Let’s be honest about something. Almost every reference check goes the same way. You call the number the candidate gave you, and somehow, every single time, that person was a hard worker, a team player, and a pleasure to manage. Every time. Come on. Nobody’s that lucky.
Nobody Fails Their Own Reference List
Think about it. Who’s on that list? It’s the people the candidate picked. Nobody hands you the name of the manager they clashed with or the coworker who couldn’t stand them. They hand you three people who are going to say nice things, because that’s the whole point of the list. So when a reference check comes back glowing, you haven’t actually learned much. You’ve learned the candidate knows how to pick references. That’s a real skill, but it’s not the one you’re hiring for.
What Dealers Need to Ask
The reference check isn’t useless, it’s just being used wrong. The question isn’t “was this person good.” Everybody’s going to say yes to that. The question is more specific than that. How did they handle a tough month? What did they do when a deal fell apart or a customer got ugly? Would you hire them again today, right now, no hesitation? That last one is the one that separates a real answer from a polite one. People who’d hire someone again in a heartbeat sound different than people who are just being nice.
Go Around the List
The best operators don’t stop at the names they were given. They ask around. They call people who worked near the candidate, not just the people the candidate handed them. That’s where you actually find out something. Not because everybody on the official list is lying, but because everybody on the official list already knows why they’re on it.
Everybody Does the Charade
We’ve seen it – everybody does this the easy way, calls the three names, checks the box, and moves on. It feels like due diligence, but it usually isn’t. It’s a formality that makes everybody feel better without telling anybody anything.
A reference check that only confirms what you already hoped was true isn’t doing its job. Ask harder questions, go past the list you were handed, and you’ll actually learnsomething instead of just checking a box.
Get in Touch
Schedule a call with David Adragna today: 650 808-7066
Contact Autopeople: https://autopeople.com/contact-us/
