The complete reference checking handbook : the proven (and legal) way to prevent hiring mistakes

The original edition of The Complete Reference Checking Handbook provided managers, small company owners, and human resources professionals with all the tools and information necessary to reduce screening time, identify underqualified or potentially problematic employees, and get honest and accurate information from references, all while staying within legal boundaries and avoiding charges of discrimination. Nowfully updated and expanded, this second edition remains the best resource for getting information about job candidates. The book includes all the relevant material from the original, as well as new chapters on: * Searching public records, including criminal, workers comp, driving, and other records * Spotting criminals and other serious troublemakers * The importance of the Fair Credit Reporting Act * Areas to avoid in background checking, and much, much more" "

Author Notes

Edward C. Andler (St. Louis, MO) is a nationally recognized authority on reference checking. Since 1988 he has been President of Certified Reference Checking Company. Dara Herbst (St. Louis, MO) is an associate with the firm.

Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
A Major Problem	p. 2
Why a Special Book on Reference Checking?	p. 3
Frequent Questions	p. 3
Part I Dishonesty--A Major Business and Social Problem
1 An Overall Look	p. 9
The Problem	p. 9
Job Market Distortion	p. 11
The Bottom Line	p. 12
2 Initial Steps	p. 14
Identify Problem Candidates	p. 15
Check Their Education History	p. 17
Watch for Gaps in Their Career History	p. 22
The "X" Factor	p. 22
The Honesty/Competency Matrix	p. 24
Management's View of Employment	p. 26
Don't Be Fooled	p. 27
3 Screening Options	p. 30
Additional Screening Methods	p. 31
Avoiding the Problem Altogether	p. 33
4 The Candidate's Advantage	p. 35
Career Counseling and Outplacement	p. 35
Resume-Preparation Services	p. 36
Job-Hunting Books, Tapes, and Computer Programs	p. 37
Search Firms and Employment Agencies	p. 38
Appearances May Be Misleading	p. 39
Inflated Salaries	p. 42
Part I Summary	p. 43
Part II The Legalities and Confusion Surrounding Employment
5 The Real Problem in Employment	p. 47
The Lawyers' Perspective	p. 48
Let's Correct the Problem	p. 49
Why Check an Applicant's Background?	p. 50
Does It Really Happen?	p. 51
Authorization and Release	p. 52
The Cost of Running Scared	p. 53
6 Who Is Actually Running Human Resources?	p. 56
The Law and Good Business	p. 56
A New Direction	p. 57
Getting and Giving References	p. 58
Negligent Hiring	p. 60
Negligent References	p. 62
Simplified Guidelines	p. 63
7 Legal and Illegal Questions	p. 69
Preventing Employment Discrimination	p. 70
Interview Small Talk	p. 72
The Interview	p. 73
Areas Always to Avoid	p. 73
Part II Summary	p. 76
Part III Honesty--The Best Policy
8 The Application and Interview	p. 81
The Interview Itself	p. 93
Identifying References	p. 94
Two Principles to Ponder	p. 95
The Interview in Perspective	p. 99
Interviewing Questions	p. 102
9 Spotting Liars	p. 111
Aggressive Listening	p. 112
Keeping the Applicant Honest	p. 115
How Honest Are You?	p. 116
10 Speeding Up Reference Checking	p. 119
Collaboration with Mutual Gain	p. 120
It Really Works	p. 121
The Overall Advantages	p. 123
Advice for the Job Candidate	p. 124
Part III Summary	p. 127
Part IV Searching Public Records
11 Why Public Records Searches Are Necessary	p. 131
Criminal Records Checks	p. 132
Workers Compensation Records	p. 134
Credit Reports	p. 135
Educational Attainment	p. 135
Driving Records	p. 136
Licensing Boards	p. 138
Screening Directory	p. 138
Understanding the Fair Credit Reporting Act	p. 141
12 Spotting Criminals and Troublemakers	p. 144
How the System Fails Us	p. 145
The Identity Problem	p. 147
Employment Eligibility Verification	p. 147
Illegal Immigrants	p. 148
Social Security Numbers	p. 149
Contacting Police Authorities	p. 150
Part IV Summary	p. 152
Part V Techniques That Work
13 Effective Reference Checking	p. 155
Types of Checking	p. 155
The Benefits of Reference Checking	p. 157
Exchanging Information	p. 159
The Real World	p. 162
Why Give References?	p. 164
14 Reference-Checking Techniques	p. 166
Initial Contact	p. 166
Uncooperative References	p. 171
The Voice's Body Language	p. 173
Make It Enjoyable	p. 174
Returning Your Calls	p. 175
Nobody's Talking	p. 177
Letters of Recommendation	p. 179
When You Discover Something Bad	p. 180
Networking References	p. 181
"Don't Call My Employer"	p. 182
A Personal View	p. 184
Personal References	p. 185
Telephone Tips	p. 186
References by Mail, by Telephone, or in Person	p. 187
15 Reference Checklists and Questions	p. 189
Conducting the Reference Check	p. 190
Peeling the Onion	p. 200
Some Good Tips	p. 208
16 Handling the Rejected Applicant	p. 209
Before the Decision	p. 209
After the Decision	p. 210
Notification Methods	p. 212
Part V Summary	p. 214
Part VI Creativity--The Key to Success
17 Improving Performance in Your Organization	p. 217
Reference Checking Pays Off!	p. 218
Applied Creativity	p. 221
Networking	p. 222
Outsource Screening Tasks	p. 224
18 Companywide Hiring Standards	p. 226
Advice to Human Resources Professionals	p. 227
In Conclusion	p. 227
Appendix A Process Summary and Sample Telephone Script	p. 233
Appendix B National Credit-Reporting Agencies	p. 243
Index	p. 245
About the Authors	p. 255

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