Reference Checks

A recent situation caused me to start giving some new consideration to reference checks. I want to share some general thoughts aimed at employers first then will give some suggestions to candidates as well.

Employers beware! Most references listed on a job application are going to be positive since few people would be crazy enough to identify negative contacts (at least that is what you would suspect)! I once hired a young retail salesperson based on four glowing references. He arrived to work on the second day of training to tell me he had to go to court that afternoon as he was facing shoplifting charges against a former retail employer who was not listed on his resume. Even worse, he had a sealed juvenile record and had done time in a youth corrections center for shoplifting as well. I had gone so far as to call folks not listed as references and still did not get enough information.

Candidates beware! Many employers could give you a negative reference by simply refusing to answer questions. It is best to secure the name of a positive reference before giving it out to perspective employers. Ensure they are comfortable endorsing you and your work abilities with others. Also, all temporary and/or contract work should be verified by the company who signed your paycheck, in other words, the agency who assigned you, not the actually company where you did the work.

I hope this was useful to many of you!