Why Professional References should be Verified before Hiring?

Following a series of tiresome interviews with a qualified candidate, you have been successfully convinced to hire them. However, should you still conduct a professional reference check? Yes! As you read the following article, you’ll understand why it is critical to verify the references that a candidate mentions on their resume. 

Some businesses manually verify the references of all their potential employees. On the other hand, other organizations hire professional services to perform reference verification checks. 

Why Employers Verify References

Employees usually verify references as the last step while hiring candidates. Later after completing these checks, they extend an offer letter. Although some employers might consider it a formality, these checks could reveal relevant insights about the candidate. Therefore employers should verify the references of a potential employee.

First of all, reference checks are different from background checks. Background checks can reveal the candidate’s criminal past (if any) or any fraud they might have committed. On the other hand, reference checks include contacting the candidate’s previous employers to verify their skills and get an idea of their professional conduct. Managers must ensure that candidates pass these checks before they are hired. 

To ensure that recruiters comply with the present laws, they should maintain uniformity throughout their verification process. In addition, employers will get an unbiased and balanced opinion on the candidate by contacting previous managers or supervisors. 

Importance of reference verification and checks

Verifying a candidate’s references is a crucial step in hiring employees in any reputed organization. The following reasons are why hiring managers should verify references:

• Employers have to confirm certain details of the candidate. This includes their compatibility, previous income, responsibilities, and other relevant aspects.

• While it may not be true for all candidates, some of them may forge or mislead employers with their listed qualifications and skills. Therefore, contacting the previous employer could help them verify these details. 
• In addition, employers must verify that the listed references are authentic. This is to prevent the candidate from lying about any details. 
• As a final step, hiring managers should confirm the qualifications with the previous employer. Usually, this includes inquiring whether they were a team player or held a position of responsibility. 

Conclusion

The majority of the candidates assume that employers don’t bother checking and verifying the references. However, they should know that recruiters never skip this crucial procedure. This is because it’s important to verify if the candidate possesses the qualities they have painted a compelling picture of.