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00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Welcome to Your Morning Boost, your daily leadership advice to help you lead your school community.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 Brought to you by AWB Education and sponsored by Grundmeyer Leader Services,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:14 where together we are transforming education, one leader at a time.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Now here's your host, Adam Bush.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 Good morning. Hey, it's Friday. Welcome back to Your Morning Boost.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 You've almost made it. Just one more day to get through the rest of this week.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:25 Thanks for joining us again today.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:29 A quick reminder that we are brought to you by Grundmeyer Leader Services,
00:00:29 --> 00:00:33 where they are transforming education one leader at a time.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:38 Today, we're going to continue and finish up this week-long conversation of best hiring practices.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 And today, we're going to talk about reference checks.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Reference checks, they are an essential step in the hiring process.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:49 So in this episode, we will discuss the importance of conducting thorough reference
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 checks and how to do them effectively.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 I mean, I understand we get through this process. We're like,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 whew, we're almost done.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:00 You've done the job description. You've done the posting, you've screened your
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 candidate, the interview is done, and now we need to hurry up and cross the
00:01:03 --> 00:01:07 reference checks off the list to fast-track this hire to the board for approval. Right?
00:01:08 --> 00:01:14 Wrong. I get it. I know you've got timelines, and sometimes getting through timelines is tough.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 We have a bunch of positions to post after this one, and got more to hire,
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 and you're telling me I need to do this process all over again?
00:01:20 --> 00:01:25 Yep, I am. And if you've missed any episodes this week, I'd encourage you to
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 take a moment to catch those because the steps of the process are extremely
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 important to make sure that we get the right hire.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 It is vital to success. I want you to build the right team and you know you
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 want to do it the right way.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:40 So part of the right way is this important piece of reference checks.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:44 I don't think it's possible to ask all the questions during the interview.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:49 I really don't. I don't think you'll ever get all of the answers you need to make the best decision.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:53 The reference checks, they're the way we fill in the gaps, or at least get answers
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 to the wonders that the team has had during your wrap-up.
00:01:56 --> 00:02:00 So to do a good job of reference checks, sometimes you have to start with the candidate.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:04 Before ever even contacting references, make sure you have written permission
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 from the candidates to verify their employment history and qualifications.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 Now, most of us do this with the checkbox on the applications.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:15 But if the candidate selected no to the may we contact this employer,
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 you may need to ask the candidate to clarify the reason why.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:22 I know if it's a current supervisor, I want to talk with them prior to finishing
00:02:22 --> 00:02:26 the hiring process. They are a reference check that I really, really want to talk to.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 So I may need to ask the candidate why they selected no.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 Could be for a variety of reasons, but either way, I want to make sure the candidate
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 is comfortable with me talking to their supervisor.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:40 Remember, they are interviewing us as well. So I want to be as supportive of them as possible.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:45 Now, when I get an opportunity to contact those references, focus on questions
00:02:45 --> 00:02:46 that are more open-ended.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:50 They elicit specific examples of the candidate's performance and skills.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:57 Give the reference an opportunity to talk. The fewer yes-no questions that I have, the better.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:01 Let's see what they have to say. They may fill in the gaps for us,
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 but I also want to be prepared to ask the questions that are aimed at those gaps.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 Now, I'm going to get to more of those if I contact a variety of references.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:12 I want to talk to former supervisors, but I also want to talk to colleagues
00:03:12 --> 00:03:16 and maybe mentors to get a more comprehensive picture of what the candidate
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 strengths and weaknesses are. Not a lot of jobs are isolated.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 People are going to work with others in the school building.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 So find out how well they do that.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 If I didn't get a list from the candidate with these people,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 that's another reason to ask them for a few more references.
00:03:29 --> 00:03:33 I know on my resume, I typically only include supervisors.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:38 It'd probably be a better idea to ask the people that work for me rather than the people I work for.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 Good opportunity to really see what my leadership style is like.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:46 Now, as I'm going through that reference process, there may be red flags that come up.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:50 If you discover any concerns during the reference checks, make sure you follow up with a candidate.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:54 Clarify or address the issue. I don't want to just assume that the red flag
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 is real. It may or may not be. I don't know.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:02 And that's kind of the point here, right? If a concern comes up, address the concern.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:06 See what's going on. You might be able to get a better answer from the candidate,
00:04:06 --> 00:04:10 and it may either validate the red flag itself or it may clear that for you.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:14 Good quote to remember here is that reference checks can provide valuable insights
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 into a candidate's character, work ethic, and skills.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:21 So don't fast track this important step in the hiring process.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 This is not one worth skipping.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:27 Just think about how you're going to develop a system for conducting thorough reference checks.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 It will help you ensure that you're hiring the best candidate possible for your
00:04:30 --> 00:04:34 school and for your positions. Well, thank you for joining us this week and
00:04:34 --> 00:04:38 completing this five-part series on the best hiring practices for school leaders.
00:04:38 --> 00:04:42 There's a lot of companies out there, Grunmeier Leader Services is one of them,
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 that are more than willing to help partner with you to ensure that your process
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 is going to be the most successful for you.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 Following a few tips, strategies, ones that are shared in these episodes,
00:04:49 --> 00:04:53 it's going to help you attract, interview, and hire the best talent for your school.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 Have a great finish to Friday. Hope you had a great week. We will talk with
00:04:57 --> 00:05:01 you again on Monday. You have been listening to your Morning Boost by AWB Education
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 in partnership with Grundmeyer Leader Services.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:09 You can find out more about our services by clicking on the links in the description.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:14 Remember, you are doing this vital job that only a few can do.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:18 So until next time, thank you for your service to your community.