Guide for Referees

A guide to providing a reference - for referees

So you may have been asked to provide a reference. Maybe for you it is business as usual, however, in our experience there are a few industry myths and tips that could help you become a better referee in the future.

Understand why the candidate has chosen you

When asked to provide a reference it is easy to view it as a chore and a misuse of your time. However, in most cases these ex-employees have chosen you as a genuine advocate for their skills and experience - after all a good reference can change someone's life, if they obtain their 'Dream Job'!

The value of written references

A phone call seems easy, you can give some simple answers and muddle your way through only to have the reference misinterpreted by the employer or adjusted by the recruitment agent. Xref allows you to consistently provide references the same structured way every time. Protecting you from any discriminatory comments, and making sure an accurate professional reference reaches the prospective employer.

No such thing as 'Off the record'

A common myth is that a phone reference can be deemed as 'Off the Record'. Wrong! Due to privacy laws, as soon as you engage in a conversation either written or verbal you run the risk of being responsible for the information collected. Xref guides you through the procedure quickly yet in your own time and reduces the risk of being miss-quoted.

If you can't say anything nice, don't say it!

As a referee you are not able to provide a 'Bad' reference, eg; add any negative, discriminatory or persuasive comments as part of an ex-employer reference. If you cannot answer, simply don't! It's that easy. A reference is judged on the amount of quality data entered into it. Xref understands that when asked to provide a written reference for somebody it is difficult to know where to start, use the Xref structure and the task will soon become easier. However, if it amazes you that the candidate views you as a suitable reference and you simply can't provide one - simply decline.

Here are a few things to consider before providing a pre-employment reference

• When did they work for you and for how long?
• Identify any projects that they worked on during their employment?
• Ask HR for their record and view their appraisal reports if available?
• Ask colleagues for their opinions - team fit/ culture etc?
• Think about achievements whilst they were with you?
• What was the reason they left?
• If you rehired what role would you have in mind for them?

Providing multiple references for the same candidate

Xref's stay available online for a period of 6 months, this hopefully spans the length of an ex-employees job hunt. So once you have provided an Xref for them they can easily use it for all of the clients that request a reference from them. Be aware however, in line with privacy laws you are asked to agree that if the client needs to clarify any future points with you then they are able to get in touch with you again. If you have any further questions about providing ex-employer references please contact the team at Xref.