Betty Ann GwatkinVP, Human Resources

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital&

Michael BartkusVice President - SkillSurvey, Inc.

How to Improve Candidate Quality with Reference-Checking

What is the Problem?

What is the Problem?

• Most candidates do a nice job presenting themselves during interviews– All are team players– All show up for work and don’t text, or sit on Facebook all day– Most are ethical and always do the right thing

• Most candidates are well rehearsed in the question/response mode– Books, job seeker sites– Experience interviewing all the time

• What happened to old fashioned reference checking?

The Art of a Reference Check

• Historically– One of the most important steps– Hiring managers talked to previous managers

• How are they day to day?• Nuances?• What challenges do they have and what can I do to make them A+ players?

• The new millennium– Legal issues– HR cracks down and bans reference checking– Outsource the process – check the box– Phone mail tag, email tag, phone mail tag, days and days of time.

• Bad Hires have an Impact

• Varies by organization and by job role

– Hard dollar cost – base salary, benefits, on board training, exit costs

– Internal team turmoil

– Customer satisfaction

– Compliance (HR and Finance as examples)

• For Sales roles– Cost of lost revenue

– Asset is time – time is lost forever

Impact of a Bad Hire

1 minute

5 minutes

10 minutes

2 seconds

A Unique Way to Look at Reference Checking

Phone interview

Face to Face

Personality / Behavior Assessments

Resume

From Candidate Perspective – Today’s Approach

I’m terrific

I work really hard, weekends too!

I interview well

I’m a Team Player

RecruiterCandidate

From Reference Perspective – Today’s Approach

He’s terrific

I would hire him again, yes!

He works hard

He’s a Team PlayerPhone interview

Face to Face

Personality / Behavior Assessments

Resume

Recruiter Reference

A New Perspective – The New Paradigm

Dependability

Interpersonal Skills

Personality

Work Ethic

Teamwork

Integrity

References

Phone interview

Face to Face

Personality / Behavior Assessments

Resume

Recruiter

SkillSurvey Pre-Hire 360™

Betty Ann GwatkinVP, Human Resources

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

• Background on our Organization– A 25-bed community, not-for-profit, acute care, critical access hospital located

in historic Northeast Kingdom– The only hospital in Vermont designated as Baby Friendly™ by the United

Nations– Approximately 200 hires per year– “People are our greatest asset at NVRH. Our employees are valued for their

caring, compassion, knowledge, skills, and expertise.”

• History of Reference-Checking at NVRH– Requires 2-3 references– Recruiting team performed the reference checks– Process was time intensive with minimal value being derived from the

information collected

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

• Goals in seeking a new way– Efficiency

• Eliminate phone calls, reallocate that time elsewhere• Speed up turnaround of the reference check process

– Better quality information• On-boarding and new hire development ideas

– Improve quality of hire• Avoid potentially bad hires before we make them

• Why SkillSurvey?– 12 years of experience– Proven track record of measurable results– Science (validated surveys and EEOC compliance)– Ease of use

Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

Results – Past 12 Months

Results – Past 12 Months

Results – Past 12 Months

Results – Past 12 Months

Results – Past 12 Months

• 10.3% of Candidates Scored Medium Low or Lower• 87.1% of References Responded!• And in .72 Business Days• 4.28 References Responded per Candidate

Business Impact

Sample Reports

Candidate #1 – Validated(high scoring)

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Validated Candidate

Candidate #2 – Developmental Needs(lower scoring)

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Candidate with Developmental Need

Michael BartkusVice President – SkillSurvey, Inc.

How Does it Work?

1 minute

5 minutes

10 minutes

2 seconds

Enter Candidate Data

Step 1a: Select Survey

Send email to candidate

Survey AvailabilityJob Level ►

▼Job Family Entry-Level

Hourly Clerical Professional Supervisor Manager Executive

General

Production

Sales

Marketing

IT

Operations CustomerService

R&D

Admin

Finance

Legal

HR

Engineering

Education

Healthcare

Sample Libraries: Sales, IT, Customer Service, Healthcare, Finance, etc

Sample Libraries: Finance, IT, Customer Service, Healthcare, etc

Other Libraries: IT, Customer Service, Healthcare, Finance, etc

Other Libraries: Customer Service, IT, Healthcare, Finance, etc

Other Libraries: IT, Customer Service, Healthcare, Finance, etc

Step 1a: Select Survey

Send email to candidate

From: Your Company Name Recruiting Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2011To: Patrick TSubject: Your Company Name Selection Process Information 

Dear Patrick T, Thank you for your continued interest in the Major Account Sales position with your co name. As already explained to you, a critical step in the selection process is reference checking. org name uses web-based reference checking for this purpose. Please click on the link below. It will open a web page where you will input your reference. You will also be able to review a sample of the questions being asked and the email that will be sent to your references. Your references will be emailed a reference survey and their responses will be submitted directly back to SkillSurvey. No one will see your references' individual responses because all responses are electronically aggregated together to produce one summary report.  Note that all references will be responding as individuals, not as representatives of any company or organization. Please click on the following link (URL) to begin: http://eref.skillsurvey.com//CandidateUtilities/EOC.aspx?  

Step 2: Candidate Enters ReferencesAutomated Email From Recruiter to Candidate Explaining the Process

Automated Email From Recruiter to Candidate Explaining the Process

Step 2b: Candidate Inputs References

Step 2c: Candidate Confirms References and Signs Legal Waiver

Proof of Consent“…I hereby release any such person, their company, and any affiliated officers, directors, agents, and employees from any and all claims I may have arising out of the disclosure of such information…”

Proof of Consent“…I hereby release any such person, their company, and any affiliated officers, directors, agents, and employees from any and all claims I may have arising out of the disclosure of such information…”

From: Patrick TSent: Thursday, June 6, 2011To: Scott DaviesSubject: Patrick T Reference Request Dear Scott Davies,

I am pursuing a professional development opportunity and I'd like to use you, as well as several other individuals, as a professional reference. All you need to do is complete a short (less than 30 questions), confidential, web-based survey regarding my skills.

No one will see your individual responses because the system averages the responses from all of my references together to produce one summary report. To further ensure confidentiality, no report will be produced unless at least 3 people respond.

Please note that you will be responding as an individual, not as a representative of any company or organization. Also, I have executed a legally binding agreement that releases you as well as any organization with which you are now affiliated or have been affiliated in the past, from any potential liability for providing this information.

The process is quick and easy. Please click on the following link to begin: http://eref.skillsurvey.com/SS.WebUI/RefSurveyDetails.aspx?

If you have any questions, you can email me at patrickt@gmail.com.

Thank you for your time,Patrick T

Step3a: Automated Email Sent to All References

Step 3b: References Receive Automated Email

Dear Scott Davies,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to Patrick T’s reference request. Before you take the survey, please take a moment to review the information in the form below. If any information is incorrect, please select the appropriate field and make the desired changes. When you are finished, click the continue button at the bottom of the page to save your changes and access the reference survey.

The Surveys: Job-Specific, Behaviorally-Based Questions

Job-Specific, Behaviorally-Based

55

Would you like to learn more about job openings at Your Co name?

SkillSurvey Goes Mobile

SkillSurvey Mobile• On-the-go access anytime, anywhere

• Use your iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid, or Windows-enabled Smartphone

• No hassle for recruiters, candidates, or references

Candidate Comparison Report

Business Intelligence Dashboard

Quick Startup and ROI

• Solution up and running in less than 2 hours– Setup, training, launch

• No need for IT involvement• Not a long and complex project• Provides a quick and easy “win” for recruiting and HR

Questions / Discussion

Michael BartkusSkillSurvey, Inc.

mbartkus@skillsurvey.com 215-493-0110

Betty Ann GwatkinNortheastern Vermont Regional Hospital

b.gwatkin@nvrh.org 419-557-6826

Clients