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Case Learning Care Group Transforms Study Hiring with ChequedReferenceTM Results Snapshot In July 2011, the Learning Care Group, which operates more than 900 corporate child care centers, elected to partner with Chequed.com to automate and revamp its existing reference checking process1. The benefits are far-­‐
reaching and include: • Decreased administrative time spent
collecting candidate references by 75
percent;
• Reduced reference response collection
The Challenge: The Need to Improve Candidate Quality and Time to Hire With the capacity to serve more than 100,000 children between the ages of six weeks and 13 years in its facilities including Childtime, Tutor Time, The Children’s Courtyard, Montessori Unlimited, and La Petite Academy, adequate reference checking has always been a high priority for Learning Care Group. However, prior to 2012, reference checking was challenging for three reasons: (1) Process Was Highly Administrative. Scheduling calls with references was time 1
period from roughly two weeks to 2-­‐3 days; • Improved candidate quality with a
structured reference assessment questionnaire; • Optimized hiring manager and recruiter
productivity because interviewing time is spent only with higher quality candidates; and • Maximized sourcing expenditure allocations
since expenses such as candidate interview travel are only incurred when the candidates meet stringent quality thresholds. consuming and frustrating because recruiters often played p hone tag. Hence, it often took as much as two weeks to obtain basic candidate verification information. (2) Data Shared Was Insufficient. Reference checks often did not collect a constructive assessment of candidate strengths and weaknesses. Negative comments were rarely shared by reference providers for fear of liability. (3) Sub-­‐optimized Interviews and Adverse Productivity Implications Existed. Data collected from a candidate’s references were not fully utilized to save recruiters and managers time or used to improve the overall interview process. For more details, see the complete Chequed.com Research Study, “A Guide to Talent Selection in the Modern World: Mistakes to Avoid and Practices That Accelerate Performance, which can be accessed at http://www.chequed.com/white-­‐papers/best-­‐practices-­‐
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The Solution: Automated Reference Checking and Reengineering of Hiring Processes To alleviate such challenges, Learning Care Group employs ChequedReferenceTM in its corporate and field management recruiting. The solutions are today used to collect feedback about candidates from their references before interviews begin. After candidates are prequalified, Learning Care Group asks them to input contact information for three to five references. References are then automatically sent an email from the applicant (on behalf of Learning Care Group) with a comprehensive reference assessment questionnaire. After an adequate sample of references complete this questionnaire, hiring stakeholders are able to access d ata that rank and compare each candidate’s strength and weaknesses and u se it for interviewing purposes. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum qualifications are typically removed from the hiring process. Overall, this new structure gives Learning Care Group greater confidence that a particular applicant is a suitable match. This is because the qualitative and quantitative scoring elements (e.g., rate each candidate’s skill on this predefined scale) p rovide deeper insight about a candidate’s abilities that are then used to improve the interview, offer and onboarding processes. Moreover, negative references are no longer a challenge because there is now a wide-­‐range of high-­‐level and detailed responses. As shown in the chart below, just a little more than ten p ercent of candidates received five stars while roughly 20 percent received three stars or less (Additional insight can be viewed from within this top-­‐level score). Further, with this new process, the team has greater confidence because candidates who are willing to disclose their references early in the process are more likely to have diligently reviewed the job description and commit to the type of work within it. Source: Learning Care Group and Chequed.com Research Top and Above Average Reference Score. 10 percent of candidates received a high-­‐
performing score from their references and roughly 45 percent of c andidates received an above average score of 4 stars or above. Below Average Score. The Benefits: Improved Productivity and Hire Quality Getting the reference data earlier in the process, combined with the objective quantitative and q ualitative scoring components, h elps Learning Care Group invest time pursuing only the very best candidates. Further, the organization has cut the administrative time spent collecting references information by 75 percent. In 20 percent of candidates received a reference assessment score of three stars or below. This score and the data within it are used to help Learning Care Group better screen or even screen out unqualified applicants. addition, responses, which used to take several weeks, are now collected within two to three d ays. Moreover, candidate quality has improved. This is because candidates who are not qualified drop out of the process early; likewise, when negative information is received, candidates can be removed from the hiring process before mangers invest their time. Finally, additional sourcing expenses such as candidate travel are only incurred once the results from the automated reference assessment are reviewed by the key decision makers.