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发帖数: 10208 | 1 References are often the last step in the screening process before an
employer extends an offer. While every company has a different policy on
references, most still ask for them. What a reference says, or doesn't say,
can sometimes make the difference between getting an offer or not.
How to choose the best job references
Greg Szymanski, director of human resources at Geonerco Management in
Seattle, says that when employers contact references, they're looking to
determine if the candidate is the person who presented himself in the
interview. "Often what's not said is more important than what is said. And
hesitations and dancing in a reference's answers are very telling."
The questions employers are asking
Employment verification: The standard questions a hiring manager will ask
are ones related to your employment. The employer will want to verify that
you did indeed work with this reference, the dates of your employment and
the reference's relationship to you (boss, peer, etc.). Sean Milius,
president of the Healthcare Initiative, an affiliate of global recruiting
firm MRINetwork, says employers also want to know why you left. "It is very
important that their story matches that of the candidate," Milius says. "If
the candidate says it was a 'mutual parting,' but the reference says they
were let go or laid off, there will be a problem. The candidate should
always be truthful when asked why they left, as the potential employer will
check out their story."
Workplace performance: After a hiring manager asks the basic questions, she
might dig a little deeper into your work performance. Common performance-
related questions will cover strengths, areas for improvement, ability to
work in a team and biggest accomplishments. Sunil Phatak, director of U.S.
recruiting at IT staffing and consulting firm Akraya Inc., says the
following questions on both hard and soft skills are also often asked:
What would you say is his strongest attributes?
How would you describe her interpersonal skills?
What would you say motivated him most?
Would you rehire or recommend her for rehire?
Personality and well-roundedness: Szymanski notes that while work-
performance questions provide important insight, they don't always give a
complete picture of the candidate. "If you want to know what the person is
like, you have to ask questions that get at that information in a different
way." For instance, an employer may ask, "Would you trust the reference to
watch your children if you were away on vacation?" Or, "Would you take the
candidate to dinner at a nice restaurant with your parents/spouse/
significant other?" "The more personal/nonwork-related questions are often
useful, not for what the reference says, but [for] what the reference doesn'
t say and/or the manner in which the reference provides an answer or doesn't
answer," Szymanski says.
Who the references are matters, too
Sure, a reference's answers hold a lot of weight, but who the reference is
can be just as telling to a hiring manager. If the only references you can
provide are your mom, your sister and your best friend, it might raise a red
flag with the potential employer.
"Most employers would prefer that a job seeker choose a former manager or
supervisor as a reference," Phatak says. "This is because managers are
usually able to deliver a relatively unbiased opinion and are much less
likely to be swayed into giving a positive referral if one isn't truly
deserved. A manager is also a good pick for a reference because a positive
referral from him will hold more weight than one from a co-worker who is
similarly ranked. Job seekers should also select references who worked with
them for at least a year, have a good understanding of their abilities and
can attest to their positive attributes."
Setting your references up for success
While you likely won't know the exact questions a hiring manager plans to
ask your references, you can still prepare them for the call. The first
thing you should do is tell your references that they are one. While that
may seem obvious, it's not always done, and the last thing you want to do is
have your references be blindsided by the hiring manager's call. Even if
you've used certain references in the past, don't just assume they'll be
available or willing to serve as one again. The best approach? Ask your
contacts first before giving their information to the employer.
Phatak says that if you've done a good job of selecting your references,
they'll know you and your work style well enough that they won't need any
coaching on the answers. He does suggest that you share the basic job
description with your references and refresh them on the position you had
and contributions you made while working together. "This is especially
helpful if a lot of time has passed since you last worked with them. You don
't want your references to be caught off-guard and failing to recall what it
is you even did on their team."
Szymanski shares this metaphor to summarize the use of references during the
hiring process. "Reference checking is one spoke in the wheel of talent
acquisition. If you can get as many spokes in the wheel as you can, your
hiring will get better. Reference checking is not perfect, but if used in
conjunction with other spokes, reference checking can be useful in verifying
/confirming what you already know or breaking ties between two or more
closely matched candidates." |
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