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Continue readingReference Checking Questions You Should be Asking
“The ability to ask the right questions is more than half the battle of finding the answer.”
- Thomas J. Watson, ex-CEO and Chairman of IBM
In this article, we will try and tackle the topic of reference questions for new hires. We will also talk about the process of reference checking after the interview. When it comes to reference checks and reference checking questions, people either love them or hate them. On the one hand, you have those who view reference checking as a means of uncovering the candidate’s abilities. It can be a tool to find out work history and even personality traits in some cases. On the other hand, some believe it to be not worth the time. Reference checks can feel like a waste of time when there is no proper structure or procedure in place. A lot of the time, you will end up with a list of references from the candidates who turn out to be their friends or other personal references. As expected, they will of course advocate for how great the candidate is.
Now, when a reference check is done right, it can be a vital tool in the recruitment process. It helps you make informed decisions about the people you hire. So, to help mitigate the negative aspects of this argument and help you get the most out of this process, we bring you this blog. We will talk about the people who would make the best references. We will also go over the best reference checking questions that you should be asking to get the information that you need.
Talking to the Right References: Reach Out via the Candidate
One of the best ways to get the ideal references is to ask the candidate to provide them. Ask the candidate for the names and numbers of their previous employer. Now, if they are yet to resign and are looking for a job, they obviously might not want you to get in touch for job safety reasons. You should respect that. Rather, ask for the contact number of a manager from a previous role. This is more than fair to both parties.
This is where it gets interesting. Depending on whether they are evasive or helpful, you will get a clear reading of what kind of employee they might be. On top of all this, the candidate might be the right person to put you in touch with their previous employers as they have a well-established relationship with them. These references might be more willing to chat if they believe that it would help a former colleague.
A candidate's achievements at their previous job can tell you a lot about their work ethic.
Asking the Right Reference Checking Questions
Once you have the right references, make sure to let them know about the confidentiality factor of the process. This is crucial if you want them to be honest and open with their answers. Tell them that no matter how glaring or glowing their feedback is, it all stays confidential. Here are the best reference checking questions you should be asking.
Question 1: What was the working relationship between you and the candidate?
Start the conversation off in a light manner, ease them into it. You don’t want to hit them with all the reference checking questions at once. This question will also allow you to start cross-checking basic information. You can verify things like the candidate’s title, responsibilities and other things they might have already told you.
Question 2: Did the candidate have any major accomplishments while working with you?
To a certain extent, this is another one of those reference checking questions that will help ease the reference’s mind. It serves a purpose beyond just validating any major milestones that the candidate may have had. This question stands as a reminder that the reference checking process is not built just to catch out candidates. It is an opportunity to learn more about the person behind the resume. So you can understand what exactly they bring to the table.
Question 3: What are some of his/her greatest strengths in your opinion?
This question is one designed for calibration beyond just the average understanding of skill sets. What we mean by this is that the answer to this question will tell you how well things line up with the initial rounds of interview, the candidate’s resume as well as their work samples. You will have a chance to see how the responses line up with the candidate’s self-assessment. This indicates self-awareness, with which you can calibrate the other answers you get. Essentially, does the reference’s assessment of the candidate line up with what the candidate thinks of their strengths?
Question 4: What were some areas of concern that you think stand out as red flags?
This is a big one. This question serves a dual purpose. As a prospective employer, you need to know if there are any areas for improvement, what they are and how to address them. You also need to know if the candidate is coachable. The other point of this question is to bring to the surface any reason you may want to rethink the hiring of a particular candidate. For example, if the reference says that the candidate might benefit from an extra month of training, then you have to question their capabilities and experience for that role.
Question 5: Did the candidate work better in a team or alone?
Look, neither has to be a bad or good thing, some professionals work best alone and some in a team. It just depends on what you, as the employer, are looking for. This will not only reveal if your candidate is a team player but also tell you how good of a communicator they might be. Soft skills are just as important as any other skills in a business. Keep in mind that when you are asking these questions, you are also evaluating how well the reference knows the candidate.
Depending on if the candidate got promoted at their last job or not will reveal a lot. Did they check all the right boxes?
Question 6: Did the candidate receive any promotions while at your company?
If the candidate was promoted at one point, then this would bolster their resume and the likelihood of getting selected. However, if not, it might serve you better to understand why. Perhaps there were no open positions, or maybe the management decided they needed a stronger internal candidate (which could be a red flag), or something else entirely.
Question 7: Why did the candidate leave the company?
Much like the initial question, this one is another cross-checking question. It will tell you not only why they left but if it checks out with what the candidate told you in the initial rounds of the interview. It is also a good indicator of any red flags like if they left on bad terms, some workplace issue or something else.
Question 8: Would you rehire this candidate?
This is a follow-up to the previous question, because if the reference doesn’t give you a resounding ‘absolutely’, then you might have to reconsider. Hesitation implies there are some underlying issues. This is something you should probably probe more about. Ask the reference why they would or would not hire them back.
Question 9: Is there anyone else you would recommend I speak with?
The whole point of the reference checking process and asking all these reference checking questions is to gain insight from a different point of view. So, ask the references if there is anyone who would be willing and able to talk to you that can tell you more about the candidate. This could be someone who worked alongside the candidate or under them too.
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Reference Checking Tips: Top 10 Pointers for a Smoother Process
Reference Checking Tips: Top 10 Pointers for a Smoother Process
“Diligence is the mother of good fortune.”
- Benjamine Disraeli, Former United Kingdom Prime Minister
Intro to Reference Checking Tips
Before we get into the top tips, let’s look at what reference checking entails. It is the process of verifying information about a candidate during the hiring process. While it can be conducted over a phone call or an email, in recent times, employers have taken to other, more modern processes such as online survey forms, automated reference checking services and so on. The purpose of this is to make a more informed decision about the candidate before hiring them. One of the major challenges with the modern hiring market is that every open position gets hundreds of applicants in a given time frame.
Checking all their references can be a time-consuming and often complicated process. In this blog, we will give you the run-down of top reference checking tips that can lend themselves to a smoother reference checking process. However, before we get down to the reference checking tips, let’s briefly go over how one should go over a run-of-the-mill reference check.
Reference Checking Tips: How to Conduct a Reference Check
The first thing to do when attempting to conduct a reference check is to identify yourself, your affiliations (which company you’re calling from) and the person who listed them as a reference. Start the conversation by asking the reference if now is a good time to talk. Next, you will want to assure them that all the answers and questions will remain confidential. Once you get the green light to proceed and they seem willing and ready, you move to phase two.
Start by verifying the basic details like the dates of employment and termination, employment history up until that point and so on. You also want to dive into the candidate’s capabilities such as knowledge base, work-relevant skills and so on. Ask the reference if they think the candidate in question would be a good fit for the role. Above all else, give the reference room to breathe and answer in their own time. Don’t take them down the road to the easy answer, nor should you keep interrupting them. Give them time and have them answer directly.
Having reference checking as a mandatory part of hiring will thin the crowd of applicants, and give you the candidates you want.
Top 10 Reference Checking Tips
In the above paragraphs, we talked about the reference checking process in regards to the reference, now, we will take a more balanced perspective. Let’s look at how you should handle reference checks with regards to the candidates as well as the references.
Tip #1: Be Upfront About Reference Checks
Remember earlier when we said how each position can get hundreds of applicants? Well, this may be a good way of weeding out the honest candidates from the mountain of resumes. be upfront about the fact that you do thorough reference checks. This will highlight candidates that have given less than ideal references or other related issues. Before you know it, you may find your candidacy list shirking by itself. The result will be a pool of candidates that will be more ideal in terms of what you are looking for and most importantly, honest.
Tip #2: Avoid Delegating Reference Check Responsibilities
If we are being honest, some days at the office can get a little hectic, especially when you’re in the midst of a hiring process with many candidates. However, you should try your best to avoid passing the baton of referencing checking a candidate. If you do, you could potentially miss something huge with that candidate. As the hiring manager or employer, you know exactly what to look for and what you need. No one else will see it the same way, nor will they ask the right questions.
These slip-ups could be as small as a passing remark made by the reference that could have revealed something big that clashes with your company culture. Something you might have likely missed since the job was passed onto someone else. This particular point is therefore one of the most important reference checking tips.
"Diligence leads to competence."
- Jeffrey Benjamin, Author
Tip #3: Be Thorough
When you have to deal with more than one reference per candidate there is a challenge and an advantage to that. The challenge is that you have to keep track of a lot of information for correlation. To make the best hiring decision, you need to take lots of notes and double-check when you’re unsure.
If you miss a step, you might miss by a mile in terms of candidate evaluation. Now, in terms of the advantage, there are around two or three references for a given candidate. This means that you can cross-check information and see how authentic that candidate’s profile is. Getting that third reference to confirm can make all the difference.
Tip #4: Conduct the Reference Check Over the Phone
If you have the choice between doing it via email or phone, rather do it over the phone. There are a lot of nuances that you can pick up in a live conversation. Little things like inflections in their voice, tone, subtle passing comments, etc. All things that can reveal a lot about a candidate. The same doesn’t translate well into the written word and they are less likely to reveal something negative directly for fear of liability issues.
Tip #5: Start With Easy Questions
As most conversations go, start it off on the lighter side. Start the reference checking process with easy questions like: How long did they work for you? This presents a much higher chance of eliciting the responses that matter rather than jumping straight into the deep questions. Also, keep in mind that you should try to phrase your questions in a positive light.
Cross-referencing is the most important aspect of the reference checking process.
Tip #6: Confirm Employment Dates
This may seem like an obvious one, but the fact is there can be minor discrepancies between the candidate’s stated dates of employment and the reality. This makes this point one of the most important references checking tips on this list. At the end of the day, you’re looking for a candidate of a certain experience, it doesn’t help you if this turns out to be false, so make sure before you hire them.
Tip #7: Avoid Close-Ended Questions
As far as reference checking tips go, this is another important one. The last thing you want as an outcome from the process is a whole bunch of vague, open-ended answers. Ask references questions in a way that will lead them to give you specific answers. For example, you might want to ask the reference: So, the candidate got along with their co-workers, correct? This would be preferred as opposed to asking a question like: How well did the candidate get along with their co-workers?
"Everything yields to diligence."
- Antiphanes, Ancient Greek Author
Tip #8: Gain Insights via Social Media
In this digital age, the social media realm offers lots of insights into who a person is. The same applies to candidates. When doing your due diligence this is a good place to look. While you may not be checking references in the traditional sense, checking a candidate’s public Facebook posts or Twitter feed can offer a lot of insight. This is especially true of their LinkedIn profile. This can quickly highlight not only their past work experiences and career orientation but also any discrepancies on their resumes.
Tip #9: Give Assurance of Confidentiality
If you have ever done a reference check in the past, you might have come across ex-employers who seem hesitant to answer some of your questions. Many times, references will hold back on answers out of fear of liability issues arising as a result. The best move you can make in these situations is to assure them that everything they say will remain confidential where applicable.
Tip #10: Watch Out for Fake References
It’s not unusual to have a candidate give you a fake reference as they may have had a falling out with their previous employer, or know that they have nothing good to say about the candidate. Hence, it is important to keep an eye on the authenticity of the references. As far as reference checking tips go, this one is cardinal, it gives legitimacy to the whole process. Verify the reference’s title, company name, their full name, dates of employment and if they were the candidate’s supervisor.
So, there you have it, some of the best reference checking tips that we think will help smooth out your recruitment process. However, if you still think that you might not have the time to sort through mountains of applications, there is an alternative: automated reference checking. Something that we here at Credibled specialize in! So, consider it and good luck!
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Interview Bias: A How-To Guide on Minimizing It
Interview Bias: A How-To Guide on Minimizing It
“Woe to the man who tries to remain objective and to maintain a wide perspective: everyone will label him as an enemy.”
- Paul Tournier, Swiss physician
When it comes to reference checking or even the recruitment process in general, we often talk about what the candidate needs to bring to the table. We so often forget that the interview process is a two-way street and the role the interviewer plays is just as significant to consider. In this case, what does the recruiter bring to the table? Are they objective or inherently biased? If it’s that latter, what’s the solution? These are some of the questions we will attempt to tackle in today’s article.
Understanding the Issue of Interview Bias
When it comes down to the interview process, as a stranger, candidates get the raw end of the deal. This issue mainly boils down to how they are assessed by another stranger. When the candidate is someone the hiring manager is somewhat familiar with, then those people are assessed based on their past performances for the most part.
However, strangers are more or less judged on their motivation to get the job, some general competency standards, technical knowledge and their first impression. Now, don’t get us wrong, these are good measures to have when assessing a candidate, but not when it’s done through a biased lens. Let’s take a stranger who makes a good first impression, on some level the hiring manager will look for facts to justify their strengths. If it was a bad impression, they might subconsciously look for reasons to exclude them from the job.
The caveat here is, both sides can be factually backed up if you look hard enough. So, as you can see, interviewer bias has many layers to it, and it’s never really a clear-cut thing. Having said that, there are some ways in which one can reduce interview bias and keep the process relatively fair.
The first impressions play a huge role in the interview process. Try to hold off final decisions based on that alone.
Top 10 Ways to Reduce Interview Bias
Before we dive into the list of ways in which you can reduce interviewer bias, we need to make note of one simple fact. Bias can only ever be reduced or managed. As a rule of thumb, human beings are biased on some level, consciously or subconsciously. It’s in our nature, be it for the better or worse. Having said that, these tactics will help you manage the bias.
Tip #1: Define the Job Requirements, Not the Person
When you put out an ad for a job, you will of course provide a job description. This is usually where the bias can start. More specifically, you need to define the description as a set of things that need to be done by a person. Oftentimes you might find that it is a list of things that the person needs to have.
If during an interview the candidate proves that they have previously done such work, it means that they have the skills to get the job done. However, this can contradict what was listed in the job description. Once you redefine the work for performance objectives rather than candidate requirements, you open up the talent pool. This not only brings in diversity, but also reduces bias as you would be comparing their past experiences, and not their first impressions.
Tip #2: Do an Initial Phone Interview
One sure-fire way to reduce bias is to make the process a little less personal, at least initially. Before you even have an interview with the person, consider a normal phone call. This reduces bias by removing visual cues that could influence us. Instead, we would be going purely off their resume, track record and so on. Establishing a decent connection based purely on their performance history will set the pace for the rest of the interview. This way, the first onsite impression, be it good or bad, won’t matter, because you already know what they are capable of.
"You have to attempt to be objective about yourself"
- Charles Dance, Actor
Tip #3: Panel Interviews Can Help
Having a panel of interviewers, as opposed to one person, lessens the odds of there being any bias in the room. This is especially helpful if all the interviewers are assigned specific roles. Having this diversity and a controlled proceeding will give the interview a good balance.
Tip #4: Scripting Can Reduce Interview Bias
Scripting the interview, be it fully or partially can help reduce the interview bias as well. Giving the candidate the pre-scripted questions ahead of time brings down the chances of any deviations during the interview. This tip is pretty connected to the previous one, so perhaps consider combining them both in certain instances.
Tip #5: Take Time to Decide
Now, we don’t mean you need to be slow in deciding, but rather take your time and think it through. A good rule of thumb is to wait 30 minutes before you make any yes or no decisions. In the meantime, make sure to ask all the candidates the same set of questions, regardless of if you have a positive or negative reaction.
Tip #6: Taken Everything into Account
Much like how a courtroom operates, you need to take into consideration all the evidence, i.e., the facts, before settling on any one decision. To make the closest thing to a balanced decision, you need to have all the information in your hand. Once you have all this you can make a more informed and balanced decision that is fair to everyone involved.
The interviewer's mindset is perhaps one of the biggest influencers of the interview outcome, regardless of the candidate.
Tip #7: Reverse Psychology Is a Great Tool for Reducing Interview Bias
Remember the point we mentioned earlier about looking for facts that back up how we perceive a candidate? Well, this is a good way to combat that issue. Once you, the interviewer, have been through the recruitment process a few times, you will notice the pattern. Use this information to do work in opposition to what you perceive. Let’s use the earlier example of how we look for facts that back up how we perceive the candidates’ first impression.
Now, in such a case, force yourself to look for reasons that contradict how you perceive them. If they give a negative first impression, look for positive facts and vice versa. Think about it as looking for the other half of the puzzle.
Tip #8: Treat Candidates Like They Are Experts
When we interview people who are viewed as experts in their field, we tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. It is highly recommended that you treat every candidate as an expert too. If you give all your candidates the same courtesy, the truth will become obvious, whether you like them or not. This is a good way to objectively approach the recruitment process.
Tip #9: Use a Scoring System
When it comes down to personal opinions there will always be bias involved to some degree. This is good in certain instances where you have to use your intuition to judge the quality of the candidate. However, if you’re trying to reduce interview bias in the process, consider using a scoring system to back up your opinions. Perhaps something along the lines of a scorecard.
Tip #10: First Impressions Should Be Considered Last
When all is said and done about the bias of first impressions, there is still a use for first impressions. They can reveal a lot about the character of the candidate, which is essential for assessing workplace compatibility. Having said that, reserve all judgements on first impressions and only consider them towards the end of the interview process. This will allow you to get a reasonably objective view of them as you won’t be that deterred or wooed by said impression. You will have facts and reasons to measure it against.
While all these steps are great individual tools, it would be better if some aspect of these guidelines were involved throughout the recruitment process. It drives up the overall quality of your recruitment process while driving down the chances of interview bias.
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