Havre Job Service Employers'
Committee Employer Resource Guide
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Havre Job Service Employers'
Committee Employer Resource Guide
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Tips
on Reference Checking HOW DO YOU OBTAIN REFERENCES?
The current and former employers listed
on an application form are the best sources of reference information. You also
may ask the applicant to provide the names of additional references. The older
the reference, the less useful it will be to you. References should be checked
on all finalists for the job. The applicant may not deny permission to check
references with his/her current employer. If it is your policy to check
references with the current employer and the applicant is unwilling to allow you
to do so, you may consider that the applicant has voluntarily withdrawn. You may question references about an
applicant’s specific job skills, general approach to the job, attendance
records, and ability to work with others. You may ask references to make general
statements about the applicant, answer specific questions, or rate the applicant
(such as on a scale of 1 to 10). Questions that are not job-related should not
be asked. While the areas of questioning need to be consistent, specific
questions may vary because you are confirming information about individual
applicants. The following tips may improve the quality of your responses:
Ö Prepare reference questions ahead of time so you can consistently ask the same questions about all applicants. Ö Determine whether you have received permission to contact the applicant’s current employer. Ö Check as many references as possible, particularly if one reference turns up negative information. Ö Ask factual and objective questions – not opinion. Ö It’s a good idea, though not essential, to obtain a written release from the applicant to seek references. Ö When conducting a reference check over the phone, keep an extensive written record of the conversation - name, title, and employer of the person you talk to and a detailed summary of what he or she says. Ö Suggest that the person gather information and call you back if he/she seems unprepared. Ö Take extensive notes. Use their words – not your words. Ö If asked, put your inquiries in writing. (In the best of worlds, all reference checks would be in writing.) Ö Document all questions asked for self-protection – even if you get no response. Ö Ask only for job-related information (based on job analysis) or for verification of information provided by the applicant. Ö Cover the same areas for each applicant. Ö Develop criteria against which to judge the reference giver’s response. (What sort of responses would be qualifying? Disqualifying?) Ö Contact only former supervisors or persons who have direct knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications to perform the job. Ö Ask for factual information that can be documented. Stay away from subjective impressions of character, personality, etc. Ö Evaluate the person who provides any subjective information. Is the person being biased with their information? Ö Don’t ask the popular “rehire” question. Nearly everyone answers, “yes,” so the question is meaningless. Ö Give the applicant a chance to explain or rebut discrepancies or negative information. Ö Is the information really needed to judge an applicant’s competence or qualification for the job in question? Ö Use tact and persistence but don’t force the issue. Types
of information to ask for:
Employment History…. positions held, dates of employment, promotions, job
duties, performance, attendance records, and termination or separation reasons. Performance:
Avoid subjective appraisal information – base on written evaluations. How well
did the employee perform? Overall, was performance satisfactory? Unsatisfactory?
May I have a copy of the employee’s most recent evaluation? Does your file
show your company’s overall evaluation of the employee? Conduct:
May I see a copy of the employee’s attendance records? (Don’t ask how often
employee was sick.) Does your file show any documented disciplinary problems?
Follow up and probe any responses – What was the nature of the problem? What
was the resolution? Was it corrected? Termination or separation: Why did the employee leave? Is the employee eligible for
rehire? (More objective than “would you rehire?”) If not, why not? Does the
file show the reason not eligible? Is there a termination fact sheet or an exit
interview? Closing:
Is there anything else we should know about this applicant? The
following checklist has been developed to assist you in the reference process.
1.
Are the questions you are asking all
directly related to the job? 2.
Are the questions all objective
questions rather than personal or subjective? 3.
Are you asking the right person? Was
this person in a position to observe and supervise job related areas? 4.
Have you checked as many references as
needed? 5.
Have you asked for the same information
for all applicants’? 6.
Do you have written criteria against
which you can judge responses? Are the criteria the same for all applicants? 7.
Do your questions lead to answers,
which have desperate effect on one or more minority groups? 8.
Is the information you are seeking
really needed to judge an applicant’s competence or qualification for this
job? 9.
Have you documented your efforts and
responses you received?
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