MAKING REFERENCE CHECKS COUNT


     	Reference checking would be on few lists of the Top Ten Things
I Like About Hiring.  Making all those calls takes a lot of time, and
the chances are good that some protective personnel policy will keep
the person on the other end from telling you everything you'd like to
know.  Still, to avoid making a snap hiring decision--and in many
cases, to cover your own legal liabilities--you need to check
references as thoroughly as possible.

     	So how do you make the most of the situation?  By planning
your questions in advance and seeking as many quantifiable
responses as you can, says staffing advisor Louis Adler, president of
CJA Associates in Tuscan, California.  Here are three key questions he
uses to get the most useful information from the people he calls:

	1.  "Can you tell me in measurable terms the biggest impact this person
made on the organization?"
	Look for responses like "He increased sales by $150,000," or
"She improved efficiency by 20 percent."  Then ask how those results
were measured or determined.

	2.  	"On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this person's
performance--and what would it have taken for her to become a
10?"
	  This question, says Adler, is a good way to get at an
applicant's true strengths and weaknesses.  Before leaving this
general topic, also ask the person on the other end what percentage
of current employees are in the 8 to 10 range.  This will tell you
something about the comparative quality of the applicant's work.

	3.  "What did this person do above and beyond the basic needs
of the job?"
	Information about specific acts should help you judge the
applicant's initiative and imagination.

	To increase the likelihood of getting good answers, ask
applicants to give you the names of people they believe will be able
to speak openly.  As Adler says, "If applicants are very willing to
provide strong references, that's a good signal in itself."

Does that help? YES or NO