💡 Guide: References – How and Whom?
Reference checks are a central part of the recruitment process to obtain a fair and reliable picture of a candidate's competence and work behaviours. In this article, you can get some tips on who should be a reference, how many references are good to ask for, and how many candidates you should take references on!
1. How Many References Should We Take?
To achieve acceptable reliability in the assessment, it is recommended to take at least three references.
- Reliability: Reliability means how trustworthy a result is; that is, whether you would get the same result if the study were conducted again. Refapp's analyses and previous research* show that at least three references are necessary to achieve acceptable reliability.
- "The More, the Better": Generally, the more reviews (references) you have, the higher the trustworthiness of the assessment. This must be balanced against the candidate experience, but three references are a necessary minimum level.
Tip! Did you know that you can set a minimum number of references required per candidate in your project? Which is great if you'd like to request more referees, but still clarify that a certain number is sufficient!
Read more here: Can I set a minimum acceptable number of referees from the candidate?
Research: Cynthia A. Hedricks, Chet Robie & Frederick L. Oswald (2013). Web-based Multisource Reference Checking: An investigation of psychometric integrity and applied benefits.
2. Whom Should Be a Reference?
References should be chosen to get a nuanced and reliable picture of the candidate's work behaviours and competencies.
- At Least One Manager: It's recommended that at least one referees is a manager. Managers tend to notice counterproductive work behaviour more often, and answer "No" to the question of whether they would like to work with the candidate again. Compared to referees who are peers.
- Adapt Reference Type: Adapt the type of reference you ask for, based on what you'd like to observe:
- Colleagues should be used for assessing collaboration and teamwork.
- Managers should be used for assessing leadership and accountability/responsibility.
- Quality over Quantity: Have a clear dialogue with the candidate about which references can be provided. The goal is to obtain qualitative and relevant information.
Tip! Remember that you can inform the candidate about which references you want to collect by adding text to the candidate outreach. Read more here: How to Add Additional Information for Candidates and Referees in a Project
3. How Many Candidates Should We Take References On?
A recruitment process is about choosing the best candidate while minimising risk and ensuring the best possible foundation for decision-making. This is why it's recommended to not only send one final candidate for reference checking.
By conducting a reference check on more than one final candidate you can achieve:- Better Decision Basis: Reference data provides a better basis for the decision.
- New Insights: References can provide new insights that change the original assessment.
- Verification: Multiple sources are needed to verify information in an age of AI-generated CVs and work samples.
- Fair Process: Taking references on more than one candidate provides a fairer and more reliable selection process.
4. What Does Research Say? The Importance of Structure
Research underscores the importance of structure in selection methods to increase the reliability and validity in the assessment of work performance and competencies.
Several studies highlight how structured methods, including reference checking, provide a better foundation for predicting a candidate's future performance:
- Structure: Research shows that structured selection methods have higher validity (the ability to measure what they intend to measure) than unstructured ones.
- Predictive Validity: A large part of the research in personnel psychology has focused on comparing the validity and utility of various selection methods. The results show the importance of robust, structured methods for predicting job performance.
- Structured Reference Checking: Even for reference checking, it is emphasised that a structured procedure yields a more reliable and valid result. The use of multiple raters (references) and multiple criteria increases the predictive criterion-related validity of observer ratings of personality and job-related competencies.
Examples of Articles for Further Reading on the Subject:
- Campbell, J. P., & Wiernik, B. M. (2015). The modeling and assessment of work performance.
- Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings.
- Taylor, P. J., et al. (2004). Dimensionality and validity of a structured telephone reference check procedure.