Complete Reference Checking Handbook, The: The Proven (and Legal) Way to Prevent Hiring Mistakes [Hardcover]

Edward C. Andler (Author), Dara Herbst (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 23, 2002

"The original edition of The Complete Reference Checking Handbook provided managers, small company owners, and human resources professionals with all the tools and information necessary to reduce screening time, identify underqualified or potentially problematic employees, and get honest and accurate information from references, all while staying within legal boundaries and avoiding charges of discrimination. Now fully updated and expanded, this second edition remains the best resource for getting information about job candidates. The book includes all the relevant material from the original, as well as new chapters on: * Searching public records, including criminal, workers comp, driving, and other records * Spotting criminals and other serious troublemakers * The importance of the Fair Credit Reporting Act * Areas to avoid in background checking, and much, much more"

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book shows how to do it right." -- BIZLIFE, Greensboro, NC , April 203

Book Description

"The original edition of The Complete Reference Checking Handbook provided managers, small company owners, and human resources professionals with all the tools and information necessary to reduce screening time, identify underqualified or potentially problematic employees, and get honest and accurate information from references, all while staying within legal boundaries and avoiding charges of discrimination. Now fully updated and expanded, this second edition remains the best resource for getting information about job candidates. The book includes all the relevant material from the original, as well as new chapters on:

* Searching public records, including criminal, workers comp, driving, and other records

* Spotting criminals and other serious troublemakers

* The importance of the Fair Credit Reporting Act

* Areas to avoid in background checking, and much, much more"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 17 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 2 edition (December 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814407447
• ISBN-13: 978-0814407448
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,590,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Reference Checking Guidance, Slightly Dated, December 22, 2008

By 

John M. Ford "johnDC" (near DC, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Complete Reference Checking Handbook, The: The Proven (and Legal) Way to Prevent Hiring Mistakes (Hardcover)

Andler and Herbst offer a useful and readable overview of best practices in reference checking. Their guide is one of the sources used by the U.S. Merit System Protection Board as background material on industry best practices when compiling their 2005 report "Reference Checking in Federal Hiring: Making the Call."

This book has a number of strengths. It advocates a formal and defensible reference checking process that asks comparable questions of each job candidate and limits such questions to job-related topics. It dispels myths about the legal status of reference checking that often limit its use. The authors offer reference checking checklists that "start with simple verification questions, then move on to performance-related information, then to developmental opinions, and finally to networking your reference contacts." (p. 191). The checklists are easily adaptable to your hiring process and represent the authors' intent to get the most and best information from reference checking. Another strength is the suggested strategy of making job applicants partners in reference checking. Practical techniques are presented for accomplishing this.

The book could be improved through greater attention to the growing role of email and social networking sites in reference checking. This is not so much a flaw in the authors' approach as it is an indication that this 2003 book could benefit from an updated version. I hope to see one from these authors. I will also hope that this update gives greater--though not central--attention to the unique issues of reference checking for Federal government employment.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prevent hiring mistakes through savvy assessments, April 13, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Reference Checking Handbook, The: The Proven (and Legal) Way to Prevent Hiring Mistakes (Hardcover)

Prevent hiring mistakes through savvy assessments of an applicant's references and the use of Complete Reference Checking Handbook. Managers, business owners, and HR pros alike receive an updated edition which covers everything from understanding legal requirements and traps to developing networking and reference-checking techniques which work. An excellent, involving guide.