Staff Matters Newsletter November/December 1999
Referencing Checking:
Don’t Get Lost in the Translation
By Steve O'Connor

Recently, the Atomic Cafe magazine printed a handy guide to the language of what former bosses really mean in their glowing references. "Exceptionally well-qualified" probably means has committed no major blunders that we know about. "Takes pride in their work" could mean conceited beyond belief. "Good problem-solving skills" could easily mean finds someone else to do the job. "Strongly principled" translated means they’re stubborn as a mule. "Strong time management skills" probably means watches clock like a hawk. While reference checking can be a little tricky, it certainly is possible to elicit useful information from a former supervisor by asking the right kind of questions. Amy Kolodny, human resources consultant, provided the following methods in the June 1998 issue of Recruiting Trends magazine:

Ask pointed, open-ended questions. This can encourage the reference to talk and share specific examples. You might ask, "Can you describe the candidate’s work habits?" Follow up with, "Can you give me an example?" or "Could you describe a situation where the person performed well?"

Give negative queries a positive spin. People are reluctant to give negative feedback. One way to glean this information is to present it in a positive slant. You might say, "What does this person do least well?"

Encourage anecdotes. Descriptions from the candidate’s on-the-job experience tell you more than a straightforward response. You might ask, "Can you describe a project in which this person worked with minimal supervision?"

Remember, employees respond differently to different types of managers. It’s important to ask, "What was the work style of this person’s supervisor?" or "The manager the candidate would report to is very rigid. How do you think the candidate would respond to that?"

Know whom you are calling. Ask the candidate and the reference to describe the previous work relationship. Try to speak to former supervisors instead of colleagues, who may not have been in a situation to evaluate the candidate’s work. Realize that any reference can be subjective and their input is just one aspect of the employment process.

Speak to more than one reference. Three is an ideal number, but even two can provide a balanced picture.

Talk to references yourself. Save outsourcing for drivers’ license or criminal checks. Issues of character are open to each individual’s interpretation. If you hear it firsthand, you know what was meant.

Use a checklist. It helps keep the conversation focused. Check off the candidate’s competencies as you hear them described so that you’re sure of hitting all the areas you set out to cover.

If you take this approach, you can cut through much of the evasive, nonspecific responses and get to the truth about the candidate. This way you won’t run the risk of missing when "average" means not too bright, when "consults with supervisor often" really means asks questions every two minutes and when "keen sense of humor" actually means knows lots of off-color jokes.