The Reference Check: Everything You Need To Know
Learn about the benefits of conducting references checks, considerations for handling them internally vs using a third party, and tips for performing one.
Screening ServicesREFERENCE CHECKS
Reference Checks
A reference checking service helps you gain valuable insight into your candidate’s character and work experience through in-depth interviews.
Trust & Safety
The Importance Of Professional Reference Checks
During the screening and hiring process, employers conduct reference checks to obtain information about a candidate’s previous work experience, such as the candidate’s soft skills, character, general reputation, and personal characteristics, that an Employment Verification does not provide.
Professional Reference Checks help your business:
- Verify the candidate’s reputation and trustworthiness
- Gather a realistic assessment of the candidate in the workplace
- Determine whether the candidate is a good fit for the position
- Make informed decisions about who to hire
Results
What’s Included In Our Reference Check For Employment
A Professional Reference Check involves contacting a candidate’s former employer and/or supervisor to learn more about the candidate through a series of open-ended questions. A full written transcript of the interview is provided for the employer’s review. The reference check results help give you insight into the individual’s:
- Ability to work with others
- Communication skills
- Strengths
- Areas for improvement
Search Options
How GoodHire Reference Checks Work
Professional Reference Checks are generally conducted by the employer, recruiter, or hiring manager by calling professional or personal contacts provided by the candidate. This is a time-consuming process—hiring teams can spend hours chasing down references and conducting lengthy phone interviews.
With GoodHire, our team of experts helps reduce your workload by calling the specified reference. During the phone interview, our team asks a series of open-ended questions to get the detailed information and perspective you need to make an informed hiring decision.
Resources
Learn More About Professional Reference Checks
Compliance
FCRA & Professional Reference Checks
Employers using a Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA), like GoodHire, to run background checks to assess candidates during the hiring process have important responsibilities to ensure a fair and respectful process for the candidate, and to comply with various laws and regulations that govern employment screening.
Disclosure & Authorization
The FCRA requires employers to inform the candidate that they intend to run a background check, and obtain the candidate’s permission to do so. For reference checks, also known as investigative consumer reports, an additional, special disclosure is required under the FCRA.
Additional Certification Is Required
The employer must provide certification that they have provided special disclosure language to the candidate regarding the investigative consumer report.
Adverse Action
If the results of a background check, including the reference check, prompts a decision to deny employment, the FCRA requires employers to follow specific adverse action steps.
