What are SkillSurvey users saying about the software?

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 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.

Spark Hire is Invaluable

It is one of the best tools given to the Recruiters/Talent Management team. The SkillSurvey Team delivers what they promise, often saving thousands of dollars with what would otherwise be a bad hire.

Pros

It is easy to use and has offered a different way to look at candidates. We find that references feel confident in sharing their opinions about candidates because they know their response is confidential, giving much better insight into their fit to the position and the fit to our organization as well. The analytics are spot on and can quickly identify a candidate that may pose issues later on, saving money and time with a potentially bad hire.

Cons

Honestly, I can't think of a negative with the software. It has served us well.

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

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.

SkillSurvey is Excellent

My overall experience with SkillSurvey is that it is easy to use and highly functional and achieves the desired results.

Pros

What I like about this software is that it removed the antiquated way of calling individual references for each candidate, which can become burdensome when dealing with multiple recruitments and positions needing to be filled.

Cons

I don't really have any cons. The software works great!

SkillSurvey Review

Skill Survey is easy to set up and to use.

Pros

I like how we get a comprehensive & confidential reference report for the potential candidates. We're just getting started with the post hire surveys, but the information we've obtained so far we've been able to modify our on-boarding processes to provide top notch customer service to our new employees as well as the hiring managers experience with on-boarding.

Cons

I would like to be able to use the texting option with the integration with our ATS, ApplicantPro.

Great Product & Easy to Use!

Pros

Integration was easy, able to set standards based on company! It is easy to use from an administrator and candidate experience. Efficient and time in references are completed in 2-4 business days.

Cons

As we are in an academic setting, the analytics of the results can be changed to hiring managers can be able to see a good comparable with the surveys.

Time saving for my talent acquisition team and great value for the price!

Pros

The amount of data received not only helps us make hiring decisions, it also helps us focus specific areas for onboarding and training, impacting our ability to better engage and retain team members. Absolutely love the opt-in feature for those individuals completing the reference, building a pool of potential candidates interested in knowing more about our company and open positions.

Cons

Would love to have the final report integrated with our applicant tracking system instead of having to upload the final report.

What is SkillSurvey

My overall experience in this software is great.

Pros

I like most in SkillSurvey you have a further view on your applicant once they answer the question online.

Cons

What I like least in SKillSurvey is I need to register the applicant.

IP Address Checking, Ease of Viewing, and Integrated Messaging!

I liked SkillSurvey, and found that the process of checking a reference and making sure that the references were legitimate was as clean as it could be, barring the comments I had above. Their team also sends emails concerning current events and how they might affect business, as well as just check-in messages to see how we're doing with the product, which are nice personal touches.

Pros

I found SkillSurvey to be a really easy-to-use product. Our staffing firm deals with a sensitive clientele, so we need to make sure that we have people checked by references before they are put into the field. SkillSurvey helped us to easily tell if someone had completed their references themselves (as it tracks the IP address from which the form was submitted) and it also helps us to message people who have not yet submitted references through the website, eliminating the extra step of going into an email program and sending a reminder that way. The ease of viewing the results from the reference, and the metrics/questions that they have in these reports (as well as the ability to choose which form you send out) really helps to get relevant and readable results.

Cons

I think the areas of improvement for this software would be: technological optimization and a better instruction system for the candidate on sending out their reference request links. First, optimization: the website is always slower to load, and this was a problem specific to this particular site. The main page will take 3 or so seconds to load where other, different sites take a second or so, and while this isn't a deal-breaking factor for me, it's certainly annoying when you're trying to sift through multiple different files at once. Second, Instructions: the current procedure that candidates follow when they send their reference links seems to be fine, but I've received complaints from some people that their references aren't back only because they thought they had sent their references but instead had only saved them in the SkillSurvey system, never having sent them out to their references. As well, I received a complaint from someone who felt that the messages that SkillSurvey auto-generates from candidates when they are sending to their references were an infringement on her privacy, as they are written in the first person. Even though there is an option to view the message that will be sent out before a candidate sends it, I think it could be a good idea to add more visibility, maybe even a warning message, concerning what the candidate is about to send out.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 References

Overall, my experience with Skill Survey has been a breeze! Again, it is super straight forward, ease of use is quite simple, and being able to view the references is quite simple as it gives you a finalized account of what the persons references have entered in for the person.

Pros

What I like most about this software is its ease of use! Its is very straight forward, and everything you need to enter is listed and signified that it is needing that information in order to put in your references. You are able to see who has entered in a reference and what is needing to be finalized, resent, etc. Again, the software is super straight forward and easy to use as it is not difficult to navigate the website also.

Cons

What I least like about it is that you have to click through to view/finalize the references, I feel it would be easier if there was a scroll that you can scroll down quickly to view the references that are needing to be finalized, etc.

SkillSurvey Review

Overall very positive experience with SkillSurvey, I would recommened them to any company looking to improve and streamline their reference checking process

Pros

The software is very user friendly, and saves amble time in the reference checking process. They have built hundred of pre-determined surveys to be used for references. The ability to have a database of prospective candidates is also a huge bonus. Customer support and

Cons

They can improve the ability to edit each survey or add custom questions. Having the surveys pre-built is very nice but editing them to add one question is clunky.

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.

Insights

SkillSurvey has provided us with great insight regarding candidates potential strengths as well as possible areas for development. The behavior-based questions provide invaluable information about soft skills such as being a good listener, getting along with co-workers, etc.

Pros

SkillSurvey is extremely easy to use. The confidentiality included in this method of obtaining consistent information from references has provided another tool that can be used to assess the fit of each candidate for the job and the specific group of employees that he/she will be working with.

Cons

There are quite a few job titles to chose from but there are some cases where I could have used titles that were more specific.

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.

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

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.