Employment reference checks are considered as one of the best tools to inquire about a prospective employee. Reference checking is always been an important factor for all the companies wants to make the informed decision of hiring the right employee.

1. Employment Reference Checks – Best Practices When
Checking Employee References!
Recent study shows that as many as one third of all the job seekers contain facts
that are less than truthful. This amount of lies in the job applications have made
the employers to perform every aspect of background screening before hiring an
employee.
Employment reference checks are considered as the best inquiry tool for the
employers to get to know deep about the prospective employee and it is
t
substantially playing a critical role in all hiring decisions.
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Unfortunately, previous employers are increasingly reluctant to provide
reluctant
references or background check information for fear of being sued by previous
employees for defamation. If former employers provide potential employers with
unsubstantiated information that damages applicants’ chances of being hired,

2. applicants can (and do) sue for defamation. As a result, 54 percent of employers
will not provide information about previous employees.
But these discrepancies can easily be resolved by adopting employment reference
check best practices, which will help employers to stop distracting from the right
course. These employment reference check best practices will empower an
employer; give protection to the job candidate and also save them from
discrimination & biasness.
Employment Reference Check Fundamentals and Best Practices to Avoid Risks!
Reference checking is not optional:
Ask for at least three references. Obtaining multiple references allows you to
verify consistency among respondents and to demonstrate that you have made
reasonable efforts to confirm the validity of information.
Inform the candidate that you plan to check employment references:
When you invite applicants to the selection interview, request that they come
prepared with a list of employment references. The list should include the name,
title, organization, address, and telephone number of the references. Prior notice
of employment reference checks is a must.
Who Should Do The Employment Reference Checking:
The individual conducting the employment reference check should be thoroughly
familiar with the duties & skills required to perform the duties. Third party
background screening companies have trained staff and resources which can help
employers in this regard in a more appropriate manner.
Avoid personal references:
Your purpose is to talk to a person who can comment on the candidate’s past
employment performance. The best references can be direct supervisors, peers
and subordinates. So avoid personal references.

3. Always Check Employment references by phone, not by mail:
Companies & people are reluctant about putting comments related to current
and former employees and their performance on paper because they fear legal
liability. There are many plus points in making phone reference checks like tone of
voice, a period of silence, or guarded response can change the meaning of a
response dramatically.
What to ask and what not To for Employment Reference Checks:
As it is an employment reference check, focus questions on knowledge, skills,
abilities, and behaviors required for your specific position. Never ask
discriminatory questions like age, race, sex, religion, national origin or marital
status.
Muhammad Saad Khan is a Writer, Social Media and Business Management
Thought Leader Working with Dataflow Group, the world's leading primary source
verification company headquartered in Singapore. His current research is about
Employment Reference Checks and its Best Practices.