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References for employment seem like a thing of the past. I has become almost impossible to get any kind of reference form returned, and the ones that are do no more than confirm the dates of employmen
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Forums » Topic Forums » Legal Forum » references
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references
posted at 10/22/2009 7:33 AM EDT
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Posts: 155
First: 8/24/2009 Last: 2/9/2010 |
What Dave says above is absolutely correct.
With that said how is a reference check defined? Is it calling a former employer and obtaining information? Is it a 3rd party background check that includes criminal history, education verification, residents and employment verification, MVR checks, etc? Is it a behaviorally structured interview process accompanied by a complete application, interview assessments and other pre-employment behavioral testing, e.g. predictive index testing? Is it all of the above or some combination of the above? Admittedly the single most least expensive is simply calling a reference and annotating, for example, that name rank and serial number was provided, reference refused to give further information. That doesn't make it complete or thorough. Nor does it make it valuable. Solid and complete evaluation of the candidate through good interviewing techniques, complete applications and solid background checks perhaps with some predictive index testing thrown in defines good reference checking and candidate assessment. I would much rather defend my employers practice of doing a combined effort that includes multiple activities than trying to defend a go through the motions process of reference checking by phone or form. |
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posted at 10/22/2009 7:57 AM EDT
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Posts: 1771
First: 10/24/2002 Last: 9/14/2011 |
"I would much rather defend my employers practice of doing a combined effort that includes multiple activities than trying to defend a go through the motions process of reference checking by phone or form."
HRPro, I hope you're not saying that I just "go through the motions" when I'm recruiting! My interviewing and selection process consists of the following (at minimum): * phone interviews * in-person competency-based behavioural event first interviews * in-person technical behavioural event second interviews * in-person team interviews * detailed reference-checking * background record checks (types specific to position requirements) The only reason my responses focussed on reference-checking is because that's what the OP was asking about. "Admittedly the single most least expensive is simply calling a reference and annotating, for example, that name rank and serial number was provided, reference refused to give further information. That doesn't make it complete or thorough. Nor does it make it valuable." Which is why I said, or at least strongly implied, several times, that if all I get about a candidate is name, rank and serial number information, I consider that to be a bad reference...and the candidate isn't hired. And if the candidate isn't hired, I will not be called upon to defend myself. |
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posted at 10/22/2009 9:00 AM EDT
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Posts: 155
First: 8/24/2009 Last: 2/9/2010 |
hrbth how you can construe my targeting you with my response is the real question of the day. Especially in that we were both addressing the original poster. Perhaps you are being a tad sensitive again? You have previously admitted to being that in these forums.
My comment was general in nature and directed at no one. |
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posted at 10/22/2009 9:03 AM EDT
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Posts: 323
First: 6/15/1999 Last: 9/9/2011 |
BTW - We have in-person team interviews that often include a writing skills exercise, then reference checks for those we are considering hiring. THEN, post offer (for most positions), there is a physical, MVR, National Criminal History (Fingerprinting), state child abuse registry, sex offenders registry, drug screen, education documentation, and immunization certification - yes, lots of paper! |
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posted at 10/22/2009 9:03 AM EDT
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Posts: 1771
First: 10/24/2002 Last: 9/14/2011 |
I'm not sure what you're asking - do you want to know what a competency-based behavioural event interview is? If that's the case, I don't know if we have room for the answer here! I know it's something that takes at least three full days of training to learn - how that translates into text I'm not even gonna start thinking about!
In a nutshell, it's one of the best interviewing techniques out there, and if done properly, an excellent method for predicting candidates' future on-the-job behaviour. |
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posted at 10/22/2009 9:05 AM EDT
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Posts: 155
First: 8/24/2009 Last: 2/9/2010 |
sbnonprof,
Good question; these are behavior based questions designed to elicit a detailed response showing methodology, thought process and general competency of the interviewee in certain types of situations. The situations are defined by the interview team as well as who will ask what questions. Having multiple interviewers use a variety of these questions and then discussing responses with the team afterwards allows hiring officials to make better decisions. It all goes back to removing the "gut" from the selection process and creating a set of "must haves" that a good hire will possess in greater volume than an average hire. |
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posted at 10/25/2009 5:52 AM EDT
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Posts: 1771
First: 10/24/2002 Last: 9/14/2011 |
HRPro, I guess my defensiveness came from my disagreement with a previous post of yours where you suggested that reference checks are fast becoming a thing of the past, and that may be a good thing. (If I misunderstood that post, I apologize, please enlighten me.)
I think that reference check information is crucial to a hiring decision, equally important to information gleaned from an interview. I have reversed hiring decisions many times in the past based on information uncovered during reference checks - information that could not have been obtained via interviews. I have uncovered liars (big liars - I don't sweat the occasional annual salary rounding-up of a few grand or telling me they left a company at the end of December when they actually left December 23 - but really big liars whose stated qualifications or work experience simply don't exist), criminals, harassers, and complete and utter incompetents during reference checks. I have had to warn two reference-providers that the information they're providing me is so egregious that they should stop telling it to me if they're not perfectly comfortable that it would stand up in court - and they both said it was documented and provable, and kept right on talking! Reference-checking is not a dead process for me, and I will continue doing it as long as I'm in HR, even if everybody else on the planet can't be bothered. So there. |
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