Are Reference Checks Important?

In a previous blog post, Should Reference Checks and Background Investigation Checks be Offered Together, we brought up how performing a proper character reference check with a comprehensive investigative report is vital to a successful hiring process.  I want to now introduce you to two individuals. 

Meet Sally.  Sally has an outstanding resume. Her work history lines up with just what you were looking for. When you interviewed her, she came across as poised, competent, and articulate.  She answered all of your questions thoroughly and concisely. Your initial thoughts were that she will definitely help take your company to the next level. Her resume and face-to-face couldn't have gone better.  You share your enthusiasm with your team.

Meet Bob. He has a solid resume. Bob doesn't have quite the accomplishments that Sally has, but he also doesn't have any red flags. When you interviewed Bob, he also answered all of your questions thoroughly and concisely. Your initial thoughts were that he is prepared and pleasant. Bob doesn't quite generate the same level of enthusiasm as Sally does when you think of adding him to your existing team are not. However, you are not ready to cast him aside. The team you've already assembled works well together and they are well-suited to one another. They operate like a well-oiled machine and nothing should interfere with that.

You have both individuals continue through the next steps of the interviewing process by providing each with the proper paperwork and steps to complete the required comprehensive background screening.    

They both initiate a comprehensive background check and they both pass. No criminal history for either and work histories are accurately recorded.

In each of their follow up interviews, the teams interviewing both Sally and Bob are split about who would be the best fit for the company. Each individual comes in with their ‘A’ game and exceeds the interviewers' expectations.  

Now the question is: what is your next step? Who do you hire? Do you take the interview process a step further and initiate a character reference-check survey for each of them to send to a series of requested references?  

Well, if you choose to take it a step further and decide to initiate a character reference-check with RefLynk, you would find out that:

1. Sally has a good attendance record. When at work, she is perceived as task oriented. Unfortunately, she is not seen as a team player. She micromanages and consequently is perceived as lacking trust in her team's insights and decision-making capabilities. She has often alienated her team members who feel she has been slow to share success and quick to affix blame when things don't go right.

2. Bob's references indicated that he is usually the first in the office in the morning and quite often the last to leave every night. He is considered an exemplary team player who is both generous and kind to others. He challenges his team to think outside of the box by example. He is a problem-solver and unconcerned about affixing blame when there are glitches. He doesn’t focus on who caused the problem, but how to fix it.  

As a leader, it is your responsibility to provide the proper tools to your company and to your teams. With RefLynk, you have the capability and tools to ask the right questions. You get to look under the hood, so to speak, and have the opportunity to design questions that will pinpoint candidate's strengths and weaknesses. RefLynk will help you do that. Your questions can  provide a comprehensive picture so you can identify which candidate will best fit your company and your specific team. You are now able to assess the best team member to challenge, build-up, and grow the culture of your company.  

The real question is why aren’t you using RefLynk now?  If your company culture is important to you, you need to make this move now!  

For more information about RefLynk and our comprehensive automated reference-checking solution, please feel free to contact us.  

RefLynk (866) 867-2910

You can email us at info@reflynk.com.