Are character references useless?
Besides confirming dates of employment, are character references from a job/intern applicant essentially useless? No applicant is going to list sent a reference that is going to say anything bad about the person, so I don't even bother asking character questions.
When hiring in the past, i've asked for references, but only use them to confirm that the person was there. Regarding contacting his/her former employer, I know there are liability issues regarding what they can say about the person - so this isn't of much help either.
Besides a background check, linkedin/google search etc, what are some ways to do due diligence for a new applicant?
How highly do you value letters of recommendation?
I mean.. if it's a character reference from Hank Paulson, it probably isn't useless..
In all seriousness, it most likely won't hurt you, and if you have something "non-standard" on your resume or other special circumstance, a character reference may be helpful in assuaging an employer's concerns. But to be honest, I don't imagine that it will make much of a difference in most cases.
I think they add some assurance. They aren't dealbreakers but the right name (you never know with these things) can certainly snag you an interview, did with me.
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