We’ve looked at a number of different areas of the recruitment process so far in this series of Project Management Recruitment Ideas, see the links below. This week I’m going to look at the reference checking process in light of some new research from PeopleChecking, a background screening company.
- “Two thirds of respondents (employers and organisations) had encountered individuals that misrepresented themselves on their CV” with qualifications being particularly open to creative interpretation;
- “educational qualifications were predominantly open to abuse with 78% of those who had experienced misrepresentation on CVs“.
- The survey also showed that “misrepresentation around experience and competency while 28% reported false facts about previous roles (experience, length of employment, salary).“
So organisations are aware of the problems, and remember this is over and above the basic checks of; right to work in the UK, criminal records and basic previous employer check. This post is not going to be about telling you not to tell lies on your CV and throughout the recruitment process, after all, we’re project “professionals” aren’t we? No, this post covers management of your own references in a professional way which makes getting that job offer as hassle-free as possible.
Managing the Reference Process
So the job offer has come through, subject to references. This applies to both contract and permanent offers, although there are some variations in the process. All you need to do now is have your passport or driving licence ready (for the checks that prove you have a right to work in the UK and you are who you say you are). Sometimes a scanned copy is OK so make sure you do have a scanned copy of these documents and not just a photocopy. If it needs to go through the post, make sure its sent registered post to a named person and make sure your contact has given you the assurances that the documents will be well looked after. If you feel cagey about sending things like this through the post, you could request that you come in for a brief meeting with the HR department with the documents yourself.
It’s common practice to be asked for at least two references from previous employers (your last two positions); however, more and more organisations are asking for at least the last 5 years to be covered by references. This may be relatively simple if you have been in permanent employment but for contract PMs this can be a pain. Due to the transitional nature of contract roles, gaining references from the last five years can be difficult to say the least – people you would have worked with are no longer at the company or you could have only been working for three months, is it realistic to expect a decent reference?
Contract PM professionals have to ensure they receive their reference before they move onto the next assignment; it’s perfectly acceptable in a number of cases to have a reference drawn up on letter headed paper at the time you leave your assignment. This can then be filed away until needed. If the organisation needs direct proof from the organisation (or agency you used) they will probably receive the bog standard “yes, we can confirm X worked here between W-Y dates”. You can then use the reference you received at the time of leaving in conjunction with the standard response; all in all, a good character reference which will highlight your skills and competencies as well as proof that you actually did work there.
Permanent employees also need to think about how they can gain good character references which detail skills, competencies, etc., because unfortunately a “company standard” is often just that bog standard response as mentioned above AND that is regardless of how long you have worked there – 1 year or 25 years – the response will be the same. One way to gain useful and meaningful references are on a project by project basis – if you’re a project support professional something from your project manager perhaps? Or, if you’re a project manager, from the project sponsor? You can also ask your line manager at the time of reference checking; often, line managers and other colleagues within your organisation will go beyond the HR or company rule of only providing company standard references, I guess it depends on each individual’s stance, if you don’t ask…
Finally, the qualifications check. This will include your education, so you should have degree certificates, A-Level and GCSE details to hand for scanning. You should also make sure your project management credentials are also scanned and ready to be sent out at a moment’s notice. Having a reference pack means you can move quickly when requested and it also installs confidence in the organisation asking for the information. When giving out contact details for your references it is also good practice to ensure the referee is not only available to talk or complete a reference request but is also primed to do so. The number of reference requests we get at Arras People each month without no prior notice from the person requiring the reference is quite amazing; if you want someone to do something of such importance in a timely manner, isn’t it common sense to ask first? Taking control of your own job hunting process from beginning to end not only makes you the consummate professional but also you’re leaving much less open to chance and ultimately disappointment because someone else didn’t come through for you when it mattered. The reference process can sometimes be a strain when you’re so near to accepting and starting a new job; a little planning and thought on your part could make it go a lot more smoothly.
Image © Ollie Crafoord and used with permission.
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