Checking references is a time consuming component in the hiring process, however it is critical. Recent statistics show that approximately 40 percent of resumes contain misleading or inflated information about employment and/or education histories. Let the professionals at Crimcheck™ verify the information presented by your applicants — degrees, certifications, employment histories and more — so that your hiring team considers only the most qualified candidates. Crimcheck offers three different levels of references, Personal, Professional and Academic.
We at Crimcheck can customize a set of questions to be asked of references for you. This can be a very useful tool when hiring. We can also check “developed references” which consists of finding individuals that have either worked with the applicant or know them personally. Job references are a great way to identify a candidate’s previous job duties, performance, strengths and weaknesses and other detailed information not gathered from the employment verification.
The questions developed for your candidate’s references can be customized to fit your company. Our team will work with you to develop a questionnaire that fits your industry, business or organization. Our understanding of HR best practices and investigative techniques gives you access to the best reference background check available when someone is applying for jobs with you.
Personal References
Personal References can provide information on what the applicant is like on a personal level and can verify their level of responsibility, good nature, communication style, and community involvement. Although you always run the risk that this reference is merely a friend giving a friend a good reference, a good investigator can ask specific questions regarding the reference level of involvement.
The applicant that can help to confirm that the reference actually knows the subject on a professional level. Crimcheck’s investigator also always ask how long the reference has known the candidate to ensure the reference truly knows the candidate well.
A Personal Reference can also give insight into the applicant’s current work status and current/prior employers. If the information given conflicts with the applicant’s resume, then that brings to light additional avenues to check.
Why was the prior employer left off the resume? Perhaps a call to the prior employer is a good idea? Our investigators are trained to spot inconsistencies that can lead to additional verification of the resume details. In general, a personal reference is a great way to gain valuable information about a candidate’s character and individual qualities.
Professional References
A Professional Reference differs from a Personal Reference in that it usually involves contact with someone the candidate worked with, instead of a friend or relative. A Professional Reference also differs from employment verification in that when an employer is verified, the HR Department is contacted. Although an HR Department is allowed to give more information, (see our article on Employment Reference Shield Laws) they will normally only verify certain specifics like contact information.
A professional reference can extend beyond the HR Department and could be a colleague, supervisor or past co-worker from previous employers. This reference is provided by the applicant and gives insight into their strengths and weaknesses, working habits, ability to collaborate on team projects, previous responsibilities, capabilities and accomplishments. It is a realistic assessment of the candidate in the workplace.
Professional references are the most helpful reference in looking into how a candidate will work with your company, since the information gathered comes directly from a previous co-worker. Essentially, a professional reference can attest to a candidate’s qualifications for the job, such as job title.
Academic References
An Academic Reference is usually a past teacher, professor, coach, volunteer leader or mentor, and can help you gain an understanding into their work habits, dedication and overall responsibility of the candidate from their previous academic history. When asked about the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, the academic reference usually gives very candid responses.
Academic references can be especially useful. An education verification verified only institution attended, type of degree earned (or dates attended if no degree was earned) and major. Academic Reference can detail specific qualifications your organization may want or require along with how they handle challenges, particulars about their organizational skills and communication skills. This type of reference is also helpful if the candidate has little employment history or is just out of school.
