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Employment references - what value are they?

Jacqueline Burnett

HI,

We issue approx 300 new contracts a month and generally request 2 references per new hire.  However, the response rate is only 19%, many references are factual only stating only the dates of employment.  6% of the 19% that responded were poor references. We have a 6 month probationary period where poor performers / attitude issues can be weeded out.

When considering how we could automate the reference process, we began to question the value of obtainng references versus the administrative chore it entails.  As I understand it, there is no legal reason in our business why we would have to obtain employment references. 

Interested to hear your views please.  Sounds couter intuitive but ..

Do you think references are necessary / provide valuable information?

Would you conisder not requesting references at all?

Is the administrative element justified when considering the value of the information gleaned?

Parents
  • We have the same issues, low response rate and what we do receive does not give us anything. However, on the flip side we only offer confirmation of dates and title too.

    I personally think they are a waste of time, it is a administrative chore.

    When we do manage to speak to someone who will take our calls, 95% of the time they are very positive. However, I always think most people wouldn't provide you with someone's name that is going to give you a bad reference...…...
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  • We have the same issues, low response rate and what we do receive does not give us anything. However, on the flip side we only offer confirmation of dates and title too.

    I personally think they are a waste of time, it is a administrative chore.

    When we do manage to speak to someone who will take our calls, 95% of the time they are very positive. However, I always think most people wouldn't provide you with someone's name that is going to give you a bad reference...…...
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