Guides - Human Resources & Payroll in China 2016

Human Resources and Payroll in China 2016-2017 (5th Edition) -

Conduct Reference Checks

Reference checks are carried out to verify information gathered about candidates during CV

screenings and interviews. This is usually conducted after the final assessment interview and prior

to making an offer to the candidate. For the following reasons, reference checks are particularly

important in China:

1. It is not common that candidates possess written evidence of previous employment or letters

of recommendation.

2. CV and credential fraud are more commonly practiced to enhance individual competitiveness in

China compared with other markets.

Manipulated information might include personal data, qualification certificates, educational

background, work experience, salary and reasons for leaving previous employers. Therefore, it is

highly recommended to conduct reference checks before making a formal offer.

Legal Note

No statutory law exists against conducting reference checks. However, we recommend that

companies should use a third party, usually a recruitment firm, to do so, including cold-calling

candidates, collecting background information and doing reference checks to improve efficiency

and avoid any direct connection to the company.

In China, the most common method of conducting reference checks is via telephone. Due to the

frequent job changes of professionals in China, former management may no longer be with the

same company, making the process of validating reference checks even more complex.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact

Deni Dai

Consultant

Direct HR

+ 86 574 8835 1562 ext. 129