Reference Check

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Introduction

Before extending a job offer to your final candidate, it is critical that you conduct a reference check, even if the finalist is currently a UCLA employee and regardless of the position type. Reference checks may also be a valuable tool to help you select between multiple finalists if you have more than one that seem equally matched to the job. Be sure you obtain permission from the final candidate before contacting their references.

 

Reference checks should be conducted FOR FINALISTS ONLY prior to extending a job offer. You must have written authorization from the individual for whom you are seeking the reference before you can contact a current supervisor (university or non-university). For consistency and fairness, follow the same process and ask the same questions for all references on a candidate.

 

Please note, it is highly recommended that you review the personnel file for your final candidate if they are a UC employee. Employees should be notified that their personnel file will be reviewed as part of the recruitment process. To submit a request to the HR & Payroll Center, please email askhrpoc@chr.ucla.edu.

SkillSurvey Online Reference Check

SkillSurvey provides electronic reference checking services for Campus staff recruitments. It is the same web-based reference checking service utilized by UCLA Health and many other UC locations. SkillSurvey’s automated reference checking solution allows recruiters and hiring managers to reach more references faster and obtain meaningful, predictive insights on a candidate’s past performance.

Departments or hiring managers can instead opt to perform telephone-based references checks.

 

Requirements To Launch The Survey Process:

  • Title of the Position
  • Name (First & Last) of the candidate(s)
  • Email address of the candidate
  • Requisition Number

 

The Candidate Experience:

  • The candidate opens the link sent to their email.
  • The candidate verifies their information and authorizes the reference check.
  • The candidate enters contact information for their References (we ask for five references, three of whom are manager references).
  • Once all reference contact information is entered, the candidate selects the link “Send Email to References” to initiate the process.
  • The candidate can return to the page as often as they want to check the status of their responses.
    • Note: Candidate cannot see the ratings entered by their references.

 

The Hiring Manager Experience:

  • Consultation with the HRPC-N Employment Team will be done via email or by phone to agree on which survey to use for the candidate(s). Note: If more than one finalist is being considered, the same survey will be used for all.
  • The HRPC-N Employment Team will provide the hiring manager e-mail status updates during the reference check process when the following steps have been completed:
    • When the survey link is sent to the applicant
    • When the applicant has sent the emails to their references
    • Status of the number of surveys completed and by whom
  • The reference check process takes 2-4 business days.
  • The HRPC-N Employment Team will send an email asking the hiring manager to approve when to finalize the report.
  • The HRPC-N Employment Team finalizes the report and sends PDF of the final references survey report to the hiring manager.

Telephone-Based Reference Check

If a hiring manager is interested in performing their own reference checks, they are encouraged to do so. Campus Human Resources has provided a link to a basic sample reference check form which hiring managers can use as a template when performing their own reference checks.

CHR Sample Reference Check Guide