Applicants Who Lie, part III: References

Many employers refuse to call the references listed by applicants because they assume they’ll be useless.  However, that’s certainly not the case!

At VerifyProtect, we’ve done our fair share of reference checking… and if you think that all reference checks are created equal, you’re mistaken!

Recently, we had these jaw-dropping, shaking-your-head-in-disbelief experiences:

  • Many references have phone numbers that are “disconnected” or incorrect.  (Think that’s a mistake?  Probably not.)
  • Many references claim to have no knowledge of the applicant.  (Again, this shows how bold some desperate job hunters are!)
  • One reference we contacted was for a funeral director.  When we talked to the funeral director, the director said the applicant “had been to a few funerals”.  Thus, he could give no reference.  (Guess who didn’t get the job?)
  • Another reference we checked was for an incarcerated man.  The man had been in jail for two years.  (He couldn’t be reached…)

Applicants think you’ll be lazy about checking on them and therefore won’t catch them in their lies.  And they’re right… but only if you don’t do reference checks.

If you want to make sure you’re getting the workers you deserve, it’s critical to take advantage of reference checking.

Kristina Taylor
In 1989, Kristina began her career as a customer service representative at the newly formed American Tenant Screen, Inc. Ten years later, she pioneered tenant background screening on the Internet. As a long-standing member of the National Multifamily Resident Information Council (formerly the National Association of Screening Agencies) Kristina gains insight into the trends of the tenant screening industry to better understand the current and future needs of their clients.

Related Posts

Popular Resources

What is the “Ban the Box” Movement?

Read More

FTC and EEOC Background Check Guide for Employers

Read More

Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act

Read More

Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1993

Read More

Sign Up to Receive News & Updates in Your Inbox