As a hiring manager, it’s your duty to build a strong team. While CV’s and interviews give valuable insight, reference checks are often forgotten. These checks show a candidate’s past performance and help ensure they fit the organisation’s culture. Despite their value, they’re often overlooked due to time constraints or assumptions. Yet, spending just 10 minutes on a reference call can make a huge impact on hiring success and avoiding future issues.
Reasons Why Reference Checks Should Be An Important Part Of The Hiring Process
1. Verification of Information
CV’s and interviews provide only one side of the story. Reference checks allow us to verify the information provided by candidates, ensuring accuracy and honesty in their representations.
2. Work Ethic and Performance
References can offer valuable insights into a candidate’s work ethic, reliability, and performance in previous roles. Hearing firsthand accounts of their strengths and areas for development can help us make more informed hiring decisions.
3. Team Fit
It’s important for everyone to gel together well in the team. When we talk to references, we’re trying to figure out if the person will match the energy of our team and get along with everyone. That way, they can slide right into our way of working and team spirit smoothly
4. Identifying Red Flags
Reference checks can help uncover any potential red flags that may not have been apparent during the interview process. Issues such as poor communication skills, attitude problems, or past performance issues can be identified early on, saving time and resources in the long run.
5. Skills and Abilities
While candidates may claim to be proficient in certain skills, references can provide confirmation of these abilities based on experiences. This ensures that we’re not only hiring based on what’s written on paper but also on actual capabilities.
Incorporating reference checks into our hiring process demonstrates our commitment to making well-informed decisions and building a strong team. It’s a small investment of time that can yield significant returns in terms of hiring the right talent and avoiding hiring mistakes. So, to all new hiring managers out there, let’s make it a priority to conduct thorough reference checks for every candidate.
