96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire, 3rd Edition

21.

Getting Real Information from Reference Checks

It is often said that no matter how skilled the interviewer, interviewing is at best a limited activity with restricted potential to predict on-the-job performance. And I agree that this is perfectly true. While you’re at it, you could throw references into the same argument. Past employers rarely share performance problems with you, nor will they reveal patterns of inconsistencies or obstacles that workers experienced. And don’t forget about aptitude tests: Capacity for analytical problem solving has limited bearing on daily performance or street smarts gained from the school of hard knocks.

So why don’t you just hire whoever happens to walk in the front door? Because experience bears out that ...