The Importance of taking proper references – don’t let automation weaken your hiring decisions!
The other day, I was asked to provide a reference for someone.
Instead of a conversation, I received an email with a link and a set of pre-set questions.
No one asked me anything directly.
And because the questions were so rigid, what should have been an average reference probably came out better than it should have.
At The Talent Experts Consulting, we do references properly.
We take them over the phone, spending anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the candidate’s experience.
We ask the hard questions, dig deeper, and get real insights – because references aren’t just a formality.
They’re one of the most valuable tools in hiring.
A good reference process removes gut feeling and replaces it with facts.
It tells you what a person has actually done, from someone who has worked with them.
Automating this step isn’t just ineffective – it’s lazy recruitment.
If you’re hiring, work with someone who takes full, in-depth references and asks the tough questions. You need to know:
✅ Is your gut feeling right?
✅ What are you getting into?
✅ What strengths and weaknesses will you be working with?
Hiring the right person is too important to leave to a tick-box exercise.
Director
