the last parts of the process. Meaning, by the time you get references, you have basically ‘decided’ to hire this person. Therefore, I think that a lot of people do a ‘best effort’ or even use the references as a ‘signaling event’ (meaning if they can come up with good references, that is good enough).

will at virtualjobcoach dot com

]]> By: Dwayne Phillips http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5011 Dwayne Phillips Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:52:00 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5011 Wow, you really do check references. I have worked in a black world for almost 30 years. I suppose we check references in here, and in the past I have asked people what they knew about a person I was considering working with. I stopped doing that when I found that most of the answers I got to "What do you know about so-and-so" were absolutely wrong. People were pinned with labels that were wrong 99% of the time. I lost track of the number of people who were labeled as "stupid" "lazy" "no good" who then worked out great working with me. Wow, you really do check references. I have worked in a black world for almost 30 years. I suppose we check references in here, and in the past I have asked people what they knew about a person I was considering working with.

I stopped doing that when I found that most of the answers I got to “What do you know about so-and-so” were absolutely wrong. People were pinned with labels that were wrong 99% of the time. I lost track of the number of people who were labeled as “stupid” “lazy” “no good” who then worked out great working with me.

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://www.jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/12/i-check-references-each-and-every-time-i-extend-an-offer.html/comment-page-1#comment-5010 Pawel Brodzinski Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:07:20 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/?p=733#comment-5010 I think the difference in approach to checking references has its source with past experience. For me the change of approach was when I hired engineer who exceled on interview but his character was toxic. If I had checked his former employers I wouldn't have hired him. As far as you make good recruitment decisions without checkign references you think you don't need them. However I agree with Jurgen in one point. You should always treat references with a distance. Until referencing person is someone I trust I won't ascribe the reference full credibility. I think the difference in approach to checking references has its source with past experience. For me the change of approach was when I hired engineer who exceled on interview but his character was toxic. If I had checked his former employers I wouldn’t have hired him.

As far as you make good recruitment decisions without checkign references you think you don’t need them.

However I agree with Jurgen in one point. You should always treat references with a distance. Until referencing person is someone I trust I won’t ascribe the reference full credibility.

]]>