For every company, finding the right candidates for your open positions is a crucial task. One of the essential steps you must take to ensure that you are choosing the best candidate is to conduct reference checks. With the help of HSD Metris’ reference checking service, your company can outsource this job and eliminate this time-consuming process from your HR department’s responsibilities. How can you get the most out of a reference check for your next candidate search? Take a look at these tips for reaping all of the benefits that a reference checking service can provide:

Don’t wait until the last minute.
Too often, companies choose to hire a candidate and then do a reference check. Putting the reference check off until the last minute can be extremely risky because you are making a decision without the benefit of knowing what the candidate’s references have to say. Avoid being surprised by utilizing a reference checking system earlier in the process. Deciding which candidate to hire for your job opening is a big task, so it is important to look over all avenues in the process. For example, interview time is especially valuable. It is far more costly to conduct multiple unnecessary interviews and hire the wrong candidate. Informed companies consider references prior to a final interview.

Ensure that you’re asking the right questions.
The purpose of checking your job candidates’ references is to learn more about them from the people who know them best. When you’re working with a reference checking service, the reference content is customized to your total recruiting requirements. In this way, benchmarks may be established for all candidates as well as those unique to a particular position. Examples of core reference questions are the candidate’s quality and volume of work, customer/patient focus, goal focus, interpersonal skills, teamwork, ethical behavior, innovation, and creativity.

The facts matter.
When a third party reaches out to your candidate’s references, it is common for references to offer many opinions about the candidate. It is important to sort through that information to find the facts you are looking for.

Ask for more, if necessary.
If you feel there is more information you need about your candidate, don’t be afraid to ask for more references. Get to know the candidate well by speaking to as many people who have worked with the job candidate as possible. With our automated references, the recruiter decides how many references need to be completed by former supervisors, co-workers and former direct reports. Most automated reference services are priced per candidate, thereby eliminating additional cost if more are completed or asked for. A comprehensive reference should always include a 360 view of former work associates.

HDS Metrics®’ ReferenceRight® electronic reference checking service can be the perfect solution for companies looking to fill open positions. ReferenceRight obtains data regarding your candidate’s competences and performance all in a minute’s time for a recruiter to register, sort, and chose ideal candidates.  For more information about our reference checking services, contact us today.