For busy practice owners, checking a desired candidate’s references can pose an unwanted formality. Yet done well it isn’t merely a way to confirm their skillset, work experience and identity; it can also help you learn more about them, improve onboarding and get the most out of your investment in a new employee.
What you want from a good referee is a positive and complementary yet accurate and balanced account of a previous employee. ‘They should be able to provide examples of the person’s achievements, as well as potential areas of improvement, and should be open to answering any further questions you may have,’ says Lorraine Twist, director at Hays specialising in professional services.
‘Look out for references where the individual has clearly been influenced by the applicant'
Meanwhile, beware overly positive references, says Hannah Szymanski, market director, finance and accounting, at Robert Half. ‘Look out for ones where the individual has clearly been influenced by the applicant in terms of their feedback and is unable to highlight any areas for improvement.’
The right profile
A suitable referee is generally someone who has had responsibility for the person and understands them well. ‘It’s helpful to engage with a recent line manager to understand important factors, such as the areas in which they excelled, what they were like to work with and their learning style, experience and skillset. Having access to this kind of information can also be helpful during the onboarding process,’ says Twist.
'It’s easy to spot when a candidate is only putting forward friends from their current position'
But it’s also good, if you can, to get a spread of views, including from the candidate’s peers, says Szymanski. ‘You want to speak to a mix of people with experience working directly with the individual. That doesn’t have to be the most senior person; in fact, speaking to someone the applicant works with on the same level in a daily environment can often paint a more accurate picture of what they are like.’
Identity check
It's important to verify the referees a candidate puts forward. ‘If an applicant has only put forward references for one previous role, despite having other companies on their CV, ask for a contact at the other businesses,’ recommends Szymanski. ‘It’s also usually easy to spot when a candidate is only putting forward their friends from their current position; the job titles and potentially their social media posts will be telling around this issue.’
An overly positive reference should also raise suspicions, continues Szymanski. ‘One where the individual has clearly been influenced by the applicant in terms of their feedback, and is unable to highlight any areas of improvement for the candidate as a result, is also key to watch out for.’
It pays to research referees before diving into reference gathering
It also pays to research referees before diving into reference gathering; it’ll ensure neither your nor the referee’s time is wasted. ‘Check their LinkedIn profile and company website to validate that they are who you believe they are, and hold the responsibility that has been noted by the applicant,’ says Szymanski. ‘It’s worth being wary of personal email addresses, as these are easy to falsify. If you’re communicating with a referee via email, don’t hesitate to call via the company switchboard to speak to them, as this will help confirm the validity of the conversation.’
Question time
It’s best to ask broader questions that aren’t at all leading, says Szymanski. ‘Remember that you want to hear more about the person’s character and what they’re like to work with, so getting the referee to talk is the prime objective.
Open-ended enquiries such as “Tell me about how they work with you and the team” and “Anything I need to know about them?” are prime examples.’ (See box for suggestions from LinkedIn.)
Problem people
And what if a candidate is good, but they don't want to provide a previous employer as a referee, perhaps for legitimate reasons – say, bad blood that's not their fault? Honesty is always the best policy, says Szymanski.
‘If the applicant is stating that this is the reason, ensure you’re getting a balanced view from others to be able to paint an accurate picture,' she says. 'However, don’t be afraid to still ask for this reference – with the concession that you’ll consider the candidate’s comment in line with the information from the referee.
‘Even if there’s bad blood, the individual may still give a glowing reference, and that in itself can be hugely telling.’
Ask the right questions
LinkedIn recommends asking a referee the following questions about the candidate:
- Tell me about their role and responsibilities
- Did they have any major accomplishments while working with you?
- How would you describe their overall performance in the role?
- How would you rate their skills (eg communication, leadership, technical accounting etc)?
- What are their greatest strengths?
- Are there any areas where they could improve?
- How did they demonstrate their commitment to professional growth?
- In your experience, do they work better alone or in a team?
- Can you give me an example of a setback or stressful challenge that they faced and how they dealt with it?
- Did they receive any promotions while at your company?
- On a scale of one to 10, how would you rate them compared with other people you’ve hired?
- Why did they leave your company?
- Would you rehire them?
- Is there anything else I should know about them?
