Why references from co-workers are as important as those from managers

Some job candidates limit references to former managers – but research suggests that feedback from co-workers are just as important, as such that such provide vital information on soft skills.

SkillSurvey’s text analysis study found that managers emphasize task-related behaviours, such as meeting deadlines or working independently. On the other hand, co-workers emphasize interpersonal behaviours, like being helpful or compassionate.

“In today’s workplace, where soft skills matter more than ever, these results really drive home the importance of a holistic reference check, where feedback from both former co-workers and managers is taken into consideration,” said Ray Bixler, SkillSurvey’s CEO and President.

“While managers may be able to speak to a candidate’s abilities, a co-worker may provide more insights about a candidate’s office presence and effectiveness as a teammate which has the potential to impact customer service, company culture, and organizational success.”

Results came from an analysis of 20,000 references (10,000 managers and 10,000 co-workers) for 5,000 job candidates who were applying for a job in one of 34 different industries, represented by 636 different companies.

The study found the most notable differences between what managers and co-workers provided in their open-ended feedback:
 

Areas of Strength
Co-workers	Managers
Understanding Listening Experience Confidence/Assertiveness Compassionate/Caring Friendly Knowledgeable Helpful	Dependable Reliable Meets Deadlines Works Independently

 

Areas of Improvement
Co-workers	Managers
Too helpful Handling stress Perfectionist Works too much	Experience Proactive

A broad majority of employers (86%) believe that completing reference checks before extendingan offer is one of the most important steps of the hiring process, according to a separate poll by SkillsSurvey in 2015. Nearly 70% said they reference check for every job candidate.