

Why Checking References Isn't A Waste Of Time - tptacek
http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/why-checking-references-isnt-a-waste-of-time/

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tptacek
There's a kernel of a good idea in this article: before checking references,
determine 2-3 questions about the candidate you need answered; then focus the
reference check on those questions. This prevents you from posing generic
questions that get canned, inconclusive answers.

That approach could glean valuable information even from direct references
(the references you offer to a prospective employer are always primed and
coached, right?). Even an extremely friendly reference is unlikely to lie
overtly on the phone. So your mission as a reference checker is to pose
straightforward questions that are hard to bullshit around.

People's concerns about HR "no detailed references" policies are also probably
overblown. The references a candidate offers you are part of their
credentials; they've presumably chosen the best ones they have. References
that can't tell you anything because of "policy" are, in fact, negative
references.

