Are references more important than the actual interview?
We tend to check the references first. They are a fast and efficient way to decide who to interview. A company that interviews dozens of candidates for a single job is not being picky nor is it [necessarily] a hard position to fill; the company simply has an inefficient process. You should be able to know a person’s ability to do the job and his or her manageability from the resume, skill testing, and the references. If you think about it, a person who has managed a candidate over a period of time is vastly more qualified to judge abilities than an interviewer just meeting that candidate for a short amount of time. If you already know someone is able to do the job, what is the interview for? The interview is crucial to verify manageability, determine the candidate’s willingness to do the job and, most importantly, the cultural fit. A good hiring process will include multiple interviews by different people. Three interviews by three different people are optimal for most positions. And s
