In my mind one of the most overlooked parts of the search process for most executive recruiters and third party search professionals, along with the candidates they represent, is how to select references that will speak candidly and intelligently about the candidate’s skills and abilities, and do so in the most positive, enthusiastic and realistic manner possible.
Many search professionals just assume that their candidates know how to manage this critical aspect of their career, but truth is most don’t pay nearly enough attention to this make or brake career transition detail. That mistake can often cost them the job they want next.
Thankfully, the folks at the Korn / Ferry Institute have put together a great white paper on the subject that can be downloaded at:
Its a great tutorial on why executive search professionals need to do this type of back ground reference checking, it also examines how they do this part of the search process, it explores how candidates can facilitate this process to get the best possible results, and it discusses candidly what occurs if they find something that is less than flattering as they do these reference checks.
It would be my advice that every every search professional read this white paper. After you read it yourself, I would then share this with every candidate you consider representing. I would do this very early in the search process. If you wait until later in the process, you might find that you have waited too long to keep the candidate competitive in the process with your client or prospect as they scramble to get this information gathered, when in fact they should have prepared this information at the same time that they put their resume together.
Do you have any additional advice you share with your candidates about protecting their career reputation through their references? If you do, please share it here, or email me at AskJeff@JeffersonInc.com.
Jeff Skrentny, CERS, had an inauspicious start in the recruiting profession as his first placement quit after 93 days. Then he was sued. Despite that start, Jeff has been an executive recruiter for 23 years, and has also been a trainer, author and motivator for his profession for the last 15 years, as well as being a business consultant and adviser for its producers, managers & owners for the last 10 years; all while still running a busy IT search business in Chicago at his firm Jefferson Group Search. You can email Jeff directly at AskJeff@JeffersonInc.com.
Thanks, Jeff. I have always thought this was an important part of the prep. It’s amazing how many candidates have not even given their reference contacts the heads up that they may receive a call, much less ask them what they intend to say, or guide them with details in the context of the job so the reference will have the greatest impact.
Marianne, I agree! And that is where we, as third party search professionals can guide them through this maze with an early heads up about this critical part of their career search process. My plan is to share this article with all candidates right before or after I interview them, I just haven’t decided which just yet. They need to have this information so they can proceed intelligently though what can be a potential landmine field.