Reference Checking
You should get the candidate's verbal or written approval first to check the references provided, to give the candidate the opportunity to notify their referees that they will be contacted. If the panel wishes to pursue additional references of their choosing that will give needed insight into the applicants business and educational background, it is very important to seek the candidate's permission to do this.
Caution: You should ensure that you do not ask discriminatory questions when reference checking.
Confidentiality is also a must. The information you find out when you check references must be kept confidential to the selection panel. FOI (freedom of information act) protects referees reports from scrutiny by applicant.
Considerations:
- Refer to the selection criteria and required skills and behaviours;
- Identify gaps in information gathered in relation to the selection criteria;
- Ensure questions to referees address these gaps in information;
- Ensure questions to referees seek to confirm information already gathered;
- Use behavioural questions (STAR) to gather information;
- Testing 'gut' feelings regarding the applicant.
Who should you contact?
It is normal practice to contact only those referees supplied by the candidate. If you are concerned that those referees will not be able to provide the information you require you should ask the candidate for other referees and/or if they have any concerns about you speaking to other people. It is required that you obtain the candidate's permission to contact other people in writing.
As in any interview, it is important to be sensitive to what is not said, to what is implied, and particularly to areas of obvious avoidance. Pauses in a reference interview can be very revealing but are only clues. They should lead the person doing the reference checking to follow up on the areas during the phone interview.
Suggested Reference Checking Process
The following is a process that may be followed when reference checking:
- Introduce yourself. Get on a first name basis where appropriate.
- Make sure you are talking with the RIGHT PERSON. Determine whether the person is able to evaluate the applicant's capabilities sufficiently to serve as a reference. Did he or she supervise (interact with) the applicant? How long? When?
- Explain the purpose of the call and give the name of the applicant being checked;
- Ask if it is convenient for the person to speak candidly with you;
- Emphasise the confidential nature of the call;
- Use the application and interview guide to compare stated information against reference information;
- Start with checking some facts of employment:
- How would you describe the major duties the candidate performed in the position?
- How long was the candidate employed?
- What was their reason for leaving?
- Ask behavioural questions;
- Now I would like to explore some specific aspects of the candidate's work with you. (Management style, breadth of experience, judgement);
- Follow up on hunches/impressions/concerns from interview.