Johanna Rothman, Management Consultant
Expert in Managing Product Development
One of my readers for Hiring Geeks That Fit gave me feedback that I should tell people to email references. She said that calling references was outdated. Well, maybe it is. But it really depends on the kind of person you are. If you are an introvert, you might want to email references. If you …
Several of my colleagues are concerned by their “back-door” references, or unintentional references. They’ve gone on interviews, felt as if they’d aced the interview, were told “we just need to check references” and boom, they are out of contention for the job. One colleague was told, “Oh those people you worked with > 10 years …
While I draft an answer to George’s fake audition question, let me address Alex’s question about using LinkedIn for recommendations. I use LinkedIn, especially for coaching recommendations. I don’t know if it helps me get more clients, but I keep thinking it should 🙂 Just remember, a recommendation is not a reference. A recommendation does …
Jurgen surprised me in a comment, when he said that only the worst employees provided references. He said he doesn’t check references. I was astonished. I check references each and every time I extend an offer. I check references for people who do work on our house. I check references for people we ask to …
Continue reading “I Check References Each and Every Time I Extend An Offer”
Recently, a colleague whom I know from my writings and speaking asked me for a reference. I’ve never seen him work and I explained I could not provide a reference. He was quite angry with me. In Choose Enough References, I suggest asking people who can explain the value of your work. Let me be …
You’re interviewing someone for a position at your company. You remember working with that person years ago, and you were unimpressed. Maybe it was the jerk factor, maybe it was the way he didn’t quite finish work, or maybe it was her perfume. Whatever it was, you were not excited about the candidate then, and …
Continue reading “Should You Provide an “Unintentional” Reference?”
I recently spoke with a hiring manager who was unhappy about a candidate’s references, “All the references are for jobs 10 years ago. And he’s had 4 jobs in the last 5 years. Why aren’t there references from those jobs?” If you’re a hiring manager, you’ll notice many candidates were either unemployed or had multiple …
I was a reference for a senior manager yesterday. At first, the reference started to ask me, “What do you think are so-and-so’s weaknesses?” I hate that question, because it all depends on the context. And I’m smart enough to turn that question around so a weakness doesn’t sound like a weakness. Grr. But then, …
I was a reference for a senior manager the other day. A lovely HR person called and asked me a bunch of generic questions about the senior manager. Unfortunately, she didn’t ask me any of the important questions. It sounded as if her reference check was a standard set of questions, usable for anyone in …
Continue reading “Hiring Managers: Check References Yourself”