Checking references

Reference research

During the recruitment process, employers often take a look at the candidate’s work history. After all, you want to know what kind of experience someone brings with them.

After posting the vacancy, the job applications start coming in. The resume and possible cover letter are useful to get a first impression of a candidate and make a selection.

Do you want to see beyond a candidate’s resume? Then employment screening is a wise choice. A work experience check gives insight into whether a candidate has provided the right timelines, job titles and former employers, so you can be sure who you are hiring.

Two different methods for checking references

When an organisation wants to check the work history of a potential employee, there are two ways:

1. Manual approach and follow-up calls: as an organisation, you can choose to carry out the verification in-house and contact former employers one by one. However, this is time-consuming, a fragmented process and generally not your HR department’s core business.

    

2. Outsourcing: outsourcing the verification process offers a number of advantages for your organisation. Primarily, it relieves your HR department of extra workload. Besides, you can also be sure that the right questions are asked and all findings are stored in one central location through an automated process.

Checking references with DISA

DISA relieves its clients in the process of pre- and in- employment screening, including a check on references. To conduct this check, Validata would only need the name, e-mail address and telephone number of the referee. To ensure integrity and seek verification close to the source, Validata only accepts business e-mail addresses. Hence, Gmail or Hotmail addresses are not accepted.

The process then goes as follows:

1. The referee receives an email from DISA;
2. This email contains a link to DISA's online questionnaire;
3. In this questionnaire, the employer is asked whether it is true that the candidate has worked there, what the exact stated position title was and if the stated working period is true. Besides the standard questionnaire, it is possible to add additional questions.

It is important to stress that DISA does not check substantive information, only factual information. In addition, the questionnaire is never administered by phone, always via the link in the email. However, DISA may call referees when no feedback has been given yet.

DISA can help you check references

DISA offers proper solutions for your organisation

DISA is specialised in employment screening since 2009

DISA helps you guarantee integrity within your organisation

Look beyond a check on references

Besides checking references, there are other important aspects to verify. For example, an applicant’s education, integrity and creditworthiness. Curious what other checks DISA conducts?