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References Are A Key Tool To Avoiding Bad Hires
Once you have whittled your list down to about three candidates, it's time to check the past by contacting the references that they've given you.
By: Peter Mitchell
Once you have whittled your list down to about three candidates, it's time to check the past by contacting the references that they've given you.
By: Peter Mitchell
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Before you do this, just remember that at least 40% of resumes do not contain the truth. The truth is often absent either through exaggeration or omission.
One experienced interviewer said that applicants are never better than their resumes!
Stretching the truth is a common ploy and it normally revolves around three areas. Firstly, the titles of the positions that the person held in their previous jobs. Secondly, their salary packages. Thirdly, their level of skills and responsibilities.
The other areas where it is very important to perform a rigorous check are as follows:-
· Qualifications
· Dates
· Courses attended. (For some reason people lie about their training)
· Accomplishments.
Dates of employment can also be manipulated so that a short employment period can vanish. This is achieved by only putting the years and omitting the months.
Be wary of qualifications which have been obtained overseas. Sometimes it is very hard to verify them. Overseas qualifications can be false. Viewing the original certificate is no guarantee that it is of any value. In some countries tertiary education institutions will provide a certified copy of the degree or diploma certificate. Local qualifications can be checked by contacting the issuing authority.
The reference checks from managers will enable you to get a cross-section of impressions regarding the person's personality. But beware. You may get a glowing reference for a person sacked from their last job. The previous employer is trying to help them into a job for a variety of reasons.
Appointing a person with an inappropriate personality causes untold problems in the workforce. Ask any manager.
If the person seems to have had a number of jobs in a short time, don't forget that we are living in a fast changing commercial environment and this might be a sign of a person who is on the lookout for new opportunities and challenges.
It could also be a person who has been restructured out of jobs through no personal fault or lack of performance. This can be verified by reference checks.
Page 2
Peter Mitchell is a business consultant who has helped many businesses to lift their labor productivity in the workplace at little or low cost. His practical guide The Key To Productivity should be on every manager's desk and used to install your productivity improvement program. To find out more go to www.thekeytoproductivity.com.
One experienced interviewer said that applicants are never better than their resumes!
Stretching the truth is a common ploy and it normally revolves around three areas. Firstly, the titles of the positions that the person held in their previous jobs. Secondly, their salary packages. Thirdly, their level of skills and responsibilities.
The other areas where it is very important to perform a rigorous check are as follows:-
· Qualifications
· Dates
· Courses attended. (For some reason people lie about their training)
· Accomplishments.
Dates of employment can also be manipulated so that a short employment period can vanish. This is achieved by only putting the years and omitting the months.
Be wary of qualifications which have been obtained overseas. Sometimes it is very hard to verify them. Overseas qualifications can be false. Viewing the original certificate is no guarantee that it is of any value. In some countries tertiary education institutions will provide a certified copy of the degree or diploma certificate. Local qualifications can be checked by contacting the issuing authority.
The reference checks from managers will enable you to get a cross-section of impressions regarding the person's personality. But beware. You may get a glowing reference for a person sacked from their last job. The previous employer is trying to help them into a job for a variety of reasons.
Appointing a person with an inappropriate personality causes untold problems in the workforce. Ask any manager.
If the person seems to have had a number of jobs in a short time, don't forget that we are living in a fast changing commercial environment and this might be a sign of a person who is on the lookout for new opportunities and challenges.
It could also be a person who has been restructured out of jobs through no personal fault or lack of performance. This can be verified by reference checks.
Page 2
Peter Mitchell is a business consultant who has helped many businesses to lift their labor productivity in the workplace at little or low cost. His practical guide The Key To Productivity should be on every manager's desk and used to install your productivity improvement program. To find out more go to www.thekeytoproductivity.com.
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References Are A Key Tool To Avoiding Bad Hires
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References Are A Key Tool To Avoiding Bad Hires
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