Why Reference Checks are Dead

Think of the last time you did a reference check, and ask yourself these questions:  

• Did you do the reference check to check off that you did it? 

• Did you dig deeper into the questions or skim through a list? 

• Was your mind already made up about the professional before making the call? 

If you answered yes to any (or most likely all) of these questions, you may want to re-consider using reference checks.  

You probably never gave a reference that would give you a bad review, so others won't either – making reference checks a poor use of your time.  

Traditional hiring methods like reference checks are inefficient in keeping up with trends. We'll outline why reference checks are "dead" in today's hiring market and how AmbiMi can help.  

Why Reference Checks Are Inefficient 

1. They are biased 

   Professionals likely have a list of references who will give them a good review. They wouldn't willingly give a bad reference for a job they want. 75% of references offer positive feedback. So, the whole process is biased and unreliable.  

2. Doesn't show performance on the job 

   A reference doesn't tell you how a professional will perform at your company. It only tells you how they performed with a different company, culture, and outside factors. Everyone has different perceptions, so seeing how someone performs is more useful.  

3. Not taken seriously

   Hiring managers rarely take reference checks seriously. They are often only done to check off the list of things to do. Usually, if someone has a poor reference (depending on the extreme), organizations hire them anyways, defeating their purpose in the first place.  

4. Last in the hiring process

   Since reference checks are the last step before sending an offer, they are not valued much. Hiring managers usually glance them over since they have already made a decision.   

5. They are time-consuming 

   Although an actual reference check takes only ten minutes, the process can drag on. Coordinating with other departments and trying to reach the reference can take hours. It can even delay the professional's start date by days if you can't contact someone.  

Typical Reference Check Process 

Janine, a Recruiter, needs to do a reference check for a Professional, Andrew. Janine thinks Andrew is a perfect fit for their General Labour role. She calls two of his workplace references. One answers, they go through the standardized questions, and it's positive feedback. The second doesn't answer, so she leaves a voicemail and follows up with an email.  

The next day, Janine calls Andrew's second reference again, but there is no answer. So, she calls Andrew to ask for his reference to give her a call. Finally, the reference calls back a couple of days later. Janine goes through the questions, most of which are positive, with the only "red flag" being punctuality.  

After the reference check, Janine goes to the department manager that would oversee Andrew. The manager met Andrew in the second interview and agreed he seemed like a great addition to the team. They go over the reference checks, and she highlights his punctuality. Regardless of the poor review, the department manager offers Andrew the job. 

After Janine delayed the offer a few days and spent time going back and forth, they ignored the feedback. Meaning the reference checks didn't affect their decision anyway. After Andrew started, he was always on time and fit in with the team, so they were right to give him the job! 

How AmbiMi is Different 

At AmbiMi, we focus on verified skills and experience with AmbiFile. We eliminate the ability to curate a list of references who will give a good review regardless. A professional's AmbiFile shows verified experience, skills, and ratings. These are all 100% verified since they are gained through jobs on our mobile app.

With these verified skills and our working interviews, you get insight into a professional’s performance and abilities.  

Looking to hire a professional? Get started with AmbiMi today!