Many employers are interested in hiring an employment reference checking service to help them process their job applications, but they may not know exactly what the process entails. While it will certainly save you time to delegate reference checks to a service, you likely want to ensure that such a service will be thorough and professional when checking an applicant’s references. After all, checking references is a vital part of the job application evaluation process. Read on to learn more about the process that an employment reference checking service will use when checking the references of your applicants.
The Candidate Submits Their Reference Information
The first step of this process is for the candidate to submit their reference information. While some employers accept either phone or email contact information, it is best to require a phone number. It is fairly easy for a candidate to create an email address themselves that looks like it belongs to a fake reference. Contacting a reference by phone and speaking to them live is recommended to ensure that the reference is real.
The Candidate Consents to a Reference Check
It is vital that your application form includes the candidate’s consent to a reference check. This is required by law. A professional reference checking service will ensure that your application meets the appropriate regulations. Once you have the references’ contact information and the candidate’s consent, it is time for the reference checking service to take over.
Professionals Contact & Interview the References
The first step that an employment reference checking service will take is to contact and review the references. This will be done as soon as possible to ensure that you can process applications in a timely manner and find your preferred candidate quickly. A highly trained professional will contact the references and interview them about the candidate.
There are two major components of a reference interview. First, the service will confirm that the experience and qualifications claimed by the candidate are legitimate and not fabricated or overstated in any way. Next, the service will question the reference about the candidate’s soft skills. This includes questions about the candidate’s character, work habits, and people skills. A reputable professional reference checking service will be very thorough to ensure that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to move forward with that candidate.
A Report is Submitted to the Prospective Employer
Once the interview has been completed, the service will take their records of the interview and compile a report for your use. This report will include verification that the candidate’s qualifications are legitimate or list the areas in which their qualifications were exaggerated or fabricated on their application. Of course, the report will also include what the references said about the candidate’s work habits, character, and people skills. A good reference checking service will get you the report within a few business days after speaking to all the references. From there, it is your decision whether you want to move forward with that candidate.
Why This Process is Effective
Hiring a professional reference checking service offers you multiple benefits. Of course, it will save you a great deal of time, especially if you have to evaluate many candidates. However, this is not the only benefit. A professional reference checking service can also do a deeper dive into the candidate than many employers. The professionals can use their experience and training to learn more from the references than you may be able to do if you checked the references yourself. This can help you hire the right candidate for the position.
