The Imperative Verbal Reference Check! |
We’ve all heard baby sitter horror stories and felt sick imagining ourselves in these unthinkable situations, so, whenever we ask someone to care for our children, pets or horse, we like to believe we are handing over their vulnerable wellbeing to a loving and responsible person. A person who will do their utmost to ensure they are safe and happy.
Horse owners in particular, can suffer a sense of unease when appointing a horse carer and therefore need to do all they can to ensure they are leaving their horse in the right hands.
When appointing a person to perform any duties, paid or otherwise, it is imperative you check references VERBALLY. I also recommend asking for criminal/police check, but even if this is provided, VERBAL references are a must! So, how do we go about this and what are we checking?
There are times when a friend will recommend someone they think is terrific and perfect to care for your horse. This is not, I repeat NOT a reference! It is only a personal recommendation. Friends of friends are not a reliable and independent source of information. They may be well meaning but could also be bias or even have a vested interested that could cloud their judgement. Therefore, it is imperative to also seek another independent opinion.
The most appropriate reference will come from a horse professional. These people can be vets, riding coaches, horse trainers, farriers, club officials and the like. These professionals are usually registered with a professional organisation and have their reputation to consider. This makes it much less likely they will give a reference for someone they believe is incompetent.
When asking for a reference, you need to begin by clearly stating the reason for your call, i.e. “my name is Sue Jones and Jenny Smith has applied to care for my horses and offered your name as a reference” You then need to ask short, open ended questions relevant to the position, i.e.; “Can you give me your opinion on her level of competence in handling horses?”
What we are asking for here is for an opinion. No professional will categorically make a statement, but most will offer an “opinion”. How they say something is often more important than what is said! This is when your listening skills are required… please don’t become distracted by irrelevance at this point. We are listening for tone and the degree of positiveness (or otherwise) behind the statements. Here are two examples. The first I would consider a positive reference and the second to be negative.
Positive – “Oh yes, I know Jenny and her own horses are wonderfully loved and cared for. She was one of my easiest clients because her horses were always beautifully behaved and in great condition”
Negative – “Oh Jenny Smith…, ummm, well, I was her vet for a short while. She seemed O.K. but.., there might have been some issues… hmm, I don’t really remember”
Whilst the example of the negative reference may appear inconclusive, remember this is a reference the applicant supplied and yet the referee is hesitant!
It is highly unlikely a professional will come out and directly say something negative (they can be worried about legal ramifications), instead they say very little and this should be a very clear red flag!
Next question!
“How reliable was Jenny in her dealings with you? i.e. keeping appointments?”
It doesn’t matter if someone is the most capable horse person on the planet. If they don’t turn up, then they are absolutely useless and should not be hired. A positive reference should go something like this
Positive – “When I dealt with Jenny’s horses they were always prepared and waiting for me. She would let me know well in advance if there was going to be any change of plan”
Negative – “Well, there were a few times when I arrived and our appointment had been forgotten. Perhaps she’s now more reliable”
Reliability is an absolute must and not negotiable. Obviously, there are times when someone can’t attend to their duties, but a responsible person has a back up plan.
Question three, “How long have you known Jenny?”
This question is only relevant if all the comments have been positive. If they were negative, you probably would end the phone call because all your instincts are saying this is not the right person for you or your horse! However, if everything is sounding fabulous, then we need to know how long these people have known each other. If the answer is two weeks, we don’t discount what has been said, but we need another reference to back up all the positivity. A reference from a short association is probably less than reliable.
Finally remember a professional person is busy and so we need to keep our questions as brief and relevant as possible. For instance, asking about someone’s riding skills would be irrelevant if there is to be no riding involved in the assignment.
Whilst it’s tempting to think the more questions you ask the better, it’s best to avoid interrogating questions and stick to the point. Most professionals are unwilling to elaborate in case they say something that loses them a customer and/or result in legal action. As a horse person, it’s up to you to keep it simple and ask the right questions and then listen, really listen and interpret the tone of what is said. Hmmm, when you think about it, isn’t that the same principle for how you communicate with your horse? Remember, when you’re not talking, you’re listening.
In closing, I cannot overstate, the absolute importance of ALWAYS checking references verbally.
Note: Before her life as an Equestrian Coach, Kay Thornton worked in the recruitment industry for 15 years where reference checking was an every day responsibility.
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