Safari Solutions

Tiger Eye Hiring …a better way to hire!

Tapping into your network for referrals is an excellent way to find potential employees.  However, a referral does not necessarily guarantee a good hire.  Conducting your own due diligence to ensure the candidate is a good fit for the position is important.  Read on for ideas on improving your candidate referral program.

Ann Clifford, President

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Dos and Don’ts

If you typically conduct background checks, are you required to run them on candidates who are referred?

See answer provided below.

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Four Ways to Get Better Candidate Referrals

To receive the best referrals from your network, it is important to be clear about the type of candidate you are looking for.  Also, be sure to keep your referral sources informed.  People love to know their help is valuable! Follow these four tips for best referrals:

1. Create a written position profile that describes the position responsibilities, accountabilities, and necessary qualifications.
2. Distribute the position profile to members in your network.
3. Thank your referral sources and keep them updated throughout the interview process.
4. Contact candidates promptly and communicate frequently about their interview status.

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Stick to Your Hiring Process

Referred candidates may be a great fit for your position, but how do you know for sure?  As an interviewer, it is easy to overlook weaknesses in a referred candidate because the “likeability factor” has set in deeply.  Best practice is to evaluate referred candidates just like all other candidates. In fact, best to be even more thorough.  If a hiring mistake is made, you certainly won’t enjoy telling your referral source that you fired his friend.

4 Best Practices:

• Interview – Conduct formal office interviews and ask the same challenging questions you would of other candidates.
• Assessments – Verify behavioral style and skills to ensure job fit.
• Objective interview – Engage a professional interviewer to evaluate the candidate and provide an unbiased opinion. (Safari can help! Click here for more info.)
• Reference Checks – Talk to at least three professional references, preferably past supervisors.

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Your Viewpoint Matters

Click on the link below to join the discussion on the Safari Solutions blog.  Feel free to share any “bad hire” war stories caused by a lack of due diligence!

“Don’t Let Friends Hire Friends”

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Safari Interview Tip

Ask referred candidates, “What has the person who referred you told you about this position and company?” This will help you address any misperceptions and avoid unrealistic expectations.

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Safari Success Story

An IT Consulting firm was referred a candidate for a General Manager position.  They wanted to be sure they had the right person for this vital role.  They engaged Safari Solutions to interview and assess this candidate.  The referred candidate was confirmed a good fit and was hired.  He is currently performing above expectations!

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Did You Know

In July, the minimum wage changed from $6.55 to $7.25 according to federal law.

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Safari Quiz

What percentage of job seekers find jobs from referrals?

A.  25%
B.  48%
C.  62%
D.  88%

Click Here for the Answer

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Answer to Today’s Dos and Don’ts

If you typically conduct background checks, are you required to run them on candidates who are referred?

Yes, it is very important to be consistent when conducting background checks.  Candidates should be evaluated the same regardless of the source.  You also need to be consistent with how background information is used.  If your policy is not to hire someone with a certain type of criminal conviction or credit history, you should not make an exception because the candidate was referred by someone you trust.

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