This article focuses on how effective reference checking can help determine if a candidate is perfect for the job. Carefully think about what you want to ask before calling references to ensure that you learn as much as possible about the potential job candidate.
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1. How to Improve Results of Reference Checking One of the most
important aspects of hiring a new employee is checking references.
If you do it right, you can get more information than you planned
to in the first place. This information might lead you to make
better decisions when it comes to who you should and should not
hire for a position. Keep in mind that there are laws that govern
what can be said during a reference check, but you can still get
very valuable information if you word your questions correctly and
pay attention to the small cues that exist in every conversation.
Always check references right before you offer the position, but
after the interview. If this person is currently employed you do
not want to cause problems for them on their current job,
especially if you end up not hiring them. You should also keep in
mind that employers are human. They may have had personal issues
with the employee that should not reflect on the reference, but may
do so anyhow. Pay attention to every detail so that you can make a
smart decision. Sometimes you will be referred to the human
resource department, but you should make every attempt to talk to
the direct supervisor when possible. The human resource department
will have all the dates and may have notes on any disciplinary
issues that were present, but they may not have information on work
ethic while on the job or other important information that you
need. Be careful when you formulate questions and leave plenty of
room for expression. In most places the law prohibits former
employers from making degrading remarks about former employees, but
small signs will tell you a lot. Does the person you are talking to
seem excited about the employee? Do they sigh or pause a lot as
they answer questions? Is the tone of the person friendly in
general and if so, does it continue to be friendly as they discuss
the details of the former employee? You may need to ask questions
about the business itself to get more information about the
employee without violating any laws. For instance, did the employee
remain in the position they were hired for during their entire
time? If so, was the business ever looking to promote someone from
within the department during that time? They may not be able to
tell you why that person never got promoted, but they can tell you
if there even was an opportunity for promotion. In fact, most
former employees may offer valuable information on their own. For
instance, this particular
2. person may never have gotten a promotion even though there
was an opening. However, the person who did get the promotion may
have been someone who was employed for ten years longer than the
candidate you are discussing. This information tells you that the
candidate was not disqualified from the promotion. Someone else
just happened to be there longer and therefore was more qualified.
Sometimes the social cues are more important than the answers. For
instance, if the conversation was friendly until you mentioned the
name of the candidate, this could be a sign that the supervisor was
not overly impressed. Recruiterbox is a product of Aplopio
Technology. Aplopio is greek for "simplify", and focuses on making
simple yet useful products that solve real problems.is a product of
Aplopio Technology. Aplopio is greek for "simplify", and focuses on
making simple yet useful products that solve real problems. For
more information visit us at http://www.recruiterbox.com.