There appears to be a growing number of people in the recruitment industry who believe reference checks to be a waste of time. A view that OCG Consulting Manager, Paul O’Donovan, couldn’t be more opposed to. Find out why time spent checking references is time invested wisely, here.
Too often lately, I’ve been seeing
reference checks treated as a box-ticking exercise; an unwanted task that is
rushed or palmed off to someone else to get a new employee on board, faster. For
many, what seems to be forgotten is the depth of insight we can gain by taking the
time out to do it properly. A solid
reference check adds genuine value – not just to the hiring process, but to
employers as well.
Regardless of how amazing a candidate may
seem on paper, skilful questioning forms a vital part of the decision-making
process, as well as acting as a final sanity check before committing to an
offer. It’s not purely for evaluative purposes, though. By building a clearer
picture of the candidate, it becomes a priceless tool in advising the best way
of managing them once they’ve started.
With modern reference forms and checklists
taking the place of past processes, you might think face-to-face reference
checks are a thing of the past. Although it will never be feasible to be on the
road chasing references for everyone, the benefits of such an approach are threefold.
Not only is it a great relationship building opportunity to sit in front of an
employer that you don’t know well, but it also shows them how much you value
the process. And you have the extra benefit of being able to see whether their
body language is congruent with what they’re telling you.
The benefits of reference checking cannot
be understated. So, if your organisation is guilty of treating them as an admin
burden or a box-ticking episode, then it might be time to invest more time in
this part of the hiring process. If you’d like to discuss this topic further,
or to find out more about working with us, get in touch here.
Paul O'Donovan|Manager - OCG Technology Christchurch
