Business

Human Resources: Employee Reference Checks

References are one of the most straightforward parts of any applicants resume, which is why many employers are surprised to discover how often these names and numbers are misrepresented. Whether the problem is fake information or subtler methods such as giving friends numbers as actual companies, the fact remains that many references come bearing the stamp of dishonesty. Thats why more employers these days are outsourcing the checking part to a company with the time and resources to verify everything properly.

The references we provide are in a sense the most human part of the application. Numbers, schools and prior job titles are one thing, but hearing the opinion of another human being who is intimately familiar with the applicant can often be far more illuminating. Thats why applicants whose track record may be something less than stellar tend to falsify this part of the document and hope nobody notices.

Know for Sure
Thankfully there are a number of companies that have earned solid reputations for doing this kind of work right. That means checking numbers against existing data, following up with other employees and generally doing everything possible to be sure the information is coming from a vetted source. True references are absolutely essential to the hiring process, so sometimes it is worth a few extra dollars to be sure you are getting what that prospective employee says you are.

Even fully staffed human resources departments dont have the time or energy to do all this legwork on their own. It may help to look around the Web for dedicated companies who make a living at this sophisticated research and see how easy it can be to get a partner you can trust. The right screening tools are generally believed to be far more valuable than relying on intuition alone.