PA as a reference?

HCCADC · January 2005

Has a applicant ever asked you to accept a Performance Appraisal review as a reference? An applicant does not want me to contact their current employer due to obvious reasons (er doesn't know he is looking, etc) but he offered to give me a copy of his most recent performance appraisal. What do you think?

zen · January 2005

I've had applicants bring these with them on a few occasions. Generally I will consider the PA, but also keep in mind that perhaps the applicant has had a problem in their workplace since the PA was done that would keep them from getting a good reference now. I keep going further back into work history with previous employers to verify the applicant is "for real". Education, criminal background checks, and DMV checks are completed and verified. If the applicant passes muster,THEN I will again ask to contact current employer prior to making an offer.

I understand some employers give employees a really hard time (up to and including termination)if they are asked for references - and the ees don't want to burn their bridges before they have to - but sometimes I wonder how many refuse to allow contact of their current employer because they've been skimmin' some off the top and want to get out before they get caught.

hrdir03nafcu · January 2005

I agree w/ the other replies posted here-- candidates do commonly ask that we not contact current supervisor, and we don't contact current ER w/o the candidate's permission to do so.

The one thing I would add is that my SOP in these instances is to make a contingent offer after contacting other refcs-- the contingency being a satisfactory refc from their current supervisor. Very few candidates have ever balked at giving the OK to contact their current supervisor once the contingent offer of employment is on the table.

>I've had applicants bring these with them on a
>few occasions. Generally I will consider the
>PA, but also keep in mind that perhaps the
>applicant has had a problem in their workplace
>since the PA was done that would keep them from
>getting a good reference now. I keep going
>further back into work history with previous
>employers to verify the applicant is "for real".
>Education, criminal background checks, and DMV
>checks are completed and verified. If the
>applicant passes muster,THEN I will again ask to
>contact current employer prior to making an
>offer.
>
>I understand some employers give employees a
>really hard time (up to and including
>termination)if they are asked for references -
>and the ees don't want to burn their bridges
>before they have to - but sometimes I wonder how
>many refuse to allow contact of their current
>employer because they've been skimmin' some off
>the top and want to get out before they get
>caught.

Don D · January 2005

Nobody I knows will contact a current employer if requested to not do that by an applicant. It's common practice to make that request. It is also fairly common for an applicant to provide performance reviews, not in lieu of background verification, but as a supplement. I've done it myself.

ritaanz · January 2005

The only time Iwould call a current employer is when the applicant gives me permission to do so in writing. We have a space on the application for that.

Otherwise, I would not call for a reference until I have made the job offer, the applicant accepted and then gave his current employer notice.

However, I have been known to call the company to verify the applicant's employment.

HCCADC · January 2005

Yes, these were my thoughts also. I think the PA if fairly new, so I am not concerned with something going wrong in between the time it was completed. I wouldn't contact a current employer unless it was ok with the candidate. No one had ever asked me if they could give a performance appraisal in lieu of a reference before. Thanks for your thoughts.

PA as a reference?

Comments