Poor References Encounter
I spent about 30 minutes assessing a candidate for a position and, as usual, I requested a few references. He kindly provided eight.
After our conversation, I started contacting the references he listed. The first one didn’t recall who he was, which can happen, especially with candidates from contract roles.
The second manager I reached out to surprised me by stating that he wouldn’t recommend the candidate and advised against hiring him. I initially thought he was joking, but he was serious. He explained that he had to let the candidate go just three months in due to excessive chatting and not keeping up with work.
The third manager mentioned that the candidate lacked understanding of the fit-out sequence and wasn’t utilizing the technology provided for workflow effectively.
The fourth reference gave a rather lukewarm response with minimal detail. I still have four more references to contact tomorrow.
Given these findings, I don’t plan to move forward with this candidate, but I will continue to collect references as they could be useful for potential client opportunities.
My question is: Should I inform the candidate about the negative feedback from the references?
RCadmin
It sounds like you’ve had quite the experience with this candidate’s references, and it’s great that you’re considering all sides of the situation. If I were in your position, I would definitely think about making the candidate aware of the negative feedback from those references.
Transparent communication can be beneficial for both parties. It allows the candidate to understand the perceptions of their past employers and potentially gives them an opportunity to address any specific concerns or misconceptions. Additionally, it may prompt them to reflect on their performance and communication style, which can ultimately help them in future applications.
However, when approaching the candidate, it would be important to do so tactfully and constructively. Frame it in a way that emphasizes growth and development, rather than as a definitive judgment on their abilities. This way, you not only maintain professionalism but also provide them with a chance to improve moving forward.
That being said, if you have ongoing relationships with any of the references or if there are legal implications regarding reference sharing, it might be worth considering those factors as well.