Regarding closing the interview, I strongly recommended that you don’t make the offer at the time but give yourself the opportunity to read through the notes that you took during the meeting to make certain that you have all the information you need. An additional benefit is that this provides time to check references too.
Why Take References?
This is one of the most crucial aspects of the hiring process and will ensure that you are as certain as you can be that the candidate is the right person for you to hire. As such, references should be taken with every hire even if the candidate has been referred by someone already working for your firm.
The interview process is very strong at establishing what the candidate can and cannot do and the behaviours they exhibit whilst carrying out the tasks. The CV and the questions on the development and progression of their career will establish whether they will be a good fit, and the rapport you build during the interview will provide a good idea as to whether you will be able to work well with the candidate.
What the interview may not be able to conclusively establish is the candidate’s attitude and aptitude on a daily basis and how they deal with their colleagues in pressurised situations. What this means is that you could hire someone who can carry out the role but could create a poor overall working environment.
If handled correctly and in confidence, the candidate's references will provide the information to truly understand their attitude and aptitude and convince you to make the hire or not. Also, they will detail the most effective ways to manage and get the most out of the candidate if you do hire them.
Which Referees Should You Be Talking To?
Always aim to take a minimum of two references, with at least one coming from the manager and one coming from a colleague who worked alongside your candidate. Personal references don’t hold any value so only business references should be obtained. The exception to this may be when someone is first starting out and has no prior work experience.
If possible, always seek to obtain references from the last two employers.
Taking references from the current employer can be challenging if the candidate still works there. In this circumstance ask the candidate: "who is there at your current employment that is aware you are looking to move and that I could talk to?"
A candidate who has worked at the same employer for a number of years will probably be more cautious as they might well have a lot to lose if the employer found out that they were looking. Under these circumstances, if the interview has provided the confirmation that the candidate can carry out the tasks you require and has the right behaviours, you would have to consider making the offer on the basis that it is subject to satisfactory references.
How To Obtain Referee Details:
This is straightforward: ask the candidate to provide the information. Ask for the name, position, working relationship with them and the contact phone numbers, ideally the mobile or, failing that, the direct dial as a minimum.
To make this easier you can ask the candidate to bring this information with them to the interview so that on the assumption that you are both happy after the interview the rest of the process can run smoothly. There can be delays otherwise, while the candidate seeks to track down the referees.
To expedite matters further it is helpful if the candidate has prepared the referees to receive the call so that they are willing and able to talk to you.
What Do You Do If You Are Unable To Obtain The Information You Require?
Society is litigious. Many managers are advised not to provide references and despite your assurances on confidentiality will not confirm more than the dates worked, or they will refer you to their HR department who will also only confirm the dates worked and also not detail what the candidate carried out in their role!
When the above situation arises with potential new recruit's manager, you do need to establish whether they are hiding behind the HR screen to avoid giving a bad reference or whether they simply feel that a strict company policy on references should be complied with. In this situation, without sounding confrontational, ask the following question:
“Okay I appreciate the guidelines you work to and will speak to HR to confirm the dates that the candidate worked with you. I have one last question so that I don’t have to class this as a bad reference - would you have the candidate back to work for you?”The referee will understand the implication of the question and will answer “yes” if the candidate was good. An answer of “no” or “you must speak to HR” should be ringing alarm bells, prompting you to carry out thorough background checks on the candidate.
It is the role of the candidate to ensure that you are provided with referees who are prepared to talk to you. If the referees are not prepared to, then ask the candidate to provide contact details for suitable alternatives, and suggest that he/she speaks to them first to ensure that they are willing to act as referees.
What If The Candidate Advises That The Referees Are Not Contactable?
Ordinarily this should set alarm bells ringing but it can occasionally be true, particularly for contractors. If the candidate has come from overseas you should still insist on speaking to appropriate referees and be prepared to make the international calls necessary to confirm that the candidate is who you want to hire. (Although language can be an issue here.)
If the candidate is unprepared or unable to provide referees, even colleagues, then my recommendation would be to not make the hire.
If referees are a problem but the candidate has ticked all the boxes and, from the interview process at least, appears to be the ideal candidate then if you are prepared to make an offer make it very clear that there is a probation period so you have a get-out. In countries where it is difficult to remove staff once they have started work, then my guidance again would be to not make the hire.
Next Time:
We will discuss the questions to ask referees and how to probe to obtain a really strong insight into the candidate’s performance, attitude and behaviour, so that you know you are making the best hire.
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