Why Reference Checks Matter
Plus the 2 Rules Talent Management Should Consider With Reference Checks
In this article, we address the myth that we can skip reference checks because they are meaningless. While we can outsource or use tools to complete this task, we can complete these checks internally and there are advantages to doing so. I would recommend that companies consider two of my rules that I have when checking references.
First, let's look at why we tend to see mistakes when talent management or recruitment checks references.
The Actual Problem
What are we fundamentally doing when we evaluate a candidate? If this feels like a big question, let's zoom into the question by asking, what are fundamentally doing when we check a candidate's references?
Let's consider what people tend to say about why this is a meaningless activity:
“People will just ask their friends to be a reference and say positive things about them. This doesn't translate into a person who works well.”
“People will hire someone to say something positive about them.”
“You can't learn anything about a candidate from their references because the references are going to be positive, but that doesn't mean the candidate is amazing.”
“You tend to only hear the fluff about a person and not the actual truth.”
You can search for any of the observations about checking a candidate's references and you'll see some of these exact same comments.
What we’ve actually discovered is people who are approaching reference checks as a task and not a story. If you honestly tell me that you have never heard something negative about a candidate from a reference then you're not doing your job.
Evaluating a candidate involves the same work as writing a biography. We gather the candidate's story. A meaningful conversation with a reference will not be fully positive. Part of every story communicates growth. In order for a person to grow, they had to receive feedback. That feedback felt painful because the feedback challenged the person's view of their self. The person improved because they realized that they had not achieved the status they believed.
This sounds obvious at first glance. Notice what I wrote in the above paragraph again. Yet if what I wrote was as obvious as we think then we would not hear the above comments against reference checks.
I've never had a conversation with a reference that was only positive about a candidate. Why? Because when you gather a story of anyone (myself included), you will get some of the negative in the story.
Take the Feedback
Let's pause here and challenge you as a reader. When you check references do you only hear positive things? If you answer yes, then you should evaluate how you approach a reference check.
You are receiving feedback in this article! If you feel reference checks are pointless then how you approach them may be a reflection of what you’re doing.
You don't approach a reference check like someone selecting "done" on a task. You approach a reference check like writing a biography.
The Skills We Need
Before we look at two of my nine rules for checking a candidate's references, let's consider two absolute requirements when we evaluate a candidate for a position.
Creativity
Communication
Creativity
How do you feel when someone puts "creative" on a resume? Most people in talent management feel the exact same way: creative is what you do, not what you say.
How does this relate to evaluating a candidate? How do you use creativity when you evaluate candidates? How do you use creativity when you check references. Consider the below common question for a reference - is this creative?
In your view, what is (or are) the candidates biggest weakness(es)?
In my view, this question lacks creativity. But that's the least of the problems with this question. This question invites dishonesty.
Who is actually going to answer that question? Even if I knew someone's biggest weakness, I would never feel comfortable answering that question. That question highlights an example of "approaching a challenge like a task and not a story." If you were writing a story about a candidate, you would never ask a reference that question.
Communication
I used to joke that if I needed an effective communicator, I would hire a consistent member of Toastmasters over someone with a degree in communication. I no longer make that joke because if I need someone who effectively communicates, I apply that lesson. (It’s no longer a joke). Of course, people can practice communication in other ways - for instance, communicating a difficult concept to people in a way that feels easy to understand.
When I started hosting a leadership lunch, one major reason involved communication. I heard from many in leadership that communication significantly differs based on the audience.
Communicating to fellow leaders differs from communicating to customers to communicating to employees. This sounds obvious, yet many of us don't apply this because we fall to our level of training. The leadership lunch helped leaders connect and learn about other industries, and also helped them practice communication in areas where they felt weak.
How does this observation about practicing communication relate to a discussion with a reference? If we don't reflect over how we communicate, we tend to approach a reference call like an interview call. I like to say that speaking with a reference mirrors speaking with a stranger. When you speak with a reference, this is not an interview. Yet many in talent management approach a conversation with a reference like an interview.
This is the equivalent of trying to apply tricycle driving skills to driving a monster truck.
Since we are discussing communication, consider these two prepositions in the context of person:
Speaking to a stranger.
Speaking with a stranger.
These do not feel the same to the stranger (nor to you). While this seems subtle, the feeling is extremely different.
The Starting 2 Rules
1. You can skip reference checks for some high turnover positions at a low level. Example job titles for low levels might be entry, junior or contract positions. Why can you sometimes skip the reference checks in these cases?
This mirrors what we mean by telling a story: we're hiring a newborn (metaphorically). You wouldn't write a biography on a newborn.
Keep in mind that this position would be held consistent with our expectations. We wouldn't expect a newborn to sprint 100 meter dashes and solve quadratic equations.
The key with low level from the legal view: low risk. Some companies don’t have positions like this at all, while some companies have an abundance of these positions. Confirm with your legal department that these positions are low risk.
2. Pay attention to a high percentage of references that don't respond (over half). This communicates everything you need to know.
If a candidate gives you 3 references and none respond, then consider what that means in the biographical sense. The same applies if only 1 responds.
Security note! Do not send links in any communication with references. This is horrendous practice and will get you blocked quickly by many providers (phone and email). Remember that you're a stranger to this person. Practice good security when you reach out to references.
Most of the time if you request, good candidates will introduce you to a reference. As an alternative, they may give their reference a heads up that you'll contact them. You still want your first message to exclude links, if you will eventually need to send one.
Remember that a person should be in regular contact with their references.
With rare exceptions, I speak or message my references at least once a month - if I don't see them multiple times within a month! There are a few that I message almost daily.
What kind of person doesn't stay in contact with their references? Consider that remote work or out of office work isn't an excuse here (I suggest you read How and Why You Should Meet New Colleagues This Year). Return to my earlier point about writing a biography; who would a reference be in a person’s biography?
Never forget one key point when recruiting talent: ideally, we’d like our talent to grow within our company. This will involve meeting and working with other people. A person who does not value the people they know won’t value new people in their life. You never wait until you need something from someone to tell them they’re important to you. You communicate regularly that they are important to you. One easy way of doing this is communicating with them regularly.
Fundamentally, quality candidates don't approach people they know as temporary. When you consider who a reference is in the context of a candidate’s biography, apply this point even more to the situation.
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