Awesome Reference System

Pros

What I like most about this software is the way the reference report shows the data collected by the references. I like the graphs and the anonymity of the data.

Cons

No complaints here- I'm very happy with the functionality of this product and the ease of setting up candidates and finalizing data.

SkillSurvey transformed the reference check process for us.

Skill survey has been great. We now conduct reference checks at a much higher rate than we did before (nearly 100%). It's a critical part of our hiring process for managers, servers and bartenders and I can't imaging operating without it. Fun fact, we actually caught a manager who was providing fraudulent references by reviewing the IP addresses. I was very thankful for that feature at the time.

Pros

1. Skill survey makes it easy to conduct reference checks. Before we had it, we did this by phone. We probably only completed checks about 25% of the time and they were awkward to conduct. 2. I love the fact that there is a percentile score for performance. This makes it easy to see how candidates stack up against industry specific data. 3. I love the strengths and weaknesses section. This is one of the most valuable sections for us. Not only is it helpful in making a decision to hire, I've often come back to these before writing annual performance reviews. 4. I really love how easy it is to execute the process. One email address and a few clicks and the whole process basically unfolds which is amazing.

Cons

One wish would be for the system to solicit more written commentary from the reference providers. I can understand that this would create a larger barrier for participation, and I'm not dissatisfied in what we currently receive, but more specific detail is always better. Maybe 1 written section per evaluation category? In addition, I filled out a review on a competing reference check for one of our former employees and was interested to see that I was not able to provide all top scores for the employee. The system forced me to downgrade at least one of my answers. As a reference check provider, this forced me to find an area where I honestly felt the employee was lacking and I ended up delivering a more honest answer. To my knowledge, SkillSurvey does not have this feature and this might create overly positive reviews.

Easy to Use Tool

Having a small HR staff the time we're able to dedicate to reference checking was limited. This product allows us to receive better feedback more quickly. It hasn't completely replaced making an old fashioned phone call but it has cut down on the need to do so every time.

Pros

Given that the references individual responses are not linked back to them personally I've found that I usually receive more candid responses. As silly as it sounds, I've avoided potentially bad hires based on feedback from candidate's hand picked references through this system. As a small HR department it's difficult to invest a ton of time calling references, waiting on call backs, playing phone tag, exchanging voicemails, etc. only to receive dates of employment. The survey's can be customized and you can include your own questions, including space for verbatim answers. The reports are easy to read. The few times I've had issues their support staff have handled them promptly. Somewhat pricey but not difficult to justify when you weigh out the benefit. Integrated with our ATS (The Applicant Manager).

Cons

Won't completely replace contacting references. Sometimes references will leave feedback that needs additional explanation, which is next to impossible to get given the anonymity for references. Some references have become offended, though very few, that the system "pesters" them or are upset at the simple fact that we're asking them to fill out a survey rather than calling them - as if it were disrespectful of their time somehow. Those cases are by FAR the minority though.

Review of Skillsurvey

It's pretty good since it's email generated

Pros

Ease of use--it is email generated which makes reference checking easy for the reference provider and our company

Cons

Hiring manager's can't view results before finalizing

We love SkillSurvey!

Pros

My favorite feature of SkillSurvey is that it is so easy to enter an applicant and send them emails outlining what they will need to do to complete the Reference Check. We rarely have questions on how to enter references so I appreciate the reduced amount of work due to not having to explain how to use the site. I also really love that we were able to set the system up to send out emails once we have filed a candidate as 'Hired'. Our email that goes out advertises our $50 referral bonus for referring other subs and I think this is a great way to remind our subs of the bonus!

Cons

My least favorite feature of SkillSurvey is that there is not a way (at least that I have found) to reactivate someone's SkillSurvey profile after it has been cancelled. This would be very helpful when someone had already entered insufficient references, but fell off during the onboarding process. If this was a possibility, we could save the sub the time and frustration of having to re-enter all of their references.

SkillSurvey is Amazing

We have seen an overall improvement with positions that use SkillSurvey. The reference process take literally 24 hours to complete sometimes sooner at worst 48 hours.

Pros

The software is easy to use and implement. To start the reference process you need to just enter a candidate name, select a title that best matches your position and hit the send button. What comes back is amazing. We have caught candidates lying about their references, we have gotten honest feedback that we would have never gotten with the traditional phone call and the rating system really helps us.

Cons

Sometimes it can be hard to find the right position to match yours and you have to go generic. Would be great if it were easier to add more questions to some positions that we use more frequently.

A great time-saver and a nice interface for our company to look tech-saavy.

Teachers, social workers, bus drivers.

Pros

Ease of use to both the applicant, reference provider, and the employer's report configuration.

Cons

Not sure that it has great predictive ability in identifying who will be the best employee, but it certainly does beat calling people on the phone and trying to chase down a reference.

SkillSurvey Review

I love this tool and use it for every hire

Pros

The ease of use and detailed feedback. The tool saves me SO MUCH time and the feedback I receive is very detailed.

Cons

The ratings can sometimes be confusing to a new user.

Outstanding product!

Excellent benefits have been realized in our firm since implementation - this is the third organization that has utilized SkillSurvey that I have worked at and I am a huge fan!

Pros

The ease of use and the amount of feedback collected is what I like the most about this software.

Cons

There is nothing that I would change at this time about this software.

Skillsurvey review

Have had no problems with Skillsurvey, my clients have come to expect the reference report from me

Pros

Very easy to use, provides a professional report to send to my clients.

Cons

The jump in cost over last year. A few of our offices have discontinued skillsurvey because of the price increase

References with ease

Skill Survey staff are wonderful and have conducted numerous trainings for our human resources department

Pros

I have been using Skill Survey for almost 3 years. Skill Survey makes it easy for high volume recruiters to conduct reference checks. It is very simple to use. To create a candidate you input their name, email, phone , position and then select the best survey to send off the position title. Skill Survey takes care of the rest. They will send the candidate notification via email or text. Once the candidate inputs the contact information for their references, Skill Survey will send them a link to complete. As a recruiter you'll be notified in real time when the references are ready to review. There are many reports you can pull including a hiring manager report ton send them that protects the confidential contact information. The hiring manager reports give them sample behavior interviewing questions as well. Lastly, Skill Survey also as a CRM program to contact references who were interested in job opportunities. Overall an amazing product

Cons

I really so not have any cons. I love using Skill Survey

Meaningful results in an easy to use system

Meaningful information to select the best candidates

Pros

We have been using SkillSurvey for over 2 years for all new hire reference screenings. The system is very user-friendly and easy to navigate. It has saved me, as an HR department of 1, countless hours trying to reach multiple references via phone and getting only dates of hire and titles. It takes only a few minutes for me to enter a candidates information and select the appropriate survey based on position applied for. Because the applicant signs a release, we have found that the responses from references are candid and constructive. With the unlimited package we selected this year, I have begun using the SkillSurvey system earlier on in the hiring process on more candidates--not just the final candidates. This provides us with specific feedback early on and provides a great tool we use in the interview process-the Hiring Manager report. The Hiring Manager report provides not only the survey results but also suggested questions for the applicant based on the results of the reference screen. It has enabled us to ask applicants questions specifically aimed at their areas for improvement. Thanks to SkillSurvey the quality of our new hires has improved-we have meaningful information on the candidate that better equips us to choose the best candidate.

Cons

The only con is the price-- as a non-profit the cost is a bit high. However, I have thus far been able to make the case for its value to both my department and agency as a whole.

Easiest and most consistent way to check references

Pros

On the HR side, SkillSurvey simplifies the reference check process our candidates. First, there are a ton of surveys to choose from. This means that I'm able to easily send surveys that make sense to candidates from a wide range of fields and experience levels. SkillSurvey also allows references to answer anonymously - in my experience, references are more honest with this system compared to phone calls or letters of recommendation. This allows my team to make the more informed decisions based on this information. Finally, the responses are compiled in easy-to-understand graphs. This feature saves my hiring managers and me plenty of time.

Cons

SkillSurvey sends an email notification when the reference check process is initiated. I would like a similar notification at two other stages of the process: when the candidates has entered all of their references' information and when each reference has completed the survey. Also, I'd like if candidates could notify me through the system if they need me to waive one or two of the references.

Standardizes Reference Checking!

Standardizes reference checking. Saves time in hiring process.

Pros

SkillSurvey standardizes your reference checking so its consistently applied across all hires. This tool has saved a lot of resources and sped up our hiring process as a result.

Cons

Can't be used in all positions where it could be most useful e.g. hourly non-exempt positions with high volumes staff have less supervisor email contacts. But they are supposedly introducing a text option to complete by mobile that would be welcome.

Easy to Use Tool

Having this part of the process be so smooth allows for us to make hires efficiently which helps a whole lot.

Pros

It's easy to use for the employer and the candidate. The reports are easy to follow and if I ever have an issue, I can always reach someone right away.

Cons

There really isn't one that I can think of.

User Friendly Software

Pros

I love that the software is user friendly and doesn't require much from the employer side to initiate a reference check.

Cons

My least favorite thing about the Skill Survery software is that there aren't enough specified categories that are specific to our organization for us to initiate.

Great hiring tool!

My experience overall has been very positive. I also really enjoy the career fair functionality of the system.

Pros

I love the detail we now get from references on new hires. In the past our references were a struggle to keep up with and we really were not getting valuable feedback from them. We really found them a necessity that was a waste of our time. Now with SkillSurvey we are receiving very valuable feedback that helps us understand our new hires and better prepares us for what training needs they may have.

Cons

There is nothing that I can think of. It has all been a positive experience.

SkillSurvey works well.

Pros

I like that it's easy to enter a reference into the system and monitor how many people have responded and the questions that are asked and covered

Cons

I wish when you finalized a report that it immediately opened the advanced report, I always look at that version so I wish that it automatically added more information into the report when you hit finalize. Instead I have to do that, close the window and re-open the advanced report.

Museum of Science Review

I highly recommend SkillSurvey to anyone I meet. It makes the reference checking process painless and provides honest feedback in a very easy to read/understand format.

Pros

It is very user friendly for both administrators and references. The turn around time is so quick and the reports are easy to ready and decipher.

Cons

We have very unique positions and sometimes we aren't able to find a survey that covers everything we're looking for. But this is rare.

Great Product, Huge Impact

Pros

SkillSurvey has replaced the tedious process of playing phone tag, leaving voicemails and trying to contact references. This process used to waste our HR team's time and delayed the offer process. Since implementing SkillSurvey, our references are completed in less time (average of 8 hours versus our previous time frame of 3-5 business days). The feedback reports that are generated through this process are much more detailed and provide candid feedback that presents an accurate representation of the candidate. This process has transformed our hiring process, increased our retention by hiring the right candidate for the job, and created huge process efficiencies.

Cons

There are no negatives that I can speak to.

Reference Tool for Candidates

Very positive and definitely recommend. When system goes down their is very good customer service and it now integrates with our ATS Greenhouse

Pros

Its easy, reliable, offers leads and saves an enormous amount of time while capturing in depth detail about candidate while verifying that the reference is legit.

Cons

I cant say that I have any that come to mind. I used it in my last 2 companies and brought it over to this one.

No more voicemail

Saving time, offering easy to use solution that can be accessed 24/7 by users.

Pros

Saves time of making phone calls and sending emails to references and candidates. Text feature. Easy for Reference to complete.

Cons

I don't seem to file candidates. I know this can provide data for the future, but I never find the time to go back and file them away.

Great product

Pros

Its very easy to use. I was worried that references would not want to do this- but we have had no issues with that. We get great information and the process for checking references went from a huge headache to almost effortless.

Cons

Nothing comes to mind at the moment- we are happy with it.

Ensures quality reference data

We've been using SkillSurvey to streamline our reference process and ensure that we get candid feedback. I have been impressed with the level of detail references have provided through the software as opposed to the more old fashioned way of calling.

Pros

SkillSurvey has provided us with honest feedback on our candidates. It has sped up the reference process tremendously, and provides simple reports for me to share candidate information.

Cons

The UI and dashboard took a little getting used to at first, but improvements have been made over the last 5 years we've been using the software.

Good tool to take the legwork out of doing references

Completed a lot of reference checks in a short amount of time, gained some valuable insight that helped facilitate decisions. Easy to get the contact info when we needed to follow up for more info. Also easy to tell if someone falsified info.

Pros

Reduces internal recruiting or HR time in conducting reference interviews, also eliminates the hassle of chasing contacts down.

Cons

Some confusing features like their statistics, also a lot of the canned reference reports do not include technology or recent / current skillsets and could use an update.

SkillSurvey Reference

We mainly use SkillSurvey to receive reference reports for candidates, but we also use SkillSurvey Source for our recruiting needs.

Pros

This tool is allows my organization to receive candid and thoughtful reviews of a candidate while also maintaining the privacy of the reference. The reporting gives valuable insight into a candidate and we have made many of our selections based on the candidate's SkillSurvey reference report.

Cons

I honestly cannot think of anything. I am a very satisfied customer.

value of Skill Survey

Pros

the product helps us to provide our clients with an objective tool to evaluate candidates who generally meet all of their qualifications.

Cons

sometimes the filter keys for comparing candidates are complex to understand. The biggest con for us is when we submit a report to a client with 3 or 4 references and they ask for one more. We are unable to do that and are told it is due to confidentiality but there should be a way to do this to meet our clients needs.

Useful tool

My managers love getting these reports. It took a little to teach them how to read and use them but once they know this, they are begging for it. It is great insight to answer " I wish I know if he/she would be good at...."

Pros

I don't have to waste time on the phone trying to reach references myself. I love that the tool does it for me. SO FAST.

Cons

I wish I could "bulk file" candidates....

Great Product

I've been using it for a little over 1/2 a year. It's been easy to learn and explain to our applicants.

Pros

It's great and easy to use. It's very accessible and user friendly.

Cons

With some surveys the report doesnt show up when finalizing the survey so you have to go back into it. (This certainly could just be user error or a setting that I'm not aware of).

My review...a title?

Consistent reference process we could take over from supervisors without undue burden on HR office. We had issues with supervisors not doing, or doing a good job of references and without this software we couldn't do it.

Pros

Easy to use, positions already in the system with great questions.

Cons

Could be cheaper? Applicant feedback; there is a bit a concern from time to time that if there they're in an industry that isn't on the computer all day, they have a harder time than a phone call. We don't agree, just heard that.

Works Well

The customer service is great!

Pros

I like the auto reminders to applicants and that it is mobile friendly - also the functionality to customize the dashboard to our needs.

Cons

I think that the flow of the site could be more user friendly - personally I think it can take a while to load the survey options.

Feedback

Pros

I love that it integrates with greenhouse.

Cons

Sometimes hard to navigate when looking specifically at candidates profiles.

Great product!

Pros

1. Behavior-based questions in a non-bias environment 2. No glitches or bugs 3. Excellent customer service 4. Ongoing training at no additional cost 5. Frequent updates 6. Ease of use for customers, employees and candidates.

Cons

No complaints here. This software has sped up our process.

Skill Survey

Pros

It is so easy and freed up so much time for the hiring managers.

Cons

Sometimes it is difficult to find the appropriate survey for the position we are filling.

Free trial; quite a few restrictions but cool results.

More confidence in hiring decisions

Pros

I like that you can learn information about potential hires that you otherwise wouldn't be able to. I liked that emails were sent from SkillSurvey so I didn't have to bug these contacts over and over; they'd automatically send. I like the different questions it asks employers in order to find out about potential hires. The free trial was long and did not require credit card information, which we appreciated.

Cons

I didn't like that you can't review the results unless you have a certain number of references respond. That was frustrating to me (maybe that's just a trial functionality?). Additionally, with the free trial you can't use the full range of surveys, just a general one. But that worked pretty well for us, still.

Consistent and helpful feedback!

I am very happy with the software and the consistent metrics.

Pros

I like the ease of use (candidate entry) and the quick notifications of the software upon benefits completion.

Cons

Some of our candidates don't have the email addresses of their references. If we could find a way to complete the reference via text, that would be helpful.

Time Saver

Pros

I appreciate the ease in which I can receive reference information without having to call references to obtain this information.

Cons

There really is not one thing that stands out to me that I do not like about this software.

Wonderful

Pros

How easy it is to send over links via email or text - very up to date!

Cons

Would love to have easier access to file them after they have been completed.

Easy to use for applicants, employers, and references

We no longer need to reach out to references and we feel that we are getting more honest feedback ebcause of the confidentiality.

Pros

It is an easy confidential way to get references without needing to call them individually. The system does all of the work for you!

Cons

Not necessarily a con, but the interface could be a little more updated.

Charlotte Latin School

It has been phenomenal from the first interaction with [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] . The customer support is fantastic.

Pros

User friendly. Fast Results.

Cons

I would like to be able to customize some of the surveys.

Candidate Assessment Tool

Pros

Easy to use, fast response rate from references. The reliability and validity of the data and report that is generated is very good. Very easy to configure the product and it was very easy for us to train hiring managers on how to review the reports. SkillSurvey did a good job on the roll out.

Cons

Candidates and references are very confused by the use of the word "Reference" - vs. "pre-employment assessment" Suggest removing the word REFERENCE from SkillSurvey. We do a professional reference check for those that receive an offer of employment - and that is not this. Rather, SkillSurvey is a pre-employment, candidate assessment tool that helps us determine who will move to an in-person interview.

Service

Pros

The easiness to do the reference check on candidates, and the final wrap up you get from the references comments

Cons

nothing at this moment, so far the experience have been good

Great Platform

Pros

Great platform to use for recruiters and hiring managers it gives you a lot of great insight on potential candidates.

Cons

Functionality is a little outdated and hard to use.

Skill Survey Review

Pros

The software is very user friendly, ease to access and use. I being an admin, feel that its super easy to navigate around the tool and locate what I need ( mostly user administration ).

Cons

The tool for me does not have any cons for now, maybe when I use it as a user, I will be able to comment on the cons.

Excellent Tool for Gathering Information on Job Applicants

I value highly the feedback and information that reviewers can provide via SkillSurvey.

Pros

This tools allows us to gather anonymized, vital data on applicants. The reviewing process for reviewers is very straightforward. It is a very secure, standardized method of collecting reference information.

Cons

There is nothing that I can think of changing. This is the only software that I have used that performs this kind of function.

SkillSurvey for Recruiters

Overall I am very happy with the service provided.

Pros

I like that it can go to their phones or emails, it helps to provide a user friendly experience.

Cons

For some references it is too long to fill out .

Very happy

We love the program and use it frequently.

Pros

We like how easy it is to use and the quality responses we get.

Cons

It is costly. Its been tricky finding which budget to pay for it.

Review

Pros

It is simple and easy to use. People respond very quickly with their responses.

Cons

I have not found anything at this point I do not like

A Great Efficiency Tool

Pros

Its user-friendly interface on a 360 level (for the administrator, the candidate, and the references), the efficiency that it provides to our recruitment and vetting needs on the admin back-end during our screening process, as well as its capability to integrate with our organization's ATS.

Cons

Since we've started using SkillSurvey, we haven't had any issues that we've run into. We're still getting to know the product but overall, we don't have any criticisms so far.

Like it!

I would hate to be without it!

Pros

Saves a huge amount of time doing some of the worst administrative drudgery that goes largely unnoticed. I also especially appreciate the capacity to have

Cons

Many of the applications received from references were not people with skill sets that we are looking for. Hard to control that though.