The Questions You Need to be Asking in a Reference Check

The Questions You Need to be Asking in a Reference Check Sponsored by MightyRecruiter “Trust, but verify” is a time-tested and effective way to do business. That holds especially true with top candidates as they reach the stage of being cleared for hire. It’s the nature of the job market for candidates to cast themselves in the best possible light to the broadest group of potential employers. Consequently, resumes, LinkedIn profiles and even in-person interviews often lack the details employers need to feel 100 percent confident in a hire. And while some candidates are indeed trying to conceal wrongdoings, most have nothing to hide and are motivated by merely wanting to look good. Reference checks are a valuable tool for recruiters to ensure they get the full story or confirm they already have it. Typically, reference checks have two components. The first involves confirming the accuracy of vital background information provided by the candidate: credentials, employment dates, job titles, duties, and most recent supervisors. The idea is to confirm candidates are who they say they are a fundamental criterion for being cleared for hire in any organization. The second involves filling in gaps and obtaining richer information that was gathered during the interview process. You want to be assured that a candidate is an excellent cultural fit, and their accomplishments indeed bode well for success in your organization. Former colleagues and managers can offer objective insight about a candidate’s performance in various situations, how well they interacted with others, and their communication skills. A useful reference check usually provides qualitative information that expands on the quantitative information covered in the resume and interviews. Occasionally, a reference check will reveal past misbehavior that was not evident earlier. Interviews, not interrogations Most recruiters already have the skills in place to conduct reference checks.   But where they often err is in making things too complicated. The best course is to make the experience easy and pleasant for the references you are contacting. Keep the questions simple. Focus your efforts on keeping the conversation going. Revisit questions and encourage the reference to elaborate on earlier answers. Here are three ways to make that conversation effective. 1 Be deliberate   The reference check is no place for a fishing expedition. The purpose is to clear the candidate for hire and resolve any gaps or discrepancies in the candidate’s background. Determine which references you wish to speak with, and the precise information you want from them. Is it to verify facts that are directly relevant to the job, fill in gaps that were not adequately addressed during the interviews, or confirm the candidate is who they say they are? Be sure you are contacting the appropriate persons who can answer these questions. Focus your questions on whether the candidate will do the job and is a fit for the job, not whether they can do the job. Try to include a standard set of questions or an interview format that facilitates fair, side-by-side comparisons between candidates. 2 Get straight to the candidate’s accomplishments A primary goal of the reference check is to get a third-person assessment of the candidate’s achievements. One of the best ways to do this is by using open-ended, behavioral interviewing questions like the ones you used when interviewing the candidate. Another way is to modify the STAR interview technique, asking the reference about various challenges the candidate has faced, the actions taken, and the results achieved. Follow up these behavioral interviewing type questions with general questions about communication, management, organizational, and especially people skills. Ideally, your questions will elicit detailed, specific examples without a lot of thought on the part of the reference. 3 Be scrupulously professional and courteous Seek to get the full picture of a candidate, illustrated by specific examples that provide evidence of what you need to make a confident hiring decision. Look for patterns rather than trying to fit a bunch of disjointed anecdotes into a story that might not be there. Set a positive tone from the outset, and let the reference speak freely and without interruption. Avoid leading questions, negative language, or anything that will put the reference on the defensive. Don’t read too much into a situation where your mannerisms or communication style don’t mesh with the reference’s, or occasions where a reference is reserved or unforthcoming. You may not have established trust or caught them at a good time. Finally, have the maturity to investigate discrepancies before escalating them. The questions you need to be asking in a reference check For all candidates, try to get three references, including the most recent supervisor, whose input will likely carry the most weight with the hiring team. In some cases, references may be authorized by their organizations to answer only standard questions, or you may be transferred to the HR department. When that happens, your purpose is to confirm the basics of the candidates background. Ask the following questions: What were the candidate starting and separation dates? What was the candidate’s ending salary? What were the candidates most recent job titles, supervisors, and departments? Is the candidate re-hirable by your organization? Do not ask questions about the candidate’s job performance, probe beyond the answers you are given or ask the reference to make any judgment calls. For references that can speak freely, the idea is to get a complete picture of the candidate and resolve any open questions. Keep the conversation flowing using these questions: What was your relationship with the candidate? How long was this working relationship? What were the candidate’s job duties and performance objectives? What was the candidate’s salary, including bonuses and performance incentives? What unique skills, knowledge, competencies, and strengths did the candidate contribute to your organization? What was their impact on the success of your organization? What new skills, knowledge, and competencies did the candidate develop while working in your organization? How successful was the candidate in their previous roles in your organization? How did teammates and colleagues like working with the candidate? What are some of the growth areas for the candidate? How did the candidate do in developing in these growth areas? Was the candidate ever subject to disciplinary action? What were the circumstances and the outcome? We are committed to helping the candidate succeed in their new role and grow in their career. What would you say the candidate needs most to be successful in their new position? Would you and your colleagues want to work with the candidate again? Is there anything else that would be worthwhile for us to know about the candidate? If the reference is a former manager or supervisor of the candidate, be sure to ask these questions: How large was the team that the candidate was a part of? Is the candidate one of the top performers of the team? What are the candidates most notable accomplishments in your organization? Did the candidate receive any promotions or salary increases? How would you describe the candidate’s communication skills? How does the candidate treat peers, senior management, clients, customers, partners, etc.? How would you describe the candidates teamwork skills? Are they seen as a leader or a go-to person? How well do they take ownership of tasks, projects, and situations? How does the candidate do with deliverables? Are they done on-time, and ready to use by the next person? What are some of the growth areas for the candidate? How did the candidate do in developing in these growth areas? Would you and your colleagues want to work with the candidate again? Would you want to supervise the candidate again? What do you feel the candidate needs to be successful in their new role? Is there anything else that would be worthwhile for us to know about the candidate? About the author:  MightyRecruiter  is an intuitive, comprehensive, and transformative recruiting solution.  Source passive candidates, track and manage applicants,  access an expansive,  Mighty resume database, and take advantage of  Mighty free job postings. Then, hire the most relevant candidates for your jobs, all at  no cost.

Give em Something To React To - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Give em Something To React To - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If you want to get ahead in your career. If you want to stand out in your career. Use this one tip. Give people something to react to. That’s it! When your manager asks for something … give them something to react to. It will help them know you have thought about the project. It will also force you to think about the project or task in a way that requires a presentation in some form  â€" it could be in-person and oral, it could be a PowerPoint, it could be over the phone or via a webchat. The point is, you want to … Give ‘em something to react to. In the real world this is not hard to do, but it can be daunting. It’s easy to come up with ideas It’s easy to throw a bunch of spaghetti against the wall It’s easy to make big guesses It’s a lot harder to put something down that is more concrete and tangible. Sure, it can be risky and scary to put something out there. But, if you want to stand out in your career this is a great skill to learn early and apply often. In the real world some people are really good at generating ideas and that’s a great thing and that’s a great skill. Some people are really good at deciphering which ideas are more viable and filtering out the truly great ideas. Again,  this is  a great skill. If part of your role is to come up with ideas and think them through then you may want to use this tip. The more you use it the better you will become at using it. Remember … Give ’em Something To React To Putting it Out There This  means thinking through an  idea, concept or scenario. It doesn’t need to be one specific thing, but it can be. It doesn’t need to be the be-all, end-all, final scenario, solution or proposal. However, let’s be honest preparing to Give ’em Something To React To and  putting it out there makes most people feel a little bit vulnerable. Let that fear help you as you  stand out in your career. Testing Your Ideas There are numerous ways to get your ideas out there and there are a few tools that can help you sanity check your ideas amongst a friendly group.  Some businesses have different models â€" some use storyboards, some use PowerPoint, some use six page reports where everybody has to read them before the meeting starts. There is no single right answer. Some scenarios  can be enhanced by using some of the more modern tools like enterprise social networks. Iteration and Ideation Matters Using  enterprise social networking apps  like Slack, Yammer, and  Microsoft Teams can help you text what you put out there. As you prepare to Give ’em Something To React To  use the tools at your fingertips to test, evaluate and sanity check your ideas. You  can also use some of the tips and ideas from my post Who is Challenging your Thinking? too. Embracing A Growth Mindset As I wrote about in Fixed or Growth â€" Why Your Mindset Matters there are two mindsets that can determine your altitude and perhaps your attitude. By embracing a growth mindset mentality it can be a lot easier to really take that chance, make that leap of faith, and put something out there. What will you put out there? What will you Give ’em to react to?

Lessons Learned From 2019

Lessons Learned From 2019 December is traditionally the time of year when you get a chance to sit down with your umpteenth hot chocolate and mince pie to reflect then review what you have achieved in the year gone by against your new year’s resolutions perhaps and certainly against targets set out by your employer! However, I think it is also important to take stock and think about the “softer” elements of the lessons learned- certainly in terms of what behaviors you would change to improve your performance, what you will change next year in terms of your attitude towards situations and even who you will try and avoid next year….. I challenged my colleagues to also think about what they have learned most this year and this is our summary; we hope you find it useful and we would be interested to know whether you have had similar situations in your business too? Sign of the times We always get signed terms agreed upfront with any hiring client we want to partner with, which have clear clauses surrounding fees, payment terms and rebate periods. Ordinarily, our clients have been previous users and so there is rarely an issue around paying us once a candidate is placed- all part and parcel of contingency recruitment. However, you meet a client who is through a recommendation and you agree on fees on email; however, you don’t get the actual signed document assuming the email agreement is enough. A word of caution- if this client then turns into your worst nightmare and refuses to pay your full fee-splitting  hairs over this, it transpires that a signed document is the only way to protect your business. Sadly, this scenario resulted in this client being removed as a partner to our brand as for us, trust is the most important thing and we could never place someone else into a business that breaches that so viciously. We will certainly be very cautious taking on new clients going forward and always with signed terms. Has this happened to you? What was the outcome? Marmite people As you get older, you learn to appreciate what sort of people you want to surround yourself with- I have certainly found as I have passed 40 by, that there are those I want to be around and then those I have to tolerate and in business, this is no different. For example, in recruitment, you do tend to come across a lot of strong characters and just sometimes they border into narcissists- those who lack empathy or commitment to anyone but themselves. How do you predict who these people are going to be other than trusting our own intuition and life experience; even we, as seasoned recruiters, occasionally get the wool pulled where someone will test our patience and trust. However, we would recommend the 3 strikes and you are out rule as there is only so much bad luck one person can have during an interview process. What do you do when you are dealing with someone you don’t like? Crystal ball reader Sadly I am not a psychic nor can I predict the future; therefore my summation is that every recruitment situation you face will be unique and that you can never predict what an outcome is going to be. What you can do to navigate away from risk and steer towards a positive outcome is to always ask open questions, be prepared to listen and ask for the “no”, be genuine in your own approach so that you create an open and transparent engagement with your customer. It is so easy for me to say take a pragmatic view as I run my own business so don’t have shareholders or a boss to please; however the less we worry or become fixated on “making money” and more importantly focusing on outcomes getting the right people their right job- will make you a much more professional, calmer and honest operator in whatever market you operate within. Have you found this in your market? Are there nuances you can predict? USP value Understanding what your USP is should form a critical part of anyones future plan for career development or business operating. Why does someone buy from you whatever your product or service. Think about this and from this USP, build out your value proposition so each and every time you engage with a new customer you can simply position why you are the best person to assist them. We have learned this year that our QUI, sorry “key” USP is that we are highly discerning in our approach (one interview to get someone a job- placed ratio is 1:1.16) and this leads to a high quality and confidential service maintaining a candidates confidentiality and saving them time. What is your USP? We hope this gives you some tangible reflections to build your new year goals onto. We would love to hear them. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my blogs on UnderCover Recruiter in 2019, all the best for 2020.

5 Reasons to Keep in Touch with Your Professors After You Graduate

5 Reasons to Keep in Touch with Your Professors After You Graduate While in college you are around an amazing group of people people that are well connected, well-educated and actively want to help you. These people are your professors and many times students take their help for granted. However once you graduate from college it is a different story. All those resources you had at your disposal are no longer there. You are on your own in this big, busy world. The smart student, though, takes the time and effort to keep in contact with their professors even after graduation. Why is that? Well, for the following five reasons: 1. Graduate School References So you want to go on to get your Master’s Degree or Doctorate? Well, most accredited schools require at least a few references and they love to hear from professors familiar with your educational work. If you have kept in contact with your professors, they are usually more than happy to provide a glowing recommendation letter for you. It counts even more  when the professor teaches a subject relevant to the degree you are pursuing, like Science or Math. If you did something special in their class, like wrote a paper that got an award, feel free to remind them of that in your recommendation letter request. That way they do not have to just go by their memory alone. After all, they have thousands of students and can’t possibly remember them all. 2. Job References Another situation that frequently calls for referrals or references is employment. If you are applying for a particular job field, then a teacher in that field’s recommendation could count for a lot. Even if the job just asks for their telephone number, it is a good idea to include an email or letter from them saying what your talents are in that field. It adds a big boost to your resume and puts you a step ahead of the others. 3. Networking Connections Professors know a lot of people. That is just one more reason to keep in touch with them. Whether you are interested in applying for a job with a company and would like some contact information or you just want to know who is who in the field, your professor is the person to ask. If you let professors know you are job hunting and what you are looking for, they can keep their eyes open and might even be able to set up an interview for you with their friends and contacts. Personal references like that are worth their weight in gold! 4. Job Application Advice If they can’t help you to get in contact with an employer, they can at least help you apply the right way. Maybe  they have tips on what employers in the field are looking for or ways you should phrase your job experience and education to put your best foot forward. 5. Continuing Education Opportunities By keeping in contact with your professors you are also able to take advantage of continuing education opportunities. Maybe the college is offering a free course that is pertinent to your field, or maybe a local business has a one-day training course that is open to the public. The professors are going to be the ones to  know. By continually updating your skills, you become more marketable and noticeable to employers. These are just a few of the reasons why it is a good idea to keep in touch with your professors. Have you got an experience where your contacts from college have helped you secure employment/further study? Tell us in the comments below!

How to Write a Resume Writing Tips - Past Tense or Present Tense?

How to Write a Resume Writing Tips - Past Tense or Present Tense?You will need to know how to write a resume and know how to know when to use the present tense or the past tense in your resume. By learning how to do this, you will be able to do it easily and accurately, and your resume will flow from beginning to end.As the name implies, a resume is a written form that has information about you. It is usually created with the past tense because your skills are from past times, or because the information you have on your resume is from your previous job. The reason you would want to use the past tense in your resume is so that the employer can know what you know, and how long you have been in the industry.If you had previously held a position, then you would be considered a new hire in most fields. The next time you will have to apply for a job, you will use the present tense. The reason for this is because most companies are going to look at your resume and see that you have changed careers. This is just how the world works.When you are creating a resume that has information about you and the last jobs you held, you will need to know when to use the present tense. Your resume is going to come with a cover letter, which usually ends with a 'please send resume'. Your letter is to be used as an introduction to your resume, which is what you have for them to see. It is very important that you use the correct way of writing a resume and a letter at the same time.When you are putting your resume and letter together, your goal is to make it as professional looking as possible. You should use the present tense in your letter. To do this, use your past tense for the letter to make it as real as possible. However, you should write inyour present tense on your resume. That is how you will read it and get the impression that you are an active member of the company.The reason you will want to know when to use the present tense in your resume is because your resume and lette r will be used to attract other potential employers to read your resume. If you use the past tense, they may think that you are a new hire. So they will have to go to your letter, and then read your resume, which takes too much time.Make sure that you know when to use the past tense and the present tense. You will also want to make sure that you have all of the information that you need to write a resume and letter all at the same time. Therefore, always start your letter with a formal and professional tone. Include information about yourself that will interest them, but never mention any previous jobs or any other information that could be construed as negative.Remember, if you are going to use the present tense, include the past tense, and write a resume and letter at the same time, you will learn how to write a resume and letter to be easy to read. Just remember, writing a resume and letter at the same time is important for making sure that everything is accurate and professional .

How to use LinkedIn to target two types of jobs simultaneously

How to use LinkedIn to target two types of jobs simultaneously How to use LinkedIn to target two types of jobs simultaneously I have a two-pronged job search â€" there are two different job types that I’m targeting â€" and I was wondering what advice you might have for my LinkedIn profile. Should I have two accounts? If so, would having two different LinkedIn profiles possibly cause prospective employers or recruiters to question my integrity or sincerity toward either one? If not, how do I manage a single profile and not dilute my online branding? Advice from Dana: Thank you for sharing that you are in job-search mode and targeting two various job types. This is a viable approach in today’s competitive environment. Plus, it’s great to have two areas of passion. In terms of LinkedIn, I do not recommend two different profiles. You are one person and your credentials, connections, recommendations and endorsements are all about one person â€" you. I have expert advice from Viveka von Rosen, author, speaker and LinkedIn consultant, who recommends using the summary section of LinkedIn to communicate your goals for a career change. You have two choices: Develop a clear goal statement that includes both objectives. One example might be, “I am pursuing two career moves simultaneously as I am passionate in two arenas: One, an IT manager in a medium-sized technology company or, two, a customer-facing client manager in an IT consulting firm.” Leave out your goal statement and simply execute on two different job searches. Your LinkedIn summary and profile would be the same for each. According to Rosen, another LinkedIn activity you may want to pursue is to identify the key words used in the job descriptions for both areas you are pursuing and use them throughout your LinkedIn profile where applicable. This will allow companies or recruiters to more easily find you through your skills and experiences.

Creative Ways to Take Your Career

Creative Ways to Take Your Career Are you a creative kind of person? If so, you might feel restricted and restrained by monotonous jobs, or those that limit your visionary skills. If you’re unhappy at work and want a change, why not go for something that’s more suited to you? Here are some creative ways you can take your career, depending on your skills and interests. Art and design The term ‘starving artist’ need not apply in today’s world. If you’re talented in art, you don’t have to rely on selling huge commissions to make your profits. There’s plenty of call for those who can create beautiful visual pieces, for things like business logos and flyers, decorative prints, clip art for crafts such as card making and scrapbooking and so much more. Designers are always in demand to work on things like apps and websites, so if you have these specific skills it’s something worth looking into. Check out jobs in classified listings if you want to do it as a full time job, or sign up to a freelancing site if you’re just looking to earn some money with your skills on the side. Writing Earning a living through writing was once reserved for the best journalists and authors, but there’s tons of directions you can go with it these days. Freelance writing is a good way to earn money in your free time, there’s no upfront costs to getting started and you’re not contracted to any hours. You simply choose the pieces you’d like to do, and if you’re accepted by the client then you complete the piece by the given deadline. If you’re already a freelancer and looking for reliable ways to bump up your earnings when times are quieter then this is ideal, but could also be done around any full or part time job. If you work hard, it’s even something you could do full time, especially as clients will want to work with you again if you perform well. Blogging is another way you can earn money from your writing, while it will take time to get established it’s something that makes a great hobby so is worth starting anyway. In time, advertisers will contact you in regards to paid work, and it can be very lucrative. Another way to make money with your writing is by creating an e-book and self publishing. Sites like Amazon make this very easy, every time someone downloads it it’s money straight to your bank, if you create a few of them that end up being popular it can be a nice chunk towards your monthly income. Food and drink Food and drink careers and business ventures can allow you to get really creative. You could open a bakery and create all kinds of sweet and savoury baked goods. You could open a sandwich shop with interesting and exciting fillings on different kinds of bread. You could become a caterer, and come up with different menus for all kinds of events. If you’re planning on running this from home, chances are there are a few changes you’ll need to make to your kitchen. You need to have a fridge that’s separate for home and work, and you’ll need to ensure that no pets enter your kitchen. If your back door is in your kitchen, you’ll no longer be able to let your dog out this way for example. Of course, you’ll also need to make sure it’s kept very clean and tidy, once you’re registered as a food business yiu could have random checks made on you at any time. Invest in good countertops and flooring, concrete is a smart move as it’s very durable and long lasting. Products like ca rrdiamondpolishingpads.co.uk can help to polish the surface until it’s ultra smooth and really easy to keep clean. Renting a commercial kitchen could be an idea if your home kitchen isn’t suitable or you want more space. This is especially important if you plan on hiring employees. Music There was once a time that you could only really make a living in music if you were a rock or pop star, or some other kind of musical celebrity. But you no longer need to sit around and wait to be picked up by a record deal! You could create jingles for businesses to be used on the radio, on their site or in their videos. You could create background music for video creators to utilise. You could release your own tracks and submit them to streaming sites like spotify. If they’re approved, you get a small amount of money every time someone listens. It probably won’t make you rich but it can all contribute towards your income. Live music in pubs, bars and at weddings is very popular. If you’re a skilled musician, look into joining or creating a band and playing live gigs as a way to bring in some good money.