Who are you really hiring?

The upside of checking references

The Frank Abagnale Jr legend, made famous by the Hollywood hit movie of 2002, Catch Me If You Can, is a perfect, yet extreme, example of reference checking gone wrong.

For those unfamiliar with the tale, Frank Jr managed to impersonate a professor, airline pilot, doctor and attorney in order to forge cheques and live the high life.  Which begs the question: Who conducted his reference checks?

Although these events took place many years ago, similar job candidate deception still occurs today, making it imperative for recruiters and employers to thoroughly check references before placing them in employment.

Recruiting the 'right' person requires thorough reference checking and asking targeted questions which help to identify both the candidate's skills and their areas of improvement. This way, required training and support can be determined to ensure the best long-term match between the candidate and the organisation.

The more information you have, the better decision in the end.  Reference checking is usually conducted after the final interview but before offering the candidate the position.   When conducting reference checks it is important to:

• Obtain written consent from the candidate.
• Conduct three verbal and work-related reference checks where possible.
• Ensure breadth of referees. For example, preferably not all from the same organisation and not all peer assessment.
• Establish the authenticity and credibility of the referee.
• Confirm a candidate's position and length of time at the organisation and their reason for leaving.
• Use prepared targeted questions to determine all relevant information (skill level, attitude, strengths, areas for improvement).
• Encourage referees to provide examples to clarify their subjective comments in a more objective manner.
• Be aware of what they say as well as what they are choosing not to say - look beneath the surface.
• Record the name, position, contact details, date and referee responses accurately.
• Treat the checks with the strictest of confidence.