Question for those who hire, regarding reference checks

[klone]

When you get to the point where you're doing reference checks on a candidate, does that mean you've narrowed it down to one specific candidate and a job offer is in the offing, pending a good reference/background check?

Or do facilities ever do reference checks on the top handful of candidates?

[caliotter3]

The employer is not breaking the law by giving factual information about a former employee. When it comes out of the employer's mouth, it is considered factual. I paid good money to an employment attorney to learn that gem, although I intuitively thought that is true.

[rn/writer, RN]

me too. Pretty much every time I'm offered a job, my p ref's tell me they were contacted. I then send them their 50.00 for saying nice things about me!

Where do I sign up to be one of your personal references. I will say that, among other things, you are generous.

[obprof]

I am not someone who works in HR, but recently I applied for a staff RN position where there were 70 applicants for the job. Twelve of us were interviewed (myself included) and my references were checked...all positive. I was SO EXCITED thinking I would get the job. I did NOT get the job! However, I did get a different job at the same hospital. So, moral of the story is that checking on your references doesn't mean you will necessarily get the job!

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

Anyway, what does the ex employer gain by giving any reference information other than name, rank and serial number? Other than a possible lawsuit, I mean? The employee is gone, it's time to live and let live.

If the content of the reference is truthful ( and can br proven) there is no potential for a successful action against the referee.

[Rob72, ASN, RN]

If the content of the reference is truthful ( and can br proven) there is no potential for a successful action against the referee.

Any Hospital/Facility attny will tell you: it doesn't matter if it can be won, only that it can cost the facility time, money & personnel to invalidate the claim, hence the prevalence of settlements(its cheaper to settle, than prove your case).

I've worked at two falcilities where, if a staff was involved in an incident that could result in a claim, $500K was pulled from the budget immediately, and that would be raised depending on perceived settlement costs. As in, "How much will it cost to keep this out of the papers?"

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

Any Hospital/Facility attny will tell you: it doesn't matter if it can be won, only that it can cost the facility time, money & personnel to invalidate the claim, hence the prevalence of settlements(its cheaper to settle, than prove your case).

I've worked at two falcilities where, if a staff was involved in an incident that could result in a claim, $500K was pulled from the budget immediately, and that would be raised depending on perceived settlement costs. As in, "How much will it cost to keep this out of the papers?"

which sums up a great deal of what is wrong with the US legal system ...

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Years ago I was called for a reference on a former employee. My response was something to the tune of "She worked her from xx/2009-xx/2010. She left voluntarily but is not a candidate for rehire and I would rather not comment any further. Thank you." Do you think she got that job?

In my own recent job hunting, it came to my attention that the people that have hired me called one person on my reference list because as it turns out, they knew her personally (small world, yada, yada, yada.) They didn't call any former employers or any of the other references. The did call the BON to make sure I have never had any complaints or action against my license. They told me so, lol.

[79Tango]

Actually now that I think about it-- we had a former employer call the CEO of our facility to "Dis" the employee they had just given a "Positive Reference" about. To this day we dont know who called or what was said but our CEO was ******. He canceled the newhire and with instructions "no need to debate" find someone else.

It was very akward explaining that to the candidate because of course they wanted to know why and wanted to come down in person to talk about it.

[Karl Farmer]

The problem with phone references is that you have no idea who you are talking to, really, if you call for a reference. If there are no complaints registered with the BON, that should suffice as a reference that matters- all other references can be bogus.

[neemo]

I am not someone who works in HR, but recently I applied for a staff RN position where there were 70 applicants for the job. Twelve of us were interviewed (myself included) and my references were checked...all positive. I was SO EXCITED thinking I would get the job. I did NOT get the job! However, I did get a different job at the same hospital. So, moral of the story is that checking on your references doesn't mean you will necessarily get the job!

Thank you! I did a search because I was wondering about this specifically.