Why Reference Checks Suck
By: Sonya Danzig
Tags: A Players, Reference, Tips, Hire Right, Hiring

Dear Entrepreneur:

Have you ever liked a finalist so much that you flirted with the idea of skipping a reference check?

Usually, when asking for references, you’d give the candidate free rein to pick three people they believe will give them an objective and fair reference. However, it is rarely ever mentioned what kind of reference is needed — is it a character, personal or professional reference?

This leads us to one of the biggest pitfalls of a reference check.

Major Pitfall of a Reference Check

Since the type of reference is ambiguous, you can count on the candidate to provide the name of someone who will sing their praises. It could be a supervisor, banker, brother-in-law or anyone they have a good relationship with.

And just like that… the whole purpose of seeking references is defeated!

While hearing nice things about the candidate’s character and performance helps, no one is perfect. You’d also want to hear about any weaknesses to learn if there are any areas of improvement.

Many Candidates Hide their Weaknesses

Very few candidates are self-aware enough to give an honest and thoughtful reply to the question: “What is your greatest weakness?” They will most likely say something generic and rehearsed, with a little bit of false modesty sprinkled in… something like, “My greatest weakness is that I work too much.”

Once you hear this enough times, you may even want to roll your eyes at these kinds of responses. But when a candidate can’t seemingly point out any shortcomings or failures… that’s when you should get suspicious.

How ‘A’ Players Handle Weaknesses

On the other hand, ‘A’ Players are:

● Fearless and introspective: They have thought about their shortcomings and aren’t afraid to tell you what they are. And they don’t just present a problem without a solution, so they will tell you the steps they’ve taken to improve themselves as well.

● They don’t try to be perfect: They know no one is perfect and that we all have limits… no one can be the jack of all trades. So they put a laser-sharp focus on mastering their particular expertise.

7 Tips to Detect ‘A’ Players with References

So how can you use references to your advantage to zero-in on that ‘A’ Player? Here are seven tips that I personally use:

1. Ask to provide full referee’s details of your choice (collect names of supervisors for all jobs while conducting the interview): Did the candidate just hesitate? That could be a red flag — he or she may have been creative on their accomplishments to the point they’re unverifiable.

2. Ask the candidate to set up the reference call: This makes the reference call easier and “warmer” for everyone involved since the connection has been pre-established. 3. Don’t dwell too much on accomplishments: During the call ask the referee what are the areas in which the candidate could use some improvement.

4. Talk to more than three referees: The higher the position, the more people you’ll need to talk to. I’ve found that seven is a good number, with a good mix of bosses, colleagues and subordinates.

5. Ask the candidate to describe their bosses/managers: How they describe their former superiors can be telling. Pay attention to their body language (did they just shift their position or break eye contact?) and word choice (are they using positive or negative adjectives?)

6. Ask the referee to rate the candidate’s performance: Ask them: “On a scale of 1–10 how would you rate [candidate name] and why?”

7. Make sure to use a referee from within the last ten years. Candidates evolve, older work experiences may no longer apply.

Ready for Better Reference Checks?

Checking references can seem like an unnecessary step when what seems to be the perfect candidate is right in front of you. Don’t skip it… no matter how tempting it can be.

When done right, a reference check can be a great way to learn about a candidate’s shortcomings and areas of improvement. It can get you a step closer to landing that ‘A’ Player!

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