One source is old-fashioned human intelligence. Businesses do it everyday in gathering marketing data as well as checking references on job applicants. Ideally, you ll want to check references yourself. You may have someone in the human resources department do the work for you, but you run the risk that the reference checker won t be as familiar with the job requirements as you are. This can lead to a less than satisfactory outcome.
Some businesses hire a reference checking service.
If you decide to hire such a service, be sure you feel totally comfortable with the quality of their work. You may have to check their references to get this information. Finally, you can t ask the references anything that the law doesn t permit you to ask the applicant. That includes questions regarding age, religion, race, marital status, children or child care arrangements, parents, residence, health status, psychological well-being, financial obligations, previous arrests, memberships in social organizations, or visible characteristics. In summary We are in a time of labor shortages that aren t predicted to abate in the near future.