
Interview FR2S – Professional Reference Checks in Luxembourg: Framework and Best Practices
Interview FR2S – Professional Reference Checks in Luxembourg: Framework and Best Practices
Professional reference checks are becoming more common in Luxembourg, particularly in the finance and insurance sectors. This process, which involves verifying the accuracy of information on a candidate’s CV and the validity of their qualifications, can be carried out internally or outsourced to a specialised company.
Background Check is a historical player in the field of professional background verification in the Luxembourg market. Marilyn Hurlin, Associate at Background Check, agreed to answer our questions and explained how the reference-checking process unfolds, while also providing advice for employers and candidates.
What does pre-employment reference verification involve?
Reference verification during a recruitment process involves checking whether the information provided by the candidate is accurate.
In this context, the consultant’s responsibilities include:
- Validating the authenticity of degrees and qualifications.
- Contacting the human resources departments of the companies where the candidate previously worked, as well as their former managers.
- Carefully reviewing essential documents for recruitment purposes, such as identity cards, driving licences, and criminal records.
Background checks are a common practice in Anglo-Saxon countries. What about Luxembourg?
It is true that this practice is much more developed in the United Kingdom than in Luxembourg. However, we are seeing an increase in demand, particularly in the banking and insurance sectors, where the practice is becoming more widespread.
Reference checks during the recruitment process are regulated in Luxembourg. How can recruitment be secured while complying with the legal framework?
It is essential to always obtain the candidate’s consent before collecting personal information or contacting references.
To secure recruitment while complying with the legal framework in Luxembourg, it is crucial to be familiar with and adhere to local regulations, including GDPR, confidentiality, and anti-discrimination rules.
Moreover, it is recommended to limit the collection of information to aspects relevant to the position in question while ensuring transparency with the references by clearly explaining how their responses will be used.
Nearly 10% of reference checks reveal errors in qualifications. How do you explain this?
We observed in 2022 that 8% of the files we processed contained errors in qualifications.
Most often, these involved studies that had been started but not completed with a diploma. Errors in dates are also commonly encountered.
The reference-checking process includes contacting the former managers of the person whose background is being verified. What kind of information do you seek to validate during these exchanges?
The interview with the candidate’s manager or superior is a step in the process that allows the consultant to gather information on:
- The candidate’s interpersonal skills and behaviour, as well as their approach to challenges.
- The tasks and responsibilities performed for this company.
- The environment in which the candidate worked (team, management, number of people supervised, etc.).
How can an employer integrate the outsourcing of professional reference checks into their recruitment process?
The reference-checking service provider must have impeccable work ethics since this step is part of the candidate’s experience during the recruitment process.
We advise employers to choose a specialised service provider for reference checks. Whether local or international, the provider must have impeccable work ethics since this step is part of the candidate’s experience during the recruitment process.
It is important to remember that this is a future employee, and this part of the process must remain a positive experience for them. We also recommend that employers verify the provider’s history and, above all, ensure that their practices comply with local laws and regulations.
Once the provider is selected, it is advisable to establish a clear and coherent protocol for reference verification. This process should be naturally integrated into the recruitment process.
Employers must also be transparent with candidates by clearly communicating the different steps in the verification process.
Companies that conduct professional reference checks as part of their recruitment process project a serious image to high-quality candidates. These companies are also perceived as more attractive. They demonstrate that they value the skills and experience of their candidates.
Finally, for a company, hiring profiles whose backgrounds and qualifications have been verified contributes to the quality of the services the company offers. This can strengthen the trust of their clients and partners.
What advice would you give to candidates undergoing a professional reference check?
First of all, we want to reassure them about the process. They are informed of every action carried out by the consultant. The documents verified are those they have provided via the platform.
We advise them to gather all the requested documents (qualifications, identity papers, criminal record extract, etc.) and upload them to their platform as quickly as possible. Then, they should fill in the required information on the platform comprehensively so that the process is not delayed. For example, the name of a contact person should be accompanied by their contact details.