By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Here I answer the question from someone who is asked for references by recruiter during the 1st interview and doesn’t want to provide them.
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I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, the head coach for JobSearch.Community. I was asked a question I thought was great and that is, you know, a recruiter has asked me for references at the time of a first interview. I really don’t want to give it to them. So, how can I say no to recruiters when they ask for references during an interview? Now, I want to be . . . to differentiate and to say, I want to start by answering the question about contingency recruiters because that’s definitely a place to say no.
(0:37 – 0:58)
They may tell you, we need to check references on behalf of the client. And that’s a great line, but what they’re really doing is trying to use your contacts to go recruit other people. I know this because I’ve listened to sales trainers for years talk about this as a gambit to get great talent and you don’t want to be complicit.
(0:59 – 1:52)
So, the correct way to respond or the easiest way to respond is, rather than take it head on, you smile and say, in due time, but not right now. And if they say, well, we need to have it because the client wants us to check references at the time that we submit. And again, I want to be clear, I’m not talking about the retained search firms.
I’m not talking about C-level professionals. I’m talking about, you know, your typical average Jane or Joe who’s in a job and is being approached by a recruiter. And, you know, they say, we need the reference.
The client wants it. Great. I’d be happy to provide it to the client.
Well, they want us to check the references. Not at this time. Then we can’t submit you.
Okay. And leave it at that. And you know why? Because if they could get you in the door, they’d get you in the door.
(1:53 – 3:41)
And they can’t. What they’re trying to do is parlay one contact into two or three where they call them up and try to recruit them, ostensibly under the guise of checking a reference. So, they might say, we need a former manager.
And then they go from there to your manager and start by doing a reference check and then try and flip it to get recruiting business from them. Or they may try to talk to a peer of yours about you and your work and say, by the way, this is a position I’m trying to recruit for. Is this something that might interest you? There’s a lot of little gambits that go on among third party recruiters.
Now, I know some people are going to respond by saying, would you do that with a company? No! Unfortunately, too many third party recruiters are sleazy. We know this already. So, the idea is to push them off because you don’t know if you can trust them yet and, wink, wink, most of them, you probably can’t.
There are exceptions to this, but most of them, you probably can’t. And, you know, it’s like being on a first date with someone. Did you do a reference of your former husband or wife? I’d like to speak with them, please.
Or someone that you went out with previously. I’d like to know what you’re like by talking to them. No, not on a first date, especially with an absolute stranger.
Obviously, you would never do that in a dating situation. You get my point. Here, it’s so important to very politely and with a smile on your face say, in due time, you know, we’ll get to that, but the client wants it.
That’s okay. If you can’t present me without that, then, obviously, you don’t think I’m a fit. So, we just leave it at that and move on.
Hope you have a great day and take care!
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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, to provide No BS job search coaching and career advice globally because he makes job search
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You will find great info and job search coaching to help with your job search at JobSearch.Community
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter
Schedule a discovery call to speak with me about one-on-one or group coaching during your job search at www.TheBigGameHunter.us.
The Billion Dollar Mistake in Hiring Part II
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes over 14+ years.
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