Traditional vs 360 Digital Reference Checks | Crosschq

Are you tired to death of struggling through painstaking and time consuming traditional reference checks? Do you think in your heart of hearts there has to be a better way? You’re in luck: Crosschq 360 Digital Checks are here to save the day and improve Quality of Hire.

Traditional Reference Checks: An Antiquated Practice That Needs to Fade Away

Reference checks are the bane of many hiring managers' and recruiters’ existence. You do them because you have to do them, but you are pretty sure it could be easier. 

You know for a fact that they are slowing you down, and you’re still not sure exactly how they are supposed to be helping you.

It’s time to get with the times and let this tradition die, already. Conducting phone reference checks generally produces as much useful information as reading an outdated paper map versus relying on satellite GPS for real-time updates.

Automated Digital Reference Checks Are Here For You

Similar to an outdated paper map, traditional reference checking gives you limited, possibly obsolete information, with no context or relevant real-life details.

In comparison, digital reference checks are like real-time navigation, an entirely different level of information, delivering clear, easy directions on how to get from A to B, including up-to-date details on the best route based on time, traffic, and delays caused by road crews or weather.

Glove compartments used to be filled with a pile of folded maps and even an oversized atlas for navigating streets. If your friend today reached for a paper map to help navigate somewhere, wouldn’t you be compelled to bring them into the wonderful world of new navigation technology? 

What Is the Meaning of Reference Checking Anyway?

What’s the point of reference checking? Most hiring managers say they get very little usable information from the process. But candidate data is what reference checks should be about, and candidate data is what Crosschq 360 Digital Checks provide.

When you make the transition from traditional reference checking to 360 digital checks, suddenly the whole process changes—and so do the results. The amount of time you spend on the phone shrinks down to nothing, and the amount of data you receive expands exponentially.

Say goodbye to reference checks and hello to just what you need – amazing pre-hire data. In a fraction of the time required by traditional reference checks, you’ll be given reports on each candidate that clearly define their skill-sets and suitability for the role.

Benefits of Digital Reference Checks Over Traditional Reference Checking

With traditional phone reference checks, the process tends to go something like this:

• Call candidate’s reference
• Call again because they weren’t available the first time
• Repeat multiple times
• Finally get through, ask questions
• Get back short, curt or simply bland answers that don’t contain much real information 
• Repeat for next reference
• Repeat for next candidate

Check out what recruiters had to say about traditional reference checking in a recent LinkedIn poll by Hung Lee:

"Reference checks are inherently biased." 

“They’re a waste of time, period!”

“What’s the point if the reference check
has no bearing on the hiring decision?”

Queue the Online Reference Checking Software

With Crosschq 360, the process is very straightforward:

• Send candidate the link to begin their reference check
• Candidate fills out the self-reference check survey
• Candidate also enter reference contact info to complete the same survey
• Receive alerts and updates as references are completed quickly
• Receive clear, easy to read and utilize reports
• Repeat for all candidates  
  
  

The Data Behind Digital Reference Checks

With digital reference checks, you don’t just get answers about whether or not a candidate worked at X company for Y years. You get ACTUAL data about how said candidate got along with their co-workers, whether or not they are a self-starter, and if they have a creative approach to solving new problems. You receive consistent rankings on their skills and competencies, especially those relevant to the open role for which they are applying.

That’s data you’d never get from a traditional reference check. Let’s take a look at some very tangible benefits of making the switch to 360: 

Why Choose Crosschq 360 over traditional reference checks?

When you start using Crosschq 360, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. It’s so easy, so fast, and gives you SO much data. You can zero in on key candidate quality indicators for each role, and start leveraging hiring intelligence.

Immediate results of making the switch:

• Make more confident hiring decisions, faster
• Cut the amount of time you spend checking references by 95%
• Reduce reference checking costs
• Start getting REAL, actionable data that results in a better Quality of Hire  
• Seamlessly integrate reference checking with your HRIS and ATS
  
  

With Crosschq 360, you automate the most time consuming parts of checking references, and in return you get fast, detailed reports on every candidate, letting you compare your lineup across all factors and identify front-runners with ease. It improves communication with your hiring managers and creates a record of all candidate decisions. 

Crosschq’s 360 Reports also set you and your candidate up for success by:

• Providing data you can use in the interview process
• Creating a file you can hand off to the onboarding team
• Highlighting your new hires’ strengths and weaknesses 
• Helping you track new hire performance over time 

It’s time to let traditional reference checks recede into the distance, and welcome the new, improved way of doing things: 360 Digital Checks. For a free demo, contact our team today!