With resume falsification an ongoing concern, many organizations have
become more aggressive in conducting reference and background checks. Doing so
is a best practice and
is not required by law. If you plan to conduct reference and background checks,
which I highly recommend you do, here are some pointers to follow.
As a starting point in your reference checking activities, you may
want to verify the correct spelling of applicant’s name(s), check for aliases,
verify the applicant’s SSN, verify current and previous addresses, and verify
the applicant’s home telephone number. Next check information related to
educational, business, and professional achievements. You can verify degrees
earned, certificates received, and professional designations obtained. And, depending on the nature and
requirements of the job, such as bonding or security clearance requirements,
the degree of contact with the public, and other factors, check the applicant’s
credit history and conduct a criminal conviction check.
Since
some references may be reluctant to discuss an employee’s work performance or
conduct, it has become common practice to have applicants sign a form, releasing their
references from liability for responding to your inquiries.
In my experience, telephone or email inquiries are usually the
quickest way to contact references. You could also send a letter on your
company stationary requesting a reference. As a rule of thumb, I like to get
three references for each qualified job candidate.
Seek
only information that is relevant to the position being filled and which will
help you to choose the best candidate. Never request or collect information
about an applicant — or employee — that you can’t or won’t use. Reference
questions about an applicant’s propensity for filing discrimination charges,
OSHA and workers’ compensation claims, union grievances, or employment
practices lawsuits, for instance, place you on a slippery slope, since you may
not be allowed to use this information in making a hiring decision. For
example: if you do not hire an applicant after receiving information about
previous discrimination claims activity — even though your decision was based
on other factors — the EEOC may charge both you and the organization that
provided you with negative information with unlawful retaliation.
Plan your
questions and ask each reference the same list of questions. Give the person
time to respond, don’t put words in his or her mouth, and, if you aren’t sure
what he or she is trying to say, ask follow up questions. Here are of some of my favorite questions to ask when doing a reference check:
§ How do you know
this person? For how long?
§ How would you describe
him/her professionally and personally?
§ On a scale of 1 –
10, with 10 being the highest, how would you rate this person on meeting his or
her business goals?
§ We all have
strengths and areas of weakness. What is his/her greatest strength and biggest
challenge?
§ What would you
advise me about how to manage him or her?
§ Would you hire
this person again? Why or why not?
§ Tell me about this
person’s level of integrity.
§ In your opinion,
what is this person’s growth potential?
§ Is there anything
else I should know?
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