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Referencing

Reference checks are job-related inquiries which are useful in verifying an applicant’s previous work history, skills, knowledge and abilities. They should be conducted prior to making a hiring decision and commitment.

These verification procedures won’t make a decision for you but can reveal telling information and can separate potentially good workers from poor workers. They also provide an incentive to applicants to be more honest with the information they provide and can safeguard against potential hiring disasters.

Click here for Verbal reference forms.

Once you have decided on the questions you would like to ask, and confirmed the candidates permission to call the referee, you can make contact with the specific person.

Introduce yourself and state the purpose of your call.
Be sure the referee has time to talk.
Ask the referee if they are happy for you to make the information available to the applicant, persuant to the Privacy Act.
Briefly describe the position for which the applicant has applied.
Confirm the relationship between the referee and the applicant.
Verify basic data such as job title, duties, salary and dates of empoyment.
Ask job-related questions to obtain information about the applicant’s skills, knowledge and abilities as required by the position for which you are considering the applicant.
Design your questions to elicit the referee’s observations and personal assessments of observed work behaviours.

Note:

Ask the same questions about all applicants for whom you obtain references. Weigh information you receive in the same manner for all applicants. What disqualifies one should be a basis for disqualifying any other.

Remember that the information you receive is limited by the perceptions of the person giving it.

If you receive negative information about an applicant, weigh it with data received from other references before using it to make a decision.

Providing Verbal and Written References

If you are asked to provide a verbal reference for an ex-employee, ask the caller to fax to you a copy of the ex-employees written authority to provide a reference for them. Ask the callers name, company and number and advise that you will call them back. Once you’ve received the written authorisation, then return the call, checking the company name and callers name upon answering. Remember to tell the potential employer that this reference is your opinion only and that you wish it to remain confidential. This covers you under the Privacy Act.

An employee does not have a right to a written reference. You could simply provide a certificate of service detailing the length of service and the positions held by the employee.

More information on this topic

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