Quality staff is hard to come by. If you’re in charge of hiring, you know how difficult it can be to minimize turnover by hiring the right employee. Many recruiters have this responsibility and have to make difficult decisions when looking through resumes.
The truth is, a myriad of potential employees will exaggerate their qualifications in order to get a job. Depending on your experience with choosing the right candidate, you may make a poor decision that costs you time and resources.
Fortunately, there is a category that makes resumes a great tool for your hiring arsenal: the references. Here are some reasons references help narrow down your recruiting process.
Reveals Experience
Reference checking helps you get in touch with previous employers. Even if some applicants exaggerate on their resumes, you can cross-reference their experience with the people who previously hired them. Based on their answers, you can decide whether their prior experience fits the position you’re hiring for.
Determines Compatibility
In addition to being qualified for the position, you’ll want a general understanding of how well someone fits into the existing work environment. Sometimes, the perfect candidate on paper can cause friction to the current chemistry flow.
When speaking to their references, you get some insight on how well they were able to work with others, if they’re a natural leader, etc. These are great qualities if you’re looking for long-term employees.
Reduces Future Liabilities
Although you may do adequate research and hire the perceived rightful candidate, you can’t ever fully eliminate the chances of a future hiring negligence claim. For instance, an altercation may occur between the new hire and another employee. If you’ve already combed through their resume and have spoken to their listed references, you’ll be able to anticipate potential issues that could arise later on.
When you speak to your candidates’ former bosses, ask them about any previous altercations and negative character traits to help you decide whether they’ll be a potential liability. If you have to choose between multiple candidates with very similar qualifications, this additional line of questioning can help you decide.
Investigating potential employees’ references can give you groundbreaking results. Whether you’re looking for an experienced candidate, someone who fits into your company’s existing work culture, or both, conversing with past employers helps you make intelligent hiring choices. Gathering information on new applicants will help you find the perfect candidate for the position that you are hiring for.
