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      Get Started
      Illustration of professional reference checks

      Professional Reference Checks

      Reference Checks

      A reference checking service helps you gain valuable insight into your candidate’s character and work experience through in-depth interviews.

      Get Started
      Get A Quote

      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
      Get Started
      Watch a video to learn about reference checks for employment.

      Results

      What’s Included In A 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
      Get Started
      Illustration of GoodHire's reference check results

      TIP: Professional Reference Checks are an important part of a comprehensive pre-employment screening package—get started.

      TIP: Cybervetting vs. A Professional Reference Check: Here are 5 reasons you may want to reconsider using social media screening during your hiring process.

      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

      An ipad showing a reference check form is laying on a white desk.

      Create A Reference Check Form For Your Business [Free Template]

      Prefer to conduct your own reference checks? Learn how to create an employer reference check form and download a free template.
      Read Now
      Woman on the phone and working on her laptop

      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.
      Read Now
      A man wearing a gray t-shirt holds a piece of paper with a question mark in front of his face.

      What Makes A Bad Reference Check vs Good Reference Check?

      Learn how to identify the red flags in a bad reference check and the different talking points that make a good reference check.
      Read Now
      Illustration of a clipboard and pen with a list of reference check questions.

      What Reference Check Questions Can Employers Ask?

      Discover typical reference check questions and types of questions employers can legally ask their candidate’s professional references.
      Read Now
      A man at his desk talking to a reference while taking notes.

      Should You Evaluate Personal Or Professional References?

      Discover the pros and cons of contacting professional vs. personal references when screening your candidates during the hiring process.
      Read Now

      Compliance

      How Can You Stay Compliant With 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.

      Free up valuable time and gain valuable insights by letting GoodHire’s team of experts check your candidate’s professional references.

      Get Started

      GoodHire provides simply better employment screening for you and your candidates.


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