Checking Candidate References: Don't Leave it to the Intern

It’s been the status quo for decades. And it’s inefficient, inconsistent and risky. What am I talking about? Traditional phone-based reference checking for candidates.

But it remains the only way we can be sure our candidates are genuine. It’s the only way we can get an independent assessment of their strengths and weaknesses – yes, even independent of our own biases during interviews. And perhaps most importantly, it’s the only way we can get deep insight into a candidate’s personality that will help us manage and retain them effectively. 

So why is reference-checking often left to the most junior person in the team?

You may be thinking, is it really that important? Is the downside that serious?