Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
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Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
1–10 of 31 posts
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#2[deleted]
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#3My experience (as an applicant) was similar. Google, of course, has so many qualified applicants that oddities like this don't really matter much in terms of their final pool.
I do wonder, though, if they will eventually accumulate a reputation for this sort of thing that might harm them. For myself, I no longer respond to their emails either.
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#4I haven't had a reference check in a long time. The last company that asked for them didn't even check them. Any hiring people out there feel that reference checks provide any meaningful insight?
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#5I haven't had a reference check in a long time. The last company that asked for them didn't even check them. Any hiring people out there feel that reference checks provide any meaningful insight?
I call references consistently. Its good to get a sense of what some of the negative and positive perceptions of the person interviewing. I don't necessarily consider a negative point from a reference a deal breaker, a negative for one manager, is not the same for another. I do feel its better to go into the relationship with your eyes open.
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#6My experience (as an applicant) was similar. Google, of course, has so many qualified applicants that oddities like this don't really matter much in terms of their final pool. I do wonder, though, if they will eventually accumulate a reputation for this sort of thing that might harm them. For myself, I no longer respond to their emails either.
Their reputation would have to tank to the point where they couldn't get a single qualified applicant for each position they have open. Unless there's another event which makes people reluctant to apply to Google, I don't see it happening in my lifetime.
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#7My experience (as an applicant) was similar. Google, of course, has so many qualified applicants that oddities like this don't really matter much in terms of their final pool. I do wonder, though, if they will eventually accumulate a reputation for this sort of thing that might harm them. For myself, I no longer respond to their emails either.
My understanding of Google is that they're ok with false negatives because they consider false positives to be far far worse.
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#8Wow, a single offhand comment could doom a candidate from ever being hired?
I wish the same high standard applied to companies interacting with candidates. I've had a Google engineer literally scream at me in an interview. I've also had their recruiters reach out to me for a role, schedule an interview that seemed to go well, then completely ghost me.
I do not judge a company that doesn't hire me, even if they don't give feedback - that is understandable given the legal climate in the states. But it is unacceptable to simply disappear, and actions have consequences.
(In my case, I do not take Google recruiter comms, along with any other company that engages in abusive behavior during the interview process)
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#9If you can't give a 100% positive reference, tell the person before they include you as a reference. Then when giving a reference, make sure it is 100% positive.
Google (and in fact, most companies) only want to hire candidates who appear flawless. To me, "appears flawless" is a red flag itself, but I think hiring committees see any potential negative as possibly the tip of a terrible iceberg. So even though we all want to be honest and provide nuanced feedback about what it was like to work with a person for years, when giving a reference you just need to censor all of that and pretend like they are the best person you ever worked with and the only downside is that you're not working together anymore (but you'd hire them back in a heartbeat).
It's like talking with a reporter or the police. Stop trying to be helpful to anyone but the people you already know. Strangers are not to be trusted with your inside information, about anything.
Re: Reference Checks Can Go Wrong
#10My experience (as an applicant) was similar. Google, of course, has so many qualified applicants that oddities like this don't really matter much in terms of their final pool. I do wonder, though, if they will eventually accumulate a reputation for this sort of thing that might harm them. For myself, I no longer respond to their emails either.
My understanding of Google is that they're ok with false negatives because they consider false positives to be far far worse.
False negatives are a burden on your candidates, false positives are a burden on your organization.
You'd be surprised how often the answer to 'Should we hire' has more to do with 'He felt like he would be a dick' rather than 'He doesn't know X and Y technology'.