Ask all selected candidates to provide a list of former managers or supervisors before beginning interviews. Then, a quick check on social media sites like LinkedIn should confirm if the reference provided is or was an employee of the same company as the candidate. If you can`t verify the connection, call the front desk of the company where they worked together and ask if the reference works or worked there and in what capacity. You can`t control what your former employer will say about you, but you can prepare your references to make sure their answers match yours and that you`re both on the same page in terms of work history and skills. Once you`ve checked the references of all your candidates, you should have all the information you need to decide which one is best suited for the job and contact you with an official job offer. If the candidate agrees, congratulate and congratulate yourself – and prepare for your new employee`s first day on the job. Here are some of the most common legal issues that arise from benchmark exams and how you can avoid these problems. Recruitee supports collaborative hiring with a seamless, easy-to-use platform designed for unlimited users across all plans. This means that with a single click, you can instantly share post-interview reference checks with all team members, to speed up your hiring decisions with improved accuracy.

The above applicant submitted an application to Keene Graphic Design. In her application, she cited you as a reference. If you can, please provide the following information: We would like to know the applicant`s employment history, educational background, personal qualifications or employability. Call the reference, introduce yourself, briefly explain why you are calling, and ask if you can send a short list of questions. Then ask for an urgent answer, because you will have to decide very soon to whom you will make the job offer. In most cases, this works well, as few testimonials want to believe that they cost a former employee a chance. This article covers frequently asked questions about reference checks so you can develop a compliant list that includes the answers you need to hire with confidence. Learn about the benefits of reference checks, internal handling considerations versus using a third-party vendor, and tips for performing a reference check. A common misconception is that it is illegal to ask for references for information beyond anything that confirms that the candidate actually worked during the period in which they claim to have worked.

The answer is divided into two parts. The first part is that the only questions a reference should ever answer are those about job performance – and nothing else. The second part is that a reference can say anything it wants to say – as long as it`s (1) true or (2) an honest opinion. Now that you know what information to ask a reference, you should be ready to develop your list of reference exam questions. Below are 32 frequently asked questions about checking references that you can use. You may feel like some of them don`t apply to your business at first, but you should talk to your hiring manager before eliminating the questions. It is always best to inform candidates in advance that reference and qualification checks will be conducted for all shortlisted candidates. In this way, you repel opportunities and wasted time.

Prejudice and discrimination have no place in the workplace, but these factors play a role every day, especially when it comes to who receives what type of referral. What was the candidate`s job title when you were working for yourself? As an employer, you may find that reference checks help paint a complete picture of a potential hire. Asking the right questions about your candidate`s professional qualifications will help you learn more about the candidate`s skills than in a traditional interview. A candidate for a job at your company who is interviewing is not always a perfect hire. You can get a better idea of a candidate`s compatibility with your company by checking their credentials, especially if you ask the right questions, focusing on the candidate`s performance and what it was like to work and collaborate with them. Once you know what information references references can legally provide, you can adjust your reference interview questions to these limitations and avoid wasting time on questions that cannot be legally answered. Many hiring managers place little importance on reference checks because they believe it leads to unnecessary delays. In such a fast-paced world, this is no wonder.

But while we may get away with this kind of approach for a while, in the long run it will come back and bite us. ALWAYS try to get enough references to establish a candidate performance trend and act as a buffer against biased and discriminatory references. But before you try to ask for references on your candidate, save time and ask yourself this important question: What is your company`s policy on professional references? One way to ensure that your career reference questions are safe is to have interviews conducted by an FTRA-compliant background check company, such as InfoMart. If you`re wondering, “What can`t you ask for during a reference check?” don`t worry. Our team helps confirm information on a candidate`s resume to get valuable opinions from previous employers and other sources. You can talk to references and take notes, but confirmed written reference exams are the best way to do this for a variety of reasons. Even if you follow this detailed list of do`s and don`ts, who`s to say that every recruiter in your department or company will do the same? The best way to ensure that you avoid using protected class information or allowing other bias and remain compliant with the law is to standardize reference questions for your candidates. ALWAYS be vigilant for evidence that a reference doesn`t tell the whole truth about a candidate. So, if we understand that any response should be strictly limited to workplace observations, we can move on to the second part – truth and honest opinions. As most people know, “truth is an absolute defense,” we are ready to continue. For example, if a potential employer asks for a reference on why the candidate left their last job, and the answer is, “He was fired for stealing company property,” and that`s TRUE, there`s no reason not to say so.

Or, if a potential employer should ask, “What did you think of so-and-so`s ability to lead others?” and the reference says, “I thought he had a lot to learn about delegating responsibilities instead of trying to do everything himself,” and that`s the honest opinion of the reference, again, there`s no reason not to say that. If a candidate can create a complete record of performance evaluations, these documents can also be used in the same way as a reference. This question will show you what your candidate`s most outstanding performance has been in the workplace. Let`s say you asked for two references that cover a longer period of time.