References

[WhatALoadOfFuzzyBollocks]

How much effort do HR put in to chasing references? My start date is delayed due to not receiving a reference. Do they re-send requests if they have not had a response from reference, do they telephone to find out why they haven't had a response? I keep getting asked to chase references (which I've done) but what exactly are HR doing? I feel like I'm doing their job for them. They don't answer emails and its really frustrating.

Well I can't speak for all HR people but in my department we do chase references very regularly - it's all done through our automated system so the recruitment officers don't actually have to do anything - the system sends out a reminder email (I think) every 48 hours if the person hasn't responded within a week. If it went on much beyond a few weeks we might either try phoning the person, asking the candidate for a different reference contact or (depending on circumstances) flagging up a concern with the recruiting manager that there may be an issue with that reference. We have KPIs for how quickly candidates get through the pre-employment checks so it's important to us to get the references as efficiently as possible.

But of course there are shitty and lazy HR people who won't care/don't see it as their responsibility. But to be honest if you have personally chased the reference more than once and they still haven't responded I doubt the HR person chasing will have any different effect? Why has your reference not responded, do you know? I would focus my efforts there or perhaps see if your line manager is prepared to issue you a start date/contract without this one reference, obviously if it's public sector or a regulated industry this would be a non starter but in private sector managers sometimes have discretion about things like references?

Chasing up references for new starters is an HR nightmare, especially when you don't have an automated system. Misspelt email addresses, previous employers who don't respond, previous employers who won't respond without a GDPR release form completed by the new starter, people who provide the wrong contact person. I chase references but have had to delay start dates quite often. I work to a 10 day turnaround for new starters but this can also be delayed by DBS checks and then finding the new starter doesn't have any route 1 or 2a ID. I think after one chasing up email the new starter needs to contact the ex employers themselves to prompt them.

Out of interest, what do you do if you never get a reference back?

Where I work if we don’t get a reference covering your last 3 years then you won’t start!! To be honest asking what HR does is just rude, if you want the job it is your responsibility to provide the information.

In parts of the Civil Service, they no longer ask for references, they just check your last 3/5 years of employment with HMRC!

@Polarbearflavour we withdraw the job offer.

My new job hasn't even asked for references. Start tomorrow!

What if the employer has gone out of business? And do you expect personalised references as many large companies only confirm dates of employment.

I’m genuinely curious!

At a company I worked for, references had to be supplied by HR, not your line manager, who weren't allowed to write them. HR was a bottomless pit. So people would dutifully put the HR address.contact down as their referee, who never got round to replying to reference requests, even just for basic references for start-end dates, etc. Terrible.

And what if you've been self-employed?