We all know how hard it is these days to find well-qualified staff. Technical skills are easily identifiable, but the much sought after ʺsoft-skillsʺ are not as easy to quantify. The last thing any Manager wants is to put up with the insubordination of their best technician or service consultant!
As very few dealership administrators or shop managers have any practical human resource management training, many fail to ask for references, or if they dare ask, the references aren’t followed up on in an organized manner. This usually ends looking more like an ʺinformal chatʺ than an actual structured reference check.
There are precise rules to follow in order to avoid the legal issues that can arise from a damaged reputation. The right to work is a fundamental human right. Any prejudice that can potentially hinder this right to work can be cause for legal action. (insert article of law) This situation explains why a decade ago some larger companies started to withhold this information, providing only basic confirmations of employment.
Does this mean that our industry should refrain from providing employment references? Of course not. The following four rules, when meticulously applied in exact order, will allow you to proceed without fear of reprisal.
- Ask the candidate to sign an employment reference and background check authorization;
- Contact only the two most recent employers;
- Use the employment referencequestionnairespecifically created for this task, which asks and invites objective answers (ideally quantifiable answers).
- A promise of absolute confidentiality by the person taking the references.
Stop taking unwarranted chances every time you hire! Follow these steps and obtain references that will save you time and money down the road!