Reference Checked?

Most you know that I work for the local Council.  Recently we have needed to hire a couple of people .... bkz the Clerk has been sooo busy, I stepped in and offered to help with the hiring process (bkz I have HR experience).  I placed the Ad in the local newspaper, took all the phone calls, answered all the questions, arranged the interviews (with the clerk and myself).  BUT now its come down to making the decision who to hire.  I have narrowed it down to 4.  BUT this is were the problem comes in ....The Clerk says ...Oh I like so and so, we should hire him/her.  And I'm like....lets check references, police records and past employment information then make a decision.  Then he said ...oh that wont be necessary.  WHAT!  not necessary ... I could be working with the next UK Serial Killer and its not necessary.  I thik what really gets me about all this is ...It's the Local Government we are talking about.  Def not a good attitude to have for such an important role within this country.  

Do you think your references and personal data was checked before you were hired?   Do they hire you over here just on impressions?  

It was my experience in doing interviews that they do the reference and criminal checks AFTER they've offered you the job rather than before.

I've had 2 jobs here, they asked for references but it was heavily implied that they'd never actually check them.

If I can remember the HR part of the job I did at my last job, the references came AFTER the job was accepted. They were usually one business and one personal reference. They were mailed and followed up within a month of receiving the letter. In my company, which was a charity, we also did police checks on all employees, but again, this was after they were hired.

Sherry

Doesn't it seem odd to do it AFTER hiring ....  I mean, you spend time training this person, etc. and then find out they have a rap sheet a mile long and have to can 'em.   I would want to know I had the job not...well you can start and we will train you but if we find out ....your outta here .  hummmm

Doesn't it seem odd to do it AFTER hiring ....  I mean, you spend time training this person, etc. and then find out they have a rap sheet a mile long and have to can 'em.   I would want to know I had the job not...well you can start and we will train you but if we find out ....your outta here .  hummmm

I agree...it seems really strange to me. Here where I work we have to check references, both personal and business, police records and have them do a drug test all before they're hired.  

yeah thats def what I saw when I lived in the States.  

We had a temporary employee here that went on to apply for a couple of jobs, one with the NHS and another with a clothing store chain. On each occasion we were asked to provide a reference for her before they had her around for the 2nd deciding interview. I can't say your experience is an exception...seems to be more the rule. (Except my own experience doesn't prove it to me!)

A bit late in replying:

They check the references after you've been offered the job. It's been my experience that you don't start a job right away, there is always at least a week before accepting the job and starting it and in that space they check the refrences.

I don't like this system because what if you get bad references and they have to take away the offer? (which, sadly, has happened to me. Buttheads)