In addition to the CV and cover letter, some recruiters may also ask candidates applying for their job offers for references. This is a fairly common practice. The fact that a recruiter asks you for the contact information of former professional contacts in order to ask them about your account does not mean that he doubts you. Nor is it an attempt to trick you, much less destabilize you. Don’t take it the wrong way. A recruiter who asks for your professional references is simply trying to get a better understanding of you to avoid casting errors. But what exactly does a recruiter want to be sure of through a candidate’s references? The point in the next few lines…
A reference request to check your CV …
A recruiter cannot be criticized for wanting to ensure the truthfulness of a candidate’s references on his or her CV, since many job seekers do not hesitate to lie on their CV by mentioning a degree they do not have, or experience they cannot claim. In short, all tips are good for some candidates. Simply get the job. In view of this, the first purpose of a recruiter’s reference request is to avoid falling into the trap of false information on CVs. Thus, it is not a simple style clause if some companies make reference requests. Moreover, according to Apec, in nearly nine out of ten cases, they verify the good faith of applicants based on their diplomas and/or professional experience. And when it is not HR or recruitment firms that do this, the verification is outsourced to specialized service providers (Everycheck, Cvérifié…), while waiting for artificial intelligence to take over and take care of confusing the cheaters.
A reference request to detect your personality…
In addition to the mentions made on your CV, the recruiter may also ask you for your references to verify the statements about your personality that you made during the job interview. These may include your strong and weak points, your progress or lack of progress in the company, your ability to work in a team, your reactions to certain situations, etc. The recruiter will also check other elements such as your hiring and leaving dates, the type of position and missions you have held, the reason for your departure, your professional skills, etc… “We know that a referent is often benevolent, it is up to us to read between the lines, to create a climate of trust, to go beyond a certain politeness,” says a recruitment specialist. This sometimes involves some rather surprising questions: would you entrust your children to this candidate? Would you hire this person again? Would you invite him or her to a restaurant with your spouse? In all cases, the objective is twofold: to check that you haven’t embellished your CV and to better define your profile to ensure that it matches the position, the company and its culture.
A practice framed by the law…
Finally, it should be noted that the law regulates the use of the reference request to job applicants. The recruiter is not allowed to contact your references without asking for your authorization, ideally in writing. Moreover, it is a very good thing that you are asked for your references. Be prepared to accept calmly and seriously. “Don’t be afraid, it’s even a good sign,” says Claude d’Estais, a former HR and headhunter, now a professional mobility coach and author of several books on job search. “It indicates that you’re on the short list, because a recruiter is not going to have fun taking references from all candidates,” she adds.