Traditional reference checking is still an important component of a recruitment process.

Why are references conducted?

Candidates during an interview process are naturally keen to present the best version of themselves to a potential employer. A reference provided by a third party helps to provide context and further insight. Just as you are likely to do your due diligence regarding a new employer, they will be keen to do the same when it comes to their new employee. A reference is simply another tool utilised in conjunction with the interview and any additional testing, to assess whether you are likely to be a good fit for each other.

Professional references serve to:

• Verify your employment history such as dates of employment; position title; responsibilities; reasons for leaving
• Give information on how well you meet the requirements of the new role 
• Explore softer skills like being able to work autonomously or in teams and handle times of pressure
• Help the new employer understand areas for technical or personal development
• Enable a new employer to predict future behaviour by focusing on a candidate’s actions and the outcomes achieved in a specific situation

In my experience, many candidates struggle when it comes to selecting appropriate people to act as referees for them during the recruitment process. Here are a few thoughts from Lawson Delaney on selecting your referees:

Who should you use as a referee?

• Unless your potential employer has requested a ‘character reference’, your referees should be those who have supervised you or who have held more senior positions than you, within a professional capacity. The exception to this may be when you are moving to a role requiring leadership of others and a reference from someone you have been responsible for or coached may be relevant. 
• Sometimes a peer reference may be requested, for example, if you have worked in teams or on a project together, however they must have had significant interaction with you to be able to answer specific questions regarding your work history, performance, communication, and work ethic.
• Ideally, your referees should be people who you worked with recently – your last place of employment is the most appropriate but this is not essential. For example, if you worked in another field most recently but a role prior to this was more similar to the prospective role, providing a referee from each may be a good idea. 

A few other points of note

• Keep relationships current – many candidates advise that they have fallen out of touch with their potential referees.
• When you embark upon a job search process, make sure you have given prior thought about who you will be able to use as a referee.
• Make sure you ask the permission of someone before you list them as a referee and ensure you have their current contact details. Both an email and a telephone number are ideal. If possible, give your referee a little information about the role you are applying for and some background on why you are looking for a new role so it is not a surprise to them.
• You are unlikely to be asked to provide a referee from your current workplace unless you have already resigned from the position or you can find someone appropriate to whom you have disclosed your job search on a confidential basis.
• Some employers have a policy where they will not allow a verbal or a written reference to be provided but will provide a statement verifying the dates of your employment and position title. In this situation, you may be able to request a ‘character reference’ from someone from within the company as an alternative.
• You do not need to provide the names and contact details of referees on your resume. Feel free to state that you have referees available upon request. You can also ask that referees are not contacted without your knowledge/permission. This is a reasonable request which helps to protect your confidentiality until necessary. 
• Try and leave employers on good terms – you never know when you will need to call on them for a reference in the future!

For more information how put your best foot forward or to discuss the market and roles that are currently available, please contact us on 03 9946 7300 or support@lawsondelaney.com.au

Lawson Delaney is a leading executive search and professional recruitment firm based in Melbourne. We specialise in recruiting CEOs and leadership teams, and accountants of all seniorities for Accounting firms.