"The Reference Check Theatre"

Handpicked referees say nice things. Shocking.

Handpicked referees say nice things. Shocking.

If this is showing up in your interviews, practical Interview Coaching Sydney can help you prepare stronger answers and avoid common hiring mistakes.

I wasn’t always this direct. When I started in recruitment, I thought my job was to make everyone happy. Say the right things. Avoid conflict. Keep everyone comfortable.

That approach failed. Spectacularly.

Because here’s what I learned: being nice doesn’t help anyone when what they need is the truth. Candidates don’t improve by hearing that everything is fine. Clients don’t hire better by avoiding hard conversations. Everyone stays stuck when honesty gets replaced by politeness.

So I changed. I started telling people what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear. Some didn’t like it. Some appreciated it. The ones who listened generally got better results.

Here’s The Truth About The Reference Check Theatre

Most people get this wrong because they’re operating on assumptions. They assume the process works a certain way because that’s how it should work. They assume their experience will be valued because it should be valued. They assume someone will tell them when they’re doing something wrong.

None of these assumptions are reliable. The process works however each company decides it works. Experience is valued when someone decides to value it. And nobody tells you what you’re doing wrong because it’s awkward and they’d rather just move on to the next candidate.

You’re on your own out there. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can start taking control.

What I Tell My Candidates

Prepare like every interview is your last chance. It might be. Research until you know things the interviewer doesn’t expect you to know. Practice until your answers sound natural, not rehearsed. Follow up until someone tells you to stop – then stop.

More importantly, be honest with yourself. About your weaknesses. About your real motivations. About what you’re willing to do and what you’re not. Self-deception is the enemy of progress, and the job market has a way of exposing it eventually.

The candidates who succeed aren’t the ones with perfect backgrounds. They’re the ones who see themselves clearly and work with what they’ve got.

Need personalised help with this?

I have spent 15 years on the hiring side of the table. I have interviewed thousands of candidates and seen exactly what works and what does not. Book a session and I will give you direct, honest advice based on your specific situation.