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DAWG Talk: They Said What?!!!!! follow this blog post

posted by on Oct. 22, 2009

You go through the interviewing and hiring process with an employer you're excited about. You jump through every hoop. You meet with people from the department you'll be working in. You even meet people you may not ever see ever again, and you impressed everyone. You know you kicked butt and took names. You are feeling confident.

There it is...the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. You can sense it. You are going back to work with a renewed energy. You're motivated and very ready to make an impact. The only thing left to do is to get your reference list over to the company's HR Department.

Then...nothing...except a strange email.

"Thank you for your interest in our organization. At this time, we have decided to pursue other candidates whose experience appears to better match for our needs at the moment. Should the process call for a re-examination of our decision, or if another opening for which you are qualified presents itself in the near future, we'll be sure to contact you."

What the @#$%&!!!! What happened?

Did you review your list of references before you sent them on? Have you kept in contact with the people on the list? References are a funny thing. They are clearly subjective, and yet, so many of us put so much emphasis on their value. They are only as good as the person giving them.

Take heed. Make sure the people you are entrusting with your career are truly giving you a good reference. Speak with them first. Share that you are seeking new employment. Ask them if they would be willing to provide a professional reference on your behalf. If so, inform them that they will likely be contacted via telephone, and perhaps, through email. Make them aware of this so they don't overlook a message.

Incidentally, asking a friend to speak on your behalf is a gamble. Sure, you could get your friend to say nice things, but a savvy person checking references may draw out more information than you planned. Be forewarned, the best reference a company can get is a backdoor reference. That's a reference from someone you've worked with in the past that is known to someone presently involved in the interview and hiring process. You can't control what a backdoor reference says, and since that person is often an internal employee of the organization you are interviewing with, the subjective opinion is often taken as factual.

Companies place an emphasis on references. Sometimes it's not the actual reference but the ability to check off one more step in the hiring process. Other times, references are used to validate a decision to make an offer. This is a sensitive time because the person checking the reference is often looking for final assurance that you are the best fit for the available opportunity.

So, don't celebrate too soon. Dedicating time to prepare for a hiring process (from initial research and investigation to interviewing to offer acceptance and, of course the gathering of references), is the most important thing you can to for your career when seeking new opportunities.

It'll just about guarantee the light at the end of the tunnel is really light streaming through the window of your new office.

http://www.yellowdogrecruiting.com/yellow-dog-media.html

 

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3 comments

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  • 1 point 29 days ago

    Great article David. I'll point out that from my personal standpoint, backdoor references are often times far more credible than references provided by the candidate. You mention the subjective nature of the backdoor reference, but frankly, the more subjective references are the ones chosen by the applicant to be presented to the potential employer. Nobody in their right mind is going to give their potential employer the name of a former colleague or supervisor that will say anything less than stellar things about them. I mean come on, how many times have you heard "John is a real people person. He was loved by everyone, and he gave 110%. We're so sorry we lost him, and he would be an asset to any organization."? On the other hand, while there might be an ulterior motive that a backdoor reference has to submarine a candidate, and at times, they are too far removed from the candidate to be a credible reference, by and large, they have no skin in the game and as a result, give a pretty objective reference.

     It's an issue of assessing the relationship of that backdoor reference to the candidate in question, and determining an appropriate level of credibility as a result.

     

    Just my twisted viewpoint, as always. ;-)

     

    Bob

  • 1 point 29 days ago

    Thanks for your comments, Bob. 

    Backdoor references are something that savvy hiring professionals have leveraged forever.  You're right, the backdoor reference needs to be explored to understand the true value of the feedback.

    I believe candidates deserve to understand how companies operate (general systems and processes, not confidential information) so they can develop strategies to better position themselves throughout the process.

    There is a level of transparency that I am trying to present to all professionals involved in a hiring process.

    I truly value your feedback, and encourage more communication.

    Best wishes,

    DR

  • 1 point 28 days ago

     

    Thank you for the article.  It was exactly what was just happening to me.  My prospective employer knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who used to work with me.  Unfortunately, they probably got a hold on someone who no one wanted to hang around with because he was caught of stabbing his so called "friends" in the back.  People like hearing negative stuff more than positive, and they're willing to believe in negative over positive.  That's why tabloid sales. 

    I do agree with Bob to a certain degree that if the backdoor reference is the first handed reference since the prospective employer knows and trust the person, but when it become third and forth handed info, there is no longer any accountabilities and it's starting to be just a gossip instead of fact. 

    In my opinion, both types of references are useless.  Official ones, you would make sure they talk good about you while the backdoor ones especially from those who know someone who know someone who know someone who knows you could easily lie about you and they would never get caught since they don't know your prospective employer first handed.

    Here is what Tony Beshara said about backdoor references

    http://www.tonybeshara.com/blog/?p=97

    Thanks again,

    Tina