WorkScore For Employers

Hiring is investing --and successful investing requires independent information. 

What is your candidate really good at? What have they personally achieved? What are they like to work with? You need to know -- and resumes and references are a poor way to find out. 

WorkScore gives you much more accurate information than tests, resumes, or individual references because you get the confidential views of  a sizable group that knows your candidate's work. It not only saves you time and money -- it gives you the information you actually need to make smart hiring decisions. And for now, it's free.

What exactly is a WorkScore?

Sample WorkScoreA WorkScore is a report based on confidential information provided by your candidate's references. You can see three sample WorkScores here. Here is what each WorkScore gives you:

  • More references. We ask your candidate for five references. We ask each reference to give us additional references. You end up with 2-3 times more references than usual. A WorkScore gives you each reference's email and phone number, so that follow-up is easy.

  • Commendations. These are thanks and recommendations from references. Even though candidates can delete inaccurate recommendations, those that remain tell you a great deal about your candidate's best work. 

  • Verified Achievements. References confidentially verify achievements. Did your candidate support a result, contribute to the result, or drive the result? We let those who know verify your candidate's actual contributions. 

  • Confidential Skill Assessments. Reference confidentially rate 15 critical skills using demanding performance standards. They also indicate which skills are most important. WorkScore gives you the results. Don't hire without seeing this.

  • Data on Fit. What is this person like to work with? How likely are references to rehire your candidate? (in business  research, this is the most fundamental question of all. Is your candidate fair-minded? What is the quality of their professional interactions? You need to know. Only WorkScore tells you.

  • Work Samples and other Documents. Consistent and confidential reference checks are the single most important element of professional hiring. The second is a review of work samples. Seeing is believing. Candidates can share work samples, performance reviews,  feedback, articles, videos, blogs, or anything else that helps you evaluate their work. Some candidates do fantastic work but interview badly. Others are the reverse. WorkScore helps you sort it out.

Ask for WorkScores before your final round of interviews. You will ask much better questions. You will enable references to influence the final decision, instead of checking references as a final step. You need accurate information to invest wisely. A bank won't lend without a credit score. Don't invest in professionals who are essential to your business without first seeing their WorkScore.

How do we obtain WorkScores from candidates?

WorkScore PreferredLet candidates know that you would like to see their WorkScore. Getting a WorkScore is easy and need not slow down your hiring process.

  • Indicate that you use WorkScores when you post the position. Add the words "WorkScore Welcomed" or "WorkScore Preferred" to your job announcement. Serious candidates will figure it out.

  • Sign up for WorkScore. It's free and all we ask for is your name and email. You will see candidate WorkScores on the "Shared WorkScores" part of the website.

  • Getting a WorkScore is quick and simple. To get a WorkScore, candidates sign up, give their references, list the achievements they wish to have verified, and add up to ten documents and links. Once their WorkScore contains sufficient number of reviews, achievements, or commendations (about seven), the candidate can share their WorkScore with you at the email address you used to create your account. Because a WorkScore is a living document, it may become more complete during the course of your hiring process.

What are Workplace Scores?

Workplace ScoreHiring is a two-way process. Both you and your candidates want a good fit. But how can your candidate know what your workplace is like? Just as you value information from people who know their work, they value information about your workplace from people who already work there.

We invite employees in every company, a nonprofit, or public agency to describe and review their workplace. We validate each reviewer's current employment using their workplace email domain. These reviews are anonymous and we make the results public as Workplace Scores. You are free to use them to learn what's working at your workplace. And what isn't.

Every workplace is different. Some workplaces demand total commitment and reward top-performers lavishly. Others attract people drawn to an exciting technology. Or a social cause. Or a lifestyle that accommodates families. Or a chance to be exceptionally creative.

Although we authenticate every employee who submits a workplace review, we obviously face a problems of selection bias: not all employees participate and those that do may not be typical. They may be managers who want to promote their workplace or employees who are unhappy but not representative.

A Workplace Score lets job candidates know what to expect. Like a WorkScore, a valid Workplace Score increases the chance of a good fit. To ensure a valid Workplace Score, please encourage your employees to contribute reviews. You will ask candidates about their WorkScore. Make sure that they have an accurate Workplace Score to discuss with you as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WorkScore actually give each candidate a score?

We would if it made sense, but it doesn't. Think of a WorkScore as a painting, not a print out. By the time you review a candidate's references, commendations, achievements, skills, impact, and documents you know a lot about them. You get the picture and can make smarter decisions about whether they are a good fit.

Are there situations where it does not make sense to ask a candidate for a WorkScore?

Sure. Maybe you know the person really well because they are an internal candidate or used to work for you. Or maybe the job does not require people who learn from and are accountable to those they work with. In these cases, a WorkScore may not be appropriate.

is WorkScore free? How do you pay your bills?

It is free to companies who help us work the bugs out. Later this year, we will charge for WorkScores, although the cost of a WorkScore will be a tiny fraction of the cost of a bad professional hire. We plan to provide significant discounts for companies that buy WorkScores in quantity and make WorkScores a regular part of their professional hiring process.

What about candidates that don't want to get a WorkScore?

Who can blame them? Nobody wants a credit score -- they want a loan. Nobody wants an SAT score -- they want to go to college. If your candidate is terrific and are exactly the person you are looking for, perhaps you should hire them anyway. Or perhaps they look good on paper and interview well but have never built the kind of strong professional track record that tends to produce an outstanding WorkScore.

What is a good skill score? Is 78 high or low?

If a candidate's score is in the top 20% of all scores, we put an asterisk next to it. Otherwise, pay attention to the five or six highest scores and assume that those represent real strengths and watch for any score under 40, which may indicate a problem.

Why is our Workplace Score different than the average of the scores for the different attributes?

When employees review your workplace, they use the drop-down indicators to tell us which attributes are most important to them. We weigh each attribute according to the importance that employees assign it. Some workplace attributes count for more, so your Workplace Score is unlikely to be the average of the attributes. If most people indicate that family friendliness is very important, for example, the scores for this category will count more towards the overall Workplace Score.

What do you think about using WorkScores for professional development and performance reviews?

We welcome the business and there are teams that do this, but we think it's usually the wrong tool for the job. Use WorkScore for hiring professionals. That's what it is built for and that's what it does best.

Aren't references liable for things the write and do on WorkScore?

We don't give out legal advice, but remember that a WorkScore is controlled by it's owner, who can delete anything written that appears inaccurate and submits their WorkScore to you voluntarily.

What good is a WorkScore if candidates can delete anything that is unfavorable?

Candidates can only delete recommendations and achievements that are unfavorable. If a candidate has a problem that affects their professional performance, it will show in their skill scores, in the impact tab, and in the follow up conversations that you have with primary and secondary references.

I have some thoughts about improving WorkScore. Want to hear them?

Yes! Now is the best time to give us ideas, since we are just getting started. Sign in and use this page here to let us know your thoughts.

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