What is a Reference Check? An Effective Method for Verifying Candidate Information

The increasingly competitive labor market means that every company’s recruitment process must ensure quality; recruiters need to hire the right person for the right job to avoid wasting time and reducing productivity. To ensure a candidate is suitable for the position, the reference check tool is widely used. So, what is a reference check? How can you verify candidate information effectively? Let’s find out with 1Office in the article below!

I. What is a Reference Check? The Purpose of Verifying Candidate Information

A reference check means verifying candidate information; it is the process where recruiters validate the information provided by a candidate, such as their educational background, experience, skills, and personality. This verification is conducted through various reference channels.

Verifying candidate information is considered a crucial activity for recruiters in particular and businesses in general. By contacting the candidate’s former managers, colleagues, or even friends, recruiters can gain a comprehensive, genuine, and authentic view of their abilities and personality.

Thus, the purposes of conducting a reference check are:

• To fill in information gaps

During the interview or recruitment process, it is rare for candidates to voluntarily provide all the necessary information that recruiters need for the most objective assessment.

In such cases, researching and verifying information will help recruiters uncover these missing details to better understand the candidate and make the most reasonable assessment.

• To verify the information provided by the candidate

Is the information the candidate provided to the recruiter accurate? Conducting a reference check helps recruiters confirm whether the candidate is providing truthful information.

If there are inconsistencies between the information provided by the candidate and the information uncovered by the recruiter, a more in-depth investigation is needed.

• To discover other aspects of the candidate’s personality

Besides checking the employee’s background, are there any personality traits in the candidate that the company wants to understand better? Or are you wondering if this personality is a good fit for the company culture? By verifying this information, you will gather more data about the candidate to help make an accurate hiring decision for your company.

II. The Role of Reference Checks in Recruitment

By applying Reference Checks in recruitment, businesses can gain a deeper, broader perspective with crucial screening data about their candidates, aiding in the careful selection of the most suitable candidate for each job position. Specifically:

• First, reference checking helps recruiters verify the authenticity of the information presented in the job application. This includes details about the candidate’s qualifications, personality, work capabilities, and more.
• Next, conducting a reference check helps uncover hidden aspects of the candidate’s work and life that they may not have revealed, often mistakes or weaknesses they prefer not to mention. Knowing this is not for blaming or scrutinizing them, but for the recruiter to see how they have overcome and improved after each mistake.
• Additionally, checking an employee’s background is also to assess their professional competence for the job being recruited by evaluating their adaptability in previous roles, especially those with similar characteristics.
• It assesses their behavior and communication skills at work and in the office. These skills are a crucial part of evaluating a candidate.

III. Information to Verify During a Reference Check

The essence of a reference check is to “verify information” about the candidate. Therefore, the information to be verified must be handled carefully by the recruiter.

In all aspects, information about the candidate’s job and work-related matters is the top priority and requires the most time investment. The information that needs to be confirmed will vary depending on the position, company, and candidate. Below are some common questions that can be applied in many cases. Specifically:

Verifying Job-Related Information:

• The candidate’s job responsibilities, title, and salary: This information is mostly provided by the candidate in their CV or during the interview, but it still needs to be clearly verified for certainty.
• The reason the candidate left their job. This information is quite sensitive, and candidates often do not tell the whole truth to the recruiter, so it needs to be verified.
• What is the relationship between the reference and the candidate?
• Why does the reference think the candidate is a good fit for the new position?

These two pieces of information are aimed at the person the recruiter will consult to ask more about the candidate. Not only do recruiters need to understand what a reference check is, but they also need to know how to leverage existing relationships to verify information about the candidate.

• Inquire about and verify the candidate’s greatest strengths and weaknesses

Verifying Work Habits and Behaviors

• Did the candidate get along with colleagues and superiors?
• How did the candidate handle conflicts, pressure, and feedback?
• Does the reference have any advice on how to best manage the candidate?

Verifying Other Important Information:

• If given the opportunity, would the reference be willing to hire/work with the candidate again? Why?
• Is there anyone else who could provide more information about the candidate?

Additionally, for candidates in higher-level positions, companies often check educational background at the institutions the candidate attended, criminal records, legal violations, credit card debt, etc.

If possible, recruiters can also consult with others who have worked with the candidate and ask for their objective feedback. This will make the verification and evaluation process easier.

IV. 5 Effective Steps to Verify Candidate Information

1. Determine When to Verify Information

Recruiters cannot always verify candidate information at any time. Conducting a reference check requires a systematic approach to be highly effective.

The times to verify candidate information are before the interview, after the interview, and after making an offer. The most commonly chosen time is after the interview, as companies have already shortlisted some candidates. This saves time by not having to verify too many people, while still supporting a more accurate decision-making process.

Furthermore, collecting candidate data and information actually involves multiple steps and can be quite time-consuming. Recruiters must allocate their time so that it does not affect the company’s recruitment process.

Some suitable times to verify candidate information:

• After the first round of interviews, when you have narrowed down the list of potential employees
• When you are nearing the end of the hiring process and are about to make a decision
• In special cases, if you are unsure about a specific detail from the interview, test your assumption by contacting the reference immediately

2. Make a List of What You Need to Know About the Candidate

Creating a list of the information you need to verify about the candidate helps recruiters stay organized during the reference check process.

When contacting a reference, remember to introduce yourself and the position you are hiring for, and ask if they have time to discuss the matter with you. Recruiters need to make a good first impression with the reference to obtain the most objective and truthful information.

Then, listen to their story and carefully note the information provided. Since the reference has taken the time to recall and outline the information for you, appreciate their help and thank them after the conversation.

3. Send an Introductory Email or Directly State the Purpose of the Conversation

A candidate’s former direct manager is the best choice, even if they have left the organization, as they will have direct experience managing the candidate closely over a period of time. If the candidate has lost contact with their former direct manager, use email or LinkedIn to reach out to them.

4. Interview or Have a Brief Phone Call with the Reference

As mentioned, if considering the candidate is critical, suggest an in-person meeting. When contacting the reference, remember to introduce yourself and the position you are hiring for, and ask if they have time to discuss the matter with you.

Don’t forget to check the personal references included in the candidate’s profile. Interactions with friends or colleagues on social media can often reveal the candidate’s personality, viewpoints, or attitude towards life. Their public shares on social media can also indicate their interests.

5. After the Conversation, Send a Thank-You Email to the Reference

Recruiters should take the time to build a good relationship with the reference. This will make them more comfortable sharing information with you. You may need their help not just now, but also on future occasions.

Don’t forget to stay in touch with your references, as you may want to request more information about the candidate later and will need their help again.

Read more: 8+ Solutions to Perfect HR Recruitment – Increase Candidates by 50%

V. Notes for Employers When Verifying Candidate Information

1. Employers need the candidate’s consent

Note that before verifying information, you must obtain the candidate’s consent to ensure that the information check does not violate their personal data, privacy, or affect their current position at another company.

2. Avoid vague questions

Getting straight to the point demonstrates the employer’s professional working style and also saves everyone time.

Avoid vague questions like: “Did they do a good job managing the department?” Instead, ask more specific questions such as: “What are they best at? Did they actively participate in company activities?”

3. Do not ask negative questions

Dedicated and professional references may feel uncomfortable giving negative feedback about an employee. The reference might feel uneasy providing negative feedback about a former employee. Instead, to identify negative information about a candidate, pay attention to what is left unsaid.

4. Do not contact and ask questions abruptly without a script or scheduling an appointment in advance

When contacting, the person in charge should follow these steps:

• Send an email or message to request an appointment
• Call to introduce yourself, state the purpose of the contact, the position being recruited for, and ask prepared questions
• Send a thank-you email to maintain the connection and ask for additional information if needed

These steps should be followed in order and require prior preparation, including notifying the reference in advance so they can prepare.

Thus, verifying candidate information for all positions, especially important ones that require careful screening, is crucial. Every business, specifically the HR department, needs to understand what reference checking is and the steps to perform it as shared above to achieve the most optimal recruitment efficiency.

Additionally, to make a company’s recruitment activities more effective, the 1Office recruitment management software solution is now widely used with many objective and useful storage and screening features. With 1Office recruitment management software, HR no longer has to spend time manually screening CVs, as the system will automatically screen and store them in the most optimal way.

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