Are Candidate References Too Positive? Exploring Third-Party Checks for Honest Feedback

Dear All,

Another issue I have faced is that references often tell you what you want to hear about the candidate — mostly good and also underplay negative traits. Very rarely have I received negative feedback about a candidate. Is it because the references have been informed earlier about it? They are the names given by the candidate himself. Thus, is there a way of third-party reference check on issues of integrity, performance in the previous job, etc?

Yogesh Pahuja

Hi Yogesh,

I think you are really right. I agree with you. But what I think is conducting a reference check is also a skill of an HR professional. If we follow only guidelines or points in the form, we may not be able to gather the right information. However, if we go beyond the format and use our soft skills while interacting, we can definitely gather much more information. This is all from my personal experiences.

Regards,
Pooja Bansal

Pooja,

I agree with your view. However, the issue doesn't stop there. No matter how good we are at interpreting the tone of the respondent, hidden meanings, and asking intelligent questions, the authenticity still remains questionable.

I had an employee for whom Thomas profiling was done, three references were spoken to, two rounds of interviews were conducted, and everything else within three months she left. That as a non-performer, even though the references were senior officials of well-known corporates whom you would not like to question and who spoke highly about her.

Yogesh

Hi Yogesh,

Sometimes, reference checks can only yield so much information. At times, an employee may be forced to leave the company due to circumstances beyond his/her control. Otherwise, there are many factors you can focus on to prevent employee attrition after joining. With a strong selection process, it is possible to screen out candidates who either do not have the required ability to perform on the job or are frequent job hoppers.

Regarding reference checks, I think it is important to go beyond the references provided by the candidate and contact other authorities from the university/company where the employee may have studied/worked earlier (except the last/current employer).

Regards,
Deepti

Yogesh,

Please understand that in the situation you have described, the candidate left as a non-performer. That means the candidate was not suitable for the profile you offered or could not fit into the company culture or could be due to certain other uncontrollable situations. So, here the major problem lies with the selection criteria. I think that is the reason why we as HR recruiters should not only focus on technical aspects but also on the overall personality of the individual and their fit within the company.

Pooja

Hi,

One cannot rely on the reference checks.

Rarely do you receive negative feedback due to our cultural weaknesses. One tends to feel that if a person has not succeeded in my organization, it does not mean he will not succeed in another organization as performance and work culture often vary between organizations. This perspective may also be valid, and let us not consider it a weakness of our culture.

Even when I am aware that an employee has been uncooperative, dishonest, or underperforming in my organization, if they secure a job elsewhere, I say, "good riddance!" as it saves me the trouble of terminating their employment. However, when I intentionally conceal the truth about the individual's employment with my organization, it reflects dishonesty and is indeed a cultural weakness.

Nevertheless, how many of us are truly willing to hire someone for whom we have received unfavorable feedback? We tend to err on the side of caution and reject candidates we had otherwise deemed suitable. Do we lack trust in our own judgment? Can we not hire them, observe them impartially, and determine their fit based on their own merits within our organization?

References should be viewed as opinions shaped by specific circumstances. We may not know the full picture of what occurred at their previous workplace and could inadvertently penalize an innocent candidate.

We must develop the ability to evaluate job candidates competently and have the courage to stand by our assessments. This will be a significant contribution to the HR profession. Severe situations involving criminal activities, proven dishonesty, adultery, etc., should warrant a strong response.

Perhaps due to high unemployment rates, we are casual in dismissing candidates with unfavorable references to play it safe. However, when circumstances change, and such luxury is no longer available, we must focus on effectively assessing and understanding individuals in all contexts, and skillfully nurture and develop human resources. Until then, we must navigate the current landscape.

Good Luck to all.

Regards,

Samvedan

September 9, 2006