What Are The Legal Issues
Privacy issue. The collection of personal information by a federal institution is subject to the Privacy Act. Under this Act, personal information is defined as information about an identifiable individual that is recorded in any form. In the context of a reference check, personal information includes the views or opinions of another individual about the person who is the object of the reference check. It is recommended that hiring officials exercise due diligence by obtaining consent from the applicant prior to contacting referees unless there is a reason not to do so.
Prohibited topics. The Canadian Human Rights Act defines prohibited grounds of discrimination. These grounds are: race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex , sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for which a pardon has been granted. Accordingly, reference check questions should avoid these areas directly and indirectly.
- Ensure that all questions relate to the requirements of the job and to employee performance or conduct during their previous job
- Encourage referees to provide evidence of job performance based on observable work behaviour and
- Avoid questions on prohibited topics.
When To Provide A Reference
For most jobs, a reference is a crucial aspect of the vetting process. For some, though, its not incredibly important, and theyre not very interested in checking references. Because you cant be sure which one the job youre looking for will be, have your references ready in case they ask.
A good general rule is to have your references printed out to bring to your job interview. Of course, if your potential employer asks for your references before that , you should supply it at that time.
Since the hiring process can go fast, have your references in line right away when you apply for the job. Dont wait for a potential employer to ask for it to start putting it together. Instead, follow our guide to getting killer references below.
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How Long Does It Take To Check References After Interview
When there are no red flags or concerns about your background the process to schedule and complete reference checks generally takes three to 10 business days. If something comes up in your background then the hiring manager may need more time to speak with a specific reference again and/or discuss information with HR or other members of their team.
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Follow Up Email After Reference Check: One Week After The Interview
Hi ,
I am very grateful for your time and energy last week in our interview. How you described what you were looking for in this role of sparked my inspiration and interest even further to be working for . I truly believe we are a great fit and feel that my reference check will support this.
If anything comes up in my references that youd like to hear more about, please feel free to reach out and I will be happy to talk further with you. I am also able to provide you with additional references if needed.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon and thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
How Long Does It Take To Get Hired
Changing jobs is stressful. You spend hours looking at job boards and customizing your resume. Then after you apply for a jobits wait, wait, wait! Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes after you apply for a job? What could possibly be taking so long? Just how long does it take to get hired, anyway?
YOU: If they call you, schedule a convenient interview time. Be sure to allow extra time for travel considerations. Bring extra copies of your resume. Try to calm your nerves. Research the company and have a few questions in mind. Be sure to treat everyone you see with courtesy and respect.
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Why You Might Not Get The Job
Well, they may not like what they hear from the references. Or they may not get enough information to resolve any doubts they have. And so they could offer it to someone else. Or decide to continue advertising and / or interviewing without turning you down yet.
Then again, they may get glowing reviews and still wind up going with someone else for any number of reasons. These are things you cannot control. Things that go on behind the scenes.
And they dont reflect on your value to another employer. Or even your potential value to that company, as awful as it feels to be rejected.
Challenges During Reference Checks
- Lack of trust: Some people may be hesitant to disclose information about their former co-worker. Reassure them that the call is confidential and explain that this is about getting to know the candidate better.
- Lack of objectiveness: Some employers might hold grudges against employees who left their company. Or, others could exaggerate their skills, if their collaboration ended on a positive note. To reduce bias, ask for specific examples that show the employees performance and behavior in the workplace.
- Lack of time: Former employers and coworkers might have limited time to answer your questions. So, keep a reference check call short, at the maximum 10 to 15 minutes. Or, suggest coordinating via email.
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If you want to create a strong professional brand and leave a lasting impression with employers, you need to master the post- interview thank you email.
As soon as you leave a job interview, its best to follow up with a sincere, professional, and engaged thank you email. Make sure they know you appreciate their time and attention in meeting with you!
Before we dig into the mechanics of a great interview thank you email, though, know this: sending an email is not a replacement for sending a handwritten thank you note to your interviewer. I always advise folks to do both after an in-person interview. But it will take a day or two for your beautiful thank you card to arrive on your interviewers doorstep. Email has the advantage of delivering an instant dose of gratitude to the people who have the power to give you the job of your dreams.
When writing your post-interview thank you email, keep these three things in mind:
To help you out, I built three email templates for you to follow. Use these templates as a guide to build your own personal rockstar thank you email to send after job interviews!
Did Pat Have Any Major Accomplishments While Working For You
To some extent, this is a softball question to further relax the reference and to validate, again, claims Pat made in interviews. It’s also a reminder that reference checks are not simply a gotcha exercise to catch candidates in a fib or exaggeration. They are a chance to better understand the qualities and skills Pat brings, particularly if Pats a humble or introverted person who may have struggled selling themselves during your interviews.
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No Job Offer After Reference Check
If you havent received a job offer after a reference check, the first thing to consider is how long its been after the reference check was completed.
If youre still within the three business day window, not having received a job offer yet is not a concern.
However, if its been more than five business days, its safe to consider yourself as being ghosted and you can start to get a bit concerned about the status of an offer.
For more on what to do if you havent received a job offer after a reference check, take a look at our dedicated article on the topic.
Why Do Reference Checks Take So Long
Have a Standardized System for Checking References One reason reference checks often take so long is that employers fail to utilize a standardized system. Having a consistent format for your reference interviews will save you time and make it easier to compare different candidates when making your hiring decision.
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It Takes At Least 58 Days Before You Can Receive A Job Offer From The Company
Even if the hiring manager does not read 75% of resumes submitted by the 118 applicants, surprisingly, there will still be at least 29 different applicants for the same job position consequently.
This means that before a hiring officer can decide who will join the company, it would take at least 58 days before a decision can be made accordingly.
The hiring process can be done more quickly depending on the competency of the applicants of the company or depending on the timeline to fill the position consequently.
Adriana Herrera
Founder, InterviewDestiny
Inform The Candidates Upfront You Check References
Want an easy way to weed out candidates with poor references or problems to hide? Be upfront about the reference check and you may find that your candidate list shrinks itself.
The people that you do interview will tend to be more accurate and honest during the interview process. Add this tip to your reference best practices and knowledge base.
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Questions You Should Ask When Checking References
Content Marketer / Editor / Writer
To the list of things that people either love or hate Tom Brady, cats, brussels sprouts we can safely add reference checks. Fans see them as a sure-fire way to uncover candidates abilities and to learn if they are likely to be a phenom or a fiasco. Haters, on the other hand, find them to be a complete waste of time.
One of the reasons reference checks can feel unproductive is that many companies put no structure in place when asking candidates to list references. Predictably, they end up with the contact info for the prospective hires BFFs, who will invariably say the candidate is:
But when reference checks are done right, they can be hugely helpful and be the difference between hiring the right or wrong person. So to help you get more out of this process, weve done our research and laid out who are the best references to talk to and the best questions to ask when checking references to get the information you need.
On Average Between 24 Hours To Three Days After Finishing Reference Checks
There are five variables that influence how long it takes to go from reference check to job offer:
- The seniority of the position
- If the hiring manager is an HR role or a hiring manager that runs a department or team
- How busy the reference is
- How many people need to sign off on the final written job offer
- If the job applicant has competing offers
These variables influence how long it takes to get a job offer after a positive reference check.
Scheduling and completing reference checks generally take three to ten business days. Usually, once the hiring manager has completed reference checks and written a job offer, the offer is turned around to the job applicant in 24 hours to three days
Typically, the only thing that influences hiring managers to move faster is when a great job applicant shares that they have a competing offer they are considering and shares a decision-making timeline.
Jessica Lim
HR Manager, MyPerfectResume
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Is Reference Check The Last Step
No, reference check is not the last step. After the hiring manager completes the reference check process they have to write the job offer and possibly get the job offer approved before they present it to you. Once you receive the job offer its important to review the job offer and appropriately negotiate compensation. The last steps are to successfully negotiate the job offer, get the final job offer in writing, and accept the job.
How Soon After The Reference Check Is A Job Offer Made
Once an employer asks to check your references, they need to make contact with the references youve listed. It is common to wonder how much time it will take to get a job offer after being asked to check references.
A job offer gets made a week or two after the interviewer completed a reference check. The amount of time can vary depending on how the prospective employer contacts the references, how large a corporation is on either side of the reference check, and how busy both parties involved are.
Reference checks arent always done through the phone anymore, but a multitude of methods are used. Emails, texts, and even video calls are used, and can often take time to set up and go through to complete the reference.
So it could take shorter or longer depending on the mode of conducting the reference check.
There could also be someone else besides the interviewer conducting the reference check. Its common to have more than one person involved in the hiring process in larger companies. Therefore, it may take time for the person who interviewed a candidate to contact the person responsible for conducting the reference check.
Because most jobs and their employers have multiple responsibilities, a reference check may not occur immediately following an interview. There could be more pressing needs that a business is dealing with than conducting the reference check.
Keep this in mind when you agree to the reference with your contact.
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What Are The Chances Of Getting A Job After A Reference Check
While its difficult to put exact odds on it, your chances of getting a job after a reference check are strong.
In fact, a company checking your references is one of the strongest signs that you will be receiving a job offer.
If I had to put odds on it personally, I would say that the chances of a job offer after a reference check are 75% or greater. Now, there is no hard data to back that up and thats just my own speculation based upon my experience with reference checks.
The point is, reference checks only happen if youre a serious candidate and, in my experience, you will commonly receive a reference check after a job offer.
What Information Should You Ask A Reference
When developing your list of reference check questions, you should determine the types of information youre looking to confirm about the job candidate. You may be interested in the references insights about the candidate on these topics:
- Job performance
- What positions did the candidate have while at your company?
- In what roles did the candidate start and end?
- What did these roles entail?
- What were the most challenging parts of the candidates roles at your company?
- How did the candidate face these challenges and other obstacles?
- What are the candidates professional strengths, and how did they benefit your company?
- In what areas does the candidate need improvement?
- Do you think the candidate is qualified for this job, and why or why not?
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Is It A Good Sign If An Employer Calls References
If a company moves to the reference check phase, they use money and time to see if you are a good candidate. While waiting to hear back from a prospective employer, many people wonder if it is a good sign that the employer calls references.
If an employer calls references, it is a good sign that they were impressed with your resume and the interview enough to move the hiring process in the right direction. Most employers would not bother checking references if they had already decided that they would not hire an employee.
Most people consider it a positive sign when a potential employer asks if they can call your references. They would not waste their time reaching out to references if they did not consider someone a top candidate for a job.
Having a prospective employer ask if they can contact your references is one of the major hints that you may be in an excellent position to get a job.
Not all employers call references for people, even if they plan on hiring them. But if the interviewer asks if they can call them, you should know that you are just another step closer to the final stages of the hiring process.
What Your Past Employers May Or May Not Say
Before making a job offer, a prospective employer will likely check references. However, many employers give out only starting and ending dates of employment. Some companies may have a policy that states that managers cannot provide references. Some employers refer all requests for references to the Human Resources department, which often doesn’t have additional details accessible.
Others may be willing to go in-depth and discuss your job performance, your work ethic, attendance at work, attitude, and other criteria that are important to a company when considering whether to make a job offer. In addition to prior employers, the people you have provided as references may also be contacted.
Depending on your location, the employer may need your consent before they can contact your references. Some cities and states have restrictions on what information can be shared by a prior employer.
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