Perfman HR: Maintaining Goodwill Towards Your References Is Important
Perfman HR
Because your references are doing you a favour, you don’t want to abuse their goodwill. This means you’ll want to make sure they’re not called too frequently. If they have been called three times already, and you need to use them again, you should call them, thank them for their efforts on your behalf, apologize for any inconvenience, explain the circumstances, and ask whether they are still willing to help. This will help you avoid having your references go flat. You should also take any steps you can to prevent their overuse in the first place.
If you’re asked for references early in the interviewing cycle, you can mention who you would use and what they can confirm about you, but say you would prefer that they not be contacted until a later stage in your discussions. Explain that you want to be fair to your references by not having them called too often and that you are having discussions with several organizations. When the time does come to provide contact information, say that you wish to call the references first to provide them some understanding of the position you are discussing and to introduce the person who is calling.
This approach has multiple advantages for you. It gives you a chance to prime your references. It shows the hiring manager that you treat people with respect. It delays the reference checking until late in the process when the company already has decided you are the right choice. And it indicates that you are giving consideration to several companies and positions—raising your worth as a candidate.
Dealing with Unfavorable References
If you have a reference that you must provide — your most recent manager, for example — but feel that the person may give you a mixed review, have a discussion with that person. Find out what he or she sees as your strengths and weaknesses. Try to show how you are seeking to make the most use of your strengths and are either working on your weaknesses or choosing a path that doesn’t rely on them.
Ask for the person’s own suggestions. It’s pretty unusual for a person to give a weak endorsement of someone who is listening to constructive suggestions. At the same time, it’s important for you to prepare a hiring manager to hear an unfavorable reference if you think this may be a problem. By doing so, you get to tell your side of the story, and the manager won’t be hearing for the first time that someone thinks you made a mistake or didn’t handle your job or a particular situation well. Here’s an example:
“There is one reference I’m giving you that may not be as favorable as the others. Let me explain why. When I was hired by E Square Services, I was told to notify my supervisor immediately if a dangerous situation seemed to be developing in the mall. I did so after the December Fourth Big Sales event, when the crowds seemed to be getting thick, and a few troublemakers were starting to stir things up. I immediately told my supervisor of my concerns about the developing situation, but he took a wait-and-see attitude. Later, when trouble broke out, he seemed to want to pin the blame on me for not telling him soon enough. I don’t wish to make an issue of it, but I thought you should understand some of the background.”
Make the First Call
When you do reach the stage of providing contact information, be sure to call each of the references you have given. Explain to them who might be calling, what the position is, why it relates to your goals, and what you think the person calling might be interested in knowing. You can also request that the reference confirm or emphasize certain characteristics.
A week later, you might call again to ask if your reference received a call. If so, find out what the caller seemed to be interested in, and seek any recommendations your reference might have as far as clarifications you should make with the employer. For example, your reference might indicate that the caller said, “He seems likable, but I’m not sure he’s persistent enough to follow through when the going gets tough.” The reference might not have been able to address the caller’s concern based on what he knew about you, but you—now knowing the concern—could find a way to introduce more evidence regarding your persistence when the going gets tough.
If your references have not received calls after a week, you could check in with the hiring manager to see whether there is anything you could do to make it easier to get through to them—such as determining when they will be available or asking them to call the hiring manager on your behalf.
Bear in mind that the hiring manager may already be satisfied that you are the right person. On the other hand, the manager may be having discussions with another candidate and holding you in reserve. Either way, your thoughtful persistence will leave a positive impression.
About the Author
Sonal Aurora is director and co-founder of Top Recruitment Company India. Perfman HR is a premier HR Consulting & Recruitment Company Founded in Mumbai, India. We are an inventive and dynamic Human Resource Company specializing in Executive Search, Recruitments, Training, Learning & HR Solutions.
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