Hi Mom! How To Make the Most of Personal References
Hiring a new employee can be a challenging process, which is why references are so important.
With so many employers choosing to utilize third-party verifiers or only verifying through HR, getting a performance reference on an applicant can be hard, bordering on impossible. This is where personal references come into play. Receiving a reference from someone who knows your applicant, has maybe worked with them, but isn’t the hiring manager can make the hiring process easier and more streamlined. Encouraging your applicants to provide the best references gives you the most information. So, who are the best personal references?
Supervisors or managers
Leaders in volunteer organizations
Teachers
Why? Mainly because these people provide a more objective reference. They are not going to make the applicant sound better than they are because it doesn’t affect them. They are a more reliable source of information because managers aren’t going to lie to help their employee or former employee get a job. The other benefit is that these people have seen your applicant in a working environment. They are going to know how your applicant deals with stress, deadlines, conflict, etc.
Who are the least useful personal references?
Family members
Close friends
Spouses
Why are these personal references the least useful? Because their friends and family want the applicant to get the job so they are going to tell you the best things about the them. Friends and family are much more likely to hide the negative traits of your applicant. The other problem is that they like your applicant, probably love them, and when you love people, you tend to be blind to flaws. So, even if your applicant’s mom is trying her best to be an objective reference, she’s still their mom, sees the best in your applicant and is only going to be able to tell you things shaded by rose colored glasses. Long story short, Non-relative and non-friend references are going to tell you whether or not the applicant will be a good employee and not just a good friend.
So, how do you get the references to avoid calling someone’s mom or best friend? Specifically request the references you want. Have a sentence on your application saying something like “Please provide only references who are not related and are not close friends.” This ensures you are going to get the best information about your applicant and can be confident you are hiring the best person for your company.
DISCLAIMER: READ CAREFULLY: The information provided in this article is not considered legal advice and is given only for information purposes. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL.