Hiring People_ Recruit and Keep the Brightest Stars - Kathy Shwiff [24]
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If an applicant is a strong contender, you may also want to give him a brief tour of the office and introduce him to other employees who can answer his questions. It’s always a good idea for the candidate to get the “feel” of the space he will be working in.
Finally, tell the applicant about the next steps in the hiring procedure—whether there will be a second interview, for instance. Let candidates know that you will be checking their references before coming to a decision. Then give the applicant a rough idea of your time frame for making that decision.
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“When in doubt, don’t hire—keep looking.”
—Jim Collins, author of Good to Great
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Follow-Up Interviews
If you’ve narrowed down your search to a few strong candidates, you might want them to be interviewed by others in your group. In addition to managers, include peers and subordinates in this process—to eliminate candidates who snub those lower in the pecking order. Be aware that each interviewer will probably view the individual differently, not only because the candidate may demonstrate a different level of energy and preparedness with different people, but because of the interviewers’ varying points of view. As a manager, you need to decide which of these reactions are valid and which might be biased.
If you haven’t already requested a list of references, end your round of follow-up interviews by asking for the names of former bosses, colleagues, direct reports, and character references. It’s important that you contact as many of these people as you can to corroborate information provided in the interviews. If the candidate has not yet signed a release permitting you to question references, this is the time for him to do so. The form should state that the applicant agrees not to sue you or any former employers based on what you learn during the reference checks.
CHECKING OUT PROMISING PROSPECTS
Lies and exaggerations on resumes are increasingly common. A 2004 survey of 2,500 human resource professionals conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management reported that 96 percent of respondents said their companies always check references, credentials, or both. It’s becoming easier than ever for an employer to discover the truth, either by hiring a specific outside firm to check the candidate’s background and confirm information on his or her resume and application, or by doing their own legwork. A visit to Google or other Internet search sites can yield a wealth of facts on an individual in minutes. In addition, various specialized tests can generate still other information.
Touching Base with Previous Employers
It’s critical to check an applicant’s references before offering them a job. Never forget that you can now be held liable for a new hire who becomes violent and injures an employee or customer, or who commits fraud, providing it is proven in court that completing a reference check would have kept you from hiring the applicant.
Checking employment references can be tricky, however. In spite of the growing number of states with laws protecting companies that supply good-faith references—called reference check immunity laws—from litigation, many companies still shy away from revealing anything but bare-bones information about a former worker.
Your first step should be getting a candidate’s permission to contact his previous employers, especially if he is currently employed. Next, fax a copy of the background-check waiver that the employee signed during the interview to the employer, along with a letter on your company’s stationery requesting information on the employee. Follow up with a phone call.
During your call, first verify basic information—employment dates, title, salary, and work performed. Then, based on what the applicant told you about his experience, ask specific questions about his attitude and level of performance. Pay attention if you get lukewarm, neutral, or negative feedback. Ask the former employer if he or she would rehire the candidate and ask