Do prospective employers check references?

[4everHis]

Is this really the case now? 

I was in a business meeting where the person who does job interviews happen to be. When asked if an employees behavior issue had come up from past employers references, we were told we don't really check or give references. --"We could get into trouble for not giving someone a good reference." Because of this we are assuming that no one else is giving references so we don't check. --We do background checks but don't check references. 

 

Edited March 9, 2022 by 4everHis

[Melissa in Australia]

They do here. I have been contacted by  employers when people have used me as a reference

Edited March 9, 2022 by Melissa in Australia

[Katy]

It depends on the state, but I’ve definitely known both employers who don’t check or give references AND people to give a less than stellar reference that’s vague to imply they wouldn’t hire them again but won’t give anyone reason to sue. 

[goldberry]

We check references but are not allowed to GIVE references. 🙄

[4everHis]

So, unless someone has been reported to police, producing a criminal record, you can't know if this person has issues? Even when it's a job that involves children? This feels so wrong.😒

[kbutton]

I have been called as a personal reference. I don't own a business or do any hiring or firing though. But a business called me when a friend listed me as a reference.

[73349]

A lot of HR offices will only verify that the person worked there & when. But a former co-worker, etc., used as a reference should be able to be more open about strengths and weaknesses s/he observed.

[4everHis]

1 hour ago, 73349 said:

A lot of HR offices will only verify that the person worked there & when. But a former co-worker, etc., used as a reference should be able to be more open about strengths and weaknesses s/he observed.

I think office staff who does interviews is very afraid of lawsuits. So can you call a business and ask non-HR person questions regarding past employees?

[73349]

1 minute ago, 4everHis said:

I think office staff who does interviews is very afraid of lawsuits. So can you call a business and ask non-HR person questions regarding past employees?

You could insist that one of the references from candidates be a former co-worker or client who can speak to their skills/capacities.

Edited March 10, 2022 by 73349

[4everHis]

17 minutes ago, 73349 said:

You could insist that one of the references from candidates be a former co-worker or client who can speak to their skills/capacities.

I like this. Thank you. I will mention it at next meeting.

[footballmom]

Prospective candidates are smart enough to know who will say good things about them and who will not.  You are better off investing the time to really understand the needs of the role and aligning the interview team on those qualities / qualifications and hire for potential where you can for someone with the right attitude. 

[Bootsie]

I think it varies greatly by the type of job and the chances of getting any meaningful information for a reference.  In a field that will have a high turnover, references are less likely to be checked.  Jobs in which there is likely to be a longer-term position with a specific skill set, it is more likely that references will be checked.

[Hilltopmom]

School districts check references- both former administrators AND the professional references the person gives as additional references- it’s usually at least 3-5 required and all are contacted.

 

[Laura Corin]

We check references.  We don't expect to learn negatives from them, for reasons of legal liability, but you can usually learn the positives and sometimes read between the lines about what is not said.  We have previously declined to hire someone who could not provide references.

[QueenCat]

My dh says they contact references. They always ask if the person is eligible to be rehired by the company. He's told they'll often answer the question.

[Tap]

My company will only say the dates of employment and if the are their able to be rehired. Just the facts, no opinions. I think it is either a law in our state, or the amount a company can say without getting in trouble.

Unfortunately, that means a stellar employee who didn’t give a 2 week notice, who is not able to be rehired…. Will be branded as not-rehireable.

And the mediocre employee who was sneaky enough to never got caught breaking rules, will be branded rehireable. 

When I did interviews I called to verify employment, but it wasn’t for anything more than checking dates and job functions.  Sometimes you could get the person on the phone to say if the employee was terminated, and the reason for termination. They won’t give details, but might say “insubordination”!or “attendance issue”. Smaller companies give more details, than big ones with HR departments. 

Personal references sometimes give you more, but they are very unreliable. You have no idea if the person giving the reference is honest.

so yeah, I can understand not checking them. If there was any large lie around the dates of employment, I tossed the resume since it was one of the few things I could verify. I figured not every remembers exact dates of hire but it should be correct within a month or so ( more grace given for older dates). 

[Dianthus]

Nm

Edited June 28, 2022 by Spirea

[Grace Hopper]

As for giving a reference, we must be very careful about what we say. We basically limit it to verifying whether or not they were actually employed by our company, and whether or not they are eligible for rehire with our company. No details. 
 

ETA I see Tap answered above. I agree that sometimes good employees may appear to get a bad rap, but as a smaller company we would be able to, say, indicate a good employee as rehire-able even if they quit without a two week notice. I will say, though, that it bothers me not to be able to give a little detail when we have had to fire people for theft. 
 

If you can prove an employee stole from you, but do not follow it up with charges that result in an actual conviction of theft, then go and tell someone calling for a reference that person is ineligible for rehire because he stole from you, that’s grounds for a slander lawsuit.

Edited March 10, 2022 by Grace Hopper

[Grace Hopper]

16 hours ago, 4everHis said:

I think office staff who does interviews is very afraid of lawsuits. So can you call a business and ask non-HR person questions regarding past employees?

I would think they still face the same possibility of being sued, if they are a “representative” of that company by virtue of being employed there. 

One of my young adults recently filled out an application that specifically asked for a professional reference NOT from the current/most recent place of employment. 

Edited March 10, 2022 by Grace Hopper

[Bootsie]

When I was hired in a position at a state university, I had to provide three references which had to be checked according to state law; that was simply a check-boxing exercise.   On the other hand, people know each other professionally, and talk to each other informally.  Your professional reputation precedes any application and reference checking.  

[Faith-manor]

Here they do not check them during the first round of interviews if they have enough applicants to thin the pool with other criteria. If you get a call back interview, then they check. Many companies only verify that you did or did not work there for X period of time. So you are supposed to have personal references from people who are not relatives and have worked with your in some capacity so often volunteer work, community stuff. My coworkers from my previous job are not prohibited from giving me references though so it kind of depends on a lot of factors. But usually it is round two when they check. If there aren't enough applicants to weed any out right up front, then I would imagine they check references up front before calling for an interview.

[Rachel]

Formal reference check, I would think this is company specific. HR is definitely only going to verify dates and possibly if the employee left in good standing. The individual actually hiring for the position may or may not call listed references. 
 

Informally references are definitely getting checked. LinkedIn is being examined and people you know in common are getting called. The informal reference could keep you from getting your foot in the door or be the only reason you are hired. 
 

Jobs involving children should involve a child abuse/neglect check in addition to a background check. That usually doesn’t happen until an offer has been made or is about to be made. In my state that’s a requirement for any job working with children including volunteer jobs. 

[Sneezyone]

My (soon to be) employer is checking references. I always provide the names/contact info for people I've worked closely with, sometimes but not always the 'supervisor'. They can provide, from their PERSONAL phones, more candid assessments.

[ScoutTN]

23 hours ago, 4everHis said:

So, unless someone has been reported to police, producing a criminal record, you can't know if this person has issues? Even when it's a job that involves children? This feels so wrong.😒

I work in both education and ministry. Absolutely do we check references! And do background checks, of course.

[ScoutTN]

Lots of summer jobs that hire teens and college kids do because I have had a steady stream of reference requests since January!

[4everHis]

12 hours ago, QueenCat said:

My dh says they contact references. They always ask if the person is eligible to be rehired by the company. He's told they'll often answer the question.

I like that question. 

[4everHis]

9 hours ago, Grace Hopper said:

As for giving a reference, we must be very careful about what we say. We basically limit it to verifying whether or not they were actually employed by our company, and whether or not they are eligible for rehire with our company. No details. 
 

ETA I see Tap answered above. I agree that sometimes good employees may appear to get a bad rap, but as a smaller company we would be able to, say, indicate a good employee as rehire-able even if they quit without a two week notice. I will say, though, that it bothers me not to be able to give a little detail when we have had to fire people for theft. 
 

If you can prove an employee stole from you, but do not follow it up with charges that result in an actual conviction of theft, then go and tell someone calling for a reference that person is ineligible for rehire because he stole from you, that’s grounds for a slander lawsuit.

I think this is why I feel such frustration. That we can't expect to get this kind of information. 

[4everHis]

2 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

Lots of summer jobs that hire teens and college kids do because I have had a steady stream of reference requests since January!

I have, too, which was one reason I was surprised that references weren't being really checked. This is a place where children are an issue.