Despite the red-hot market for tech folks of every stripe, employers still want to make sure that each hire is going to bring real value. Patty Trakimas, Technical Recruiter for Broadreach Consulting, confirmed that references are still critically important in the hiring process. She says, I m always going to ask for the names of three people from anywhere you worked previously. I like to talk to a boss, a co-worker and if relevant, someone who worked for the candidate. That s how I get a good picture.
Dependability is key.
Says Patty, I try to probe for information about the kind of worker a candidate has been. I look for a strong, positive endorsement. But when this doesn t come across, even if the reference doesn t say anything specifically negative, I still get the picture from the person s tone. More As I ve said so many times before, don t burn your bridges when you leave a job. The reference process is proof positive of the need for temperate behavior.