Dr John Sullivan Talent Management Thought Leadership

Most know references to be a tool for checking a candidate’s background, but it’s important to realize that reference related factors can also be one of the simplest, cheapest and effective areas for identifying top candidates. Even the best corporations that excel at recruiting routinely fail to realize that references and the reference process itself can be powerful sources for identifying and selling top talent. “References” should be considered as valuable recruiting targets because anyone that is given as a “reference” by top talent is almost always more experienced and knowledgeable then the individual that designated them as a reference. References can now become more prominent in recruiting because the availability /visibility of references have dramatically increased now that the names of references can now be easily found on the Internet and within LinkedIn. As a result, it’s time for smart recruiting leaders and recruiters to re-examine references as one of the most underutilized but cost-effective areas for identifying top talent. Read More »