Using Reference Checks In The Hiring Process
Reference checks are verification procedures done by human resource managers when looking to fill positions that are open in a company. They contact the persons that the candidate has listed on their application forms-supervisors, peers and managers. The aim is to ensure that all the information that is provided on the application is correct and accurate. They may also clarify if other information may be true.
A candidate should never provide false information to an employer because it may come back to haunt them even when hired. It can be embarrassing and they can be terminated immediately. This checking process can save a business a lot of money on training the employee and also on replacing them once they find out they are not telling the truth.
The verifying of a candidate’s background is usually done through the phone and it’s done after a filtering of applicants who match the requirements listed on the job description. It does not take long and the contact person can provide answers to questions in a short amount of time. Some companies employ letters for references and this is used for those positions that do not need to be filled immediately.
The candidate’s career is at stake when these checks are being made and this is important because it gives on the leverage they need to go a few steps ahead of the competition. Job references should be always made aware that a call may come through asking about the candidate’s qualifications.If they know what is expected of them in the hiring process, they can have full control of their careers.
Legally, only the persons that the candidate has listed on their applications can be contacted.However, the company can ask for permission from the candidate to contact entities or persons that may not have been listed. Checking references has to be the same across the board. All candidates’ should receive the same amount of vetting by the hiring manager. If checking through the phone, one other person from the human resources department should be listening in.
This verification process also involves checking whether the candidate has the degrees and diplomas that they have listed on their resume. Most companies require that the applicant have a bachelor’s degree as the minimum even when they have vast experience in the job that they are applying for. This process has unearthed a number of employees in companies who claimed to have the appropriate degrees when in reality they didn’t have them.
There are illegal questions that should never be asked by a hiring manager when looking to fill an opening. Asking one about their national original or their marriage status is not only rude but it is against the law. Only questions having to do with one’s educational background or their job experience should be asked.
Reference checks can be an advantage to the candidate because they can expound on the experience and skills they have presented on their resume. For the business, it saves them money on training and funds spent on advertising the open positions. Weeding out the phony candidates means that the business is bringing in only qualified and productive individuals.
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