Beyond the references

How to REALLY evaluate an applicant’s competencies?

References can help recruiters validate an impression of an applicant. They have long been viewed as the golden ticket to get a glimpse of a candidate’s skills, particularly personal and interpersonal skills.

However, while references can be beneficial, their value is questionable.

First and foremost, they are undoubtedly biased, not only because of the choice of the referee — candidates will provide references who turn towards positive feedback, but also because they will reflect on the…