As we all know, recruitment is an inexact science and pre-employment checks such as securing valid and recent references gives us important information that helps us to decide if a candidate is suitable for a particular role. Over the years I have taken references on behalf of thousands of employers and prospective employees as part of delivering bespoke recruitment services. This has lead me to have many positive, long-term placements and via the same established processes of due diligence, I have also diverted my clients away from certain disaster on more than one occasion! Interestingly these days many grooms, having known me through their careers, give me as a reference to their 'journey.' Similarly, and not infrequently, employers will ask me for information about a particular prospective employee and of course, where I can fairly and legally comment, I do. Over the years, more especially in the equestrian recruitment environment, I have been struck by how many employers who recruit for themselves or via other routes don’t seem to bother taking up references, opting instead to completely ignore these critical pre-employment checks just hoping for the best; many seem to live to regret this omission sooner or later...
Continue reading
