Ever wonder what the difference is between “terminating” an employee and “firing” an employee, or if there is any difference at all? Easy Small Business HR’s “HR Dictionary” takes the mystery out some of the human resources jargon by highlighting some of the basic definitions of words most often used by those in the position to hire and manage staff. Some basic terms used by HR professionals when interviewing candidates. Below is a small sampling. More terms can be found at the Easy Small Business HR – HR Dictionary page.
Behavioral Interview – an interview technique that requires that the person being interviewed provide specific examples that support their responses. The following is an example of a behavioral interview question: Share with me a mistake that you made in your last job. Describe the mistake, how you handled it and what you learned from the mistake?
Close Ended Question – A question that based on the phrasing, can be responded to by stating either “yes”, “no”, “sometimes”, or some other very limited type of response. Close ended questions should be avoided whenever possible if the goal is to obtain detailed information about an applicant’s experience and abilities.
An example of a closed ended question might be: “Do you think that you can handle the fast paced nature of this job”, or, Do you have good interpersonal skills?
Interview – a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee which allows for the gathering of information on a candidates skills and experience. It is also an opportunity for the applicant to highlight their experience and communication skills as well as to learn more about a particular position or company.
Open Ended Question – A question that requires a detailed response from the applicant. An example of a open ended question might be: “Describe for me the process of creating a database, step by step”?
Reference checking is an important part of the interviewing and hiring process, yet so many supervisors are unsure of either how to go about checking references, or why they should even take the time to check references on their job applicants.
When you have found your perfect job candidate, and your ready to hire, it’s understandable that you’d be ready to keep the hiring process moving forward and by hiring your job candidate as quickly as possible.
For some supervisors, this means checking just one “quick” reference, and for others it may mean going by your “gut” and skipping the reference check process altogether.
Checking references won’t give you an iron-clad guarantee that you’ve hired the perfect candidate, but it is one of the best ways to determine whether or not your candidate of choice has the skills, experience, and temperament that you need for the job that you are filling. It’s also a very important way to learn about any performance or behavioral issues with a potential candidate.
Four tips to think about prior to checking references:
1. Plan ahead and determine what it is that you need to know about the candidate. Keep in mind that the questions that you ask should focus on the candidates’ work experience and interpersonal skills.
2. Determine who is the best person to provide you with the reference information that you will need in order to make a final decision as to whether or not to hire a candidate. Do you really need to obtain a job reference from your candidate’s friend, a work colleague, or a former teacher if these individuals aren’t able to share any pertinent information about your candidate’s job performance?
A good rule of thumb is to always obtain references from at least 2 people who are in a position of authority over the person that you’re hiring. Insist on references from current or past supervisors who can speak to the person’s overall skill set and job performance as well as a reference that can speak to the candidates ability to work across departments, teams, or with various clients and customers.
3. How many references do you need?
I recommend obtaining a minimum of 2 business references and up to 4 references as appropriate. Two of the job references should be from the candidates’ current and past supervisor.
4. Ask permission to check references with your job applicant and be clear with the applicant as to what types of references that you will need.
Now that you’ve taken a few minutes to think about the references that you’ll need to make your hiring decision, you don’t want to leave it up to your job applicant to give you a list of references that may not be helpful to you.
Let your candidate know specifically with whom you’d like to speak to for a reference. If it’s the current supervisor, ask them to provide you with the reference contact information in writing. Always get permission to check references in writing.
Be transparent and let the candidate know how many references you will need to speak to, and when the candidate can expect to hear back from you.
It’s also a good idea let your job candidate know if they are a strong finalist for your job opening. You can then confirm with your candidate that your final hiring decision will be based on obtaining satisfactory references.
You’ll find that there are some candidates who will legitimately feel uncomfortable with your checking references with a current supervisor.
Show some empathy by letting the applicant know that you understand how uncomfortable they may feel, and that checking references is a normal and necessary part of the job interview process. Emphasize how important it will be to speak with a current supervisor before making a final decision.
Most applicants who are confident with the type of reference that they will receive will give you permission to check with the current employer, especially if they know that they are the final candidates.
I can’t stress enough that whenever you are in the reference checking stage, that you let the candidate know that any job offer is dependent on a strong” or “satisfactory” reference. In this way, you’ve set the stage to let the candidate know that you are no longer considering them if in fact their references aren’t as good as you hoped.
You are not obligated to share the references that you received with applicants, and I would recommend that you not go in any detail about the type of reference received whether the reference was good or bad.
If you check a reference and find that the reference has changed your decision about hiring an applicant, you should be brief and state that you feel that that the job is not the right fit. Best practice is to always check in with your HR professional or, with an employment lawyer if you are unsure as to what to say.
