How to Conduct a Thorough Reference Check on a Candidate

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Conducting a thorough reference check on a candidate is one of the most important steps an employer can take in the recruitment process. Many companies are now hiring professional background search firms to conduct background checks, but you can conduct many of these searches partially on your own.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Employee's application and references
Employee's consent form for conduct background search

Step1

Collect the employee's application, references and consent form for the background search.

Step2

You will need to call the past employers and references listed on the application. If the employee does not want you to call a past employer ask for further clarification. Any lapses of employment also require further explanation.

Step3

You will also need to verify any education listed. Most schools will release the graduation date, major and degree(s) earned. Another way to verify a degree is to have the candidate request an original transcript from the school. This should be mailed directly to Human Resources or the business owner.

Step4

Although you should remain objective pay careful attention to the responses by former employers and references. Make sure to note any inconsistencies. You can then politely discuss this with the candidate.
Any questions arising out of this should not be made in an accusatory manner.

Step5

You need to conduct the background search in an objective manner. You should not be asking personal questions regarding the candidate. Your goal should be to verify the information on the application as it applies to the position.

Tips & Warnings

If lab work is required it will need to be administered by a clinic. The results are strictly confidential and should only be handled by Human Resources or the business owner.
Please check your local and federal laws regarding the hiring of employees who are to work with minors. The background check will differ in that case.
All employers should practice due diligence regarding background searches. Some companies have been held liable for not conducting thorough background searches.