Watch out for sneaky reference-checkers
The resume is finally perfect, right down to the references you handpicked, then called and begged to brag about you.
A former boss who loved you. A past co-worker who has been your best friend for years. A professor who clearly thought you were the next Donald Trump.
But oops. You didn't know about a trend taking place in the world of hiring - reference interrogation. Some companies, just to stir things up a bit, are calling references listed on resumes. Instead of asking questions about you, they ask for the names and numbers of other people who may know you.
The objective: Get the real dirt on you. Like that secretary who thought you were a pompous egomaniac or the manager who told you numerous times you were an incompetent lug.
"There is an assumption by many potential employers that references provided by the candidate may not be as accurate in assessing the candidate (as they should be)," said William A. Kuntz, managing partner with Princeton One Search, a recruiting firm in Indianapolis.
Don't think you're fooling those employers, he said. They know references often have personal relationships with the candidates. They know that sometimes those listed references aren't really in a position to evaluate your performance.
"Thus, they need to identify someone else who can speak accurately and candidly about the candidate's skills and potential," Kuntz said.
Can employers really do that?
"Totally legal," said Michael Blickman, partner and chair of the labor and employment section of the Ice Miller law firm in Indianapolis.
OK. They are allowed. But if a job applicant catches wind of the inquiries, it could be a turnoff to them. And companies need to be careful.
"Competition for talent is fierce right now," said Scott Erker, a senior vice president with Development Dimensions International, a Bridgeville, Pa., human resources consulting firm. "You've only got so many good and talented workers that are going to show up for any one interview."
In fact, two of three job candidates are turning down jobs based solely on what happens in the interview and with the interviewer, according to a survey by DDI and Monster.
"A few years ago there were more candidates than jobs, so employers were in the driver's seat," said Erker. No more. "Now is a good time to be a job candidate because you've got a lot of choices."
According to the survey, a few other things can turn off job seekers, such as when the interviewer:
- Withholds information about the position.
- Turns the interview into a cross-examination.
- Shows up late.
- Asks questions unrelated to job skills.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments