SkillSurvey Research Finds that Reference Checking Is an Integral Part of the Hiring Process
Wayne, PA (PRWEB) December 08, 2015 -- SkillSurvey, the leading provider of hiring solutions to effectively recruit, hire and manage employees to drive business results, today released new research showing that reference checking is a critical part of today’s hiring process. In a survey of 300 professionals across business, healthcare and higher education, SkillSurvey found that reference checking gains strategic value as you move up the organizational food chain and is considered critical for improving quality of hires.
“Reference checking is at the core of what we do, so we felt it was vital to tap into the pulse of recruiters along with HR and business leaders to determine why they are conducting reference checks and how they use the information they obtain,” said SkillSurvey CEO and President Ray Bixler. “What we found reinforces our belief that reference checking is an increasingly important part of the hiring process and will help us tailor our offerings to ensure that we are continuing to help our customers in the best possible way by providing solutions to help them gain more strategic insight to make hiring decisions.”
Some of the findings from SkillSurvey’s recent market survey include:
• Nearly 70% of respondents indicate they reference check for every job candidate.
• The more senior the role, the more likely they are to reference check potential candidates. For example, 84% of those in Executive Management positions noted they conduct reference checks.
• Recruiters, rather than hiring managers, typically perform reference checks. In fact, 62% of reference checks are conducted by recruiters versus 36% by hiring managers.
• The vast majority (86%) of employers noted that completing reference checks before extending a job offer ranks as one of the most important steps in the hiring process (just behind interviewing candidates).
• When asked for their top reason for conducting reference checks, 63% of respondents say they do it because it helps them hire better employees; 61% do it because it supplements the interviewing process; and 59% do it because it helps them avoid bad hires.
• Reference checking ranked as the second most utilized method of obtaining candidate insight behind background screening (77%), but ahead of skills assessment (55%), behavioral based assessments (39%) and personality assessments (33%).
Nearly a quarter of those surveyed, 24%, are using reference checking technology to check references and cited efficiency and obtaining more strategic insights as their reasons for using technology.
About SkillSurvey®
SkillSurvey provides cloud-based solutions to help human capital management professionals manage critical points in the talent lifecycle using data and insight to more effectively recruit, hire and manage employees to drive business results. The company’s flagship solution, Pre-Hire 360®, is an award-winning, patented technology that utilizes a unique combination of behavioral science and talent analytics. SkillSurvey’s Pre-Hire 360 reference solution is scientifically proven to provide data that can be used to drive more informed hiring decisions based upon feedback provided by references on a candidate’s past job performance and an extension of Pre-Hire 360 offers a passive sourcing solution. The company also offers Credential 360®, a unique solution that helps hospitals and healthcare organizations improve revenue and get top-notch practitioners providing patient care more quickly by expediting the professional credential verification process. SkillSurvey’s cloud-based software products are being used by 1,400 companies, institutions and organizations. Visit SkillSurvey at http://www.skillsurvey.com, and on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
SkillSurvey®, Credential 360® and Pre-Hire 360® are registered trademarks of SkillSurvey Inc. or its affiliates and are registered in the U.S. and other countries.
SkillSurvey’s Pre-Hire 360® is a patented solution. For more information see http://www.skillsurvey.com/patents.
©2015 SkillSurvey Inc. and its affiliates.
Media Contact:
Joseph Germani
Sloane & Company
(212) 446-1899
jgermani(at)sloanepr(dot)com
Joseph Germani, Sloane & Company, +1 (212) 446-1899, [email protected]
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