September 24, 2024
You Can’t Outsource References
I met a friend last week to trade notes on business. He's a very successful solo consultant in another field.
In the course of our discussion, I explained how critically important references are to the recruiting process, and how labor-intensive it is to do them well.
“Why don't you just outsource that stuff?" he asked. “Anyone could do them with proper instruction. You don't need to be involved. After all, no one gives a bad reference — are they really that valuable?"
His questions revealed his ignorance of recruiting. That's forgivable, since it's not his field. However, the attitudes implicit in his questions are shared by a lot of people who should know better.
Let's take his points one at a time:
- Yes, references really are that valuable. In fact, when done well they are as important as the interview.
- It's true that most people are reluctant to give a bad reference, but they will do so if asked the right questions. And it’s not just about fishing for flaws — whether good, bad or somewhere in the middle, references yield a nuanced picture of the candidate that is always enlightening.
- Outsourcing is not possible if you want to do a good job. The person conducting the references has to know the candidate well, and must have enough seniority to be taken seriously.
Imagine what would happen if you accepted my friend’s assumptions. If you believe references are unlikely to be helpful, it makes perfect sense to delegate them to a low-level person. That would lead to an outcome where the resulting references are useless. In other words, expecting poor results guarantees a poor outcome.
Don’t skimp on references. Doing them well requires a time investment, but there is nothing in recruiting that will yield a richer return.
