All depends on what they say. In my time talking to applicants'
ex-bosses, I've heard some real beauties, such as:
"Who? [pause] Oh, HIM! Bloody useless bastard". (Applicant was a
mechanic's apprentice)
"She went out for lunch one day and never came back". (Admin
role)
"Look, if you've got somebody else applying for the job, employ
them instead". (Retail role)
God's honest truth, these are the exact words I heard these
referees say. Mind you, in each case, these were the only ex-bosses
listed in the references section. It was either pure mindless
desperation, or the applicants had followed the "list your ex-boss
an a reference" rule without thinking.
BUZZZZZZZ! Wrong! A reference check is not just a "technique" to
see who's listed, by the way. I always insist on carrying out ref
checks before making any decisions, and if someone performs well
but fails the ref check, I'll call the applicant up and ask for
further references. When later referees fail them, I don't
recommend them for the role.
