Issues and Challenges in the Recruitment and Selection of ...

3.2.7 VettingThe vetting of candidates takes place when a job offer is imminent or immediatelyprior to the final decisions being made. Vetting includes checking references,validating qualifications, medical (and sometimes physical) exams, and for someoccupations, police clearance. For immigrant workers, there is the additionalprocedure of ensuring legal entitlement to work. While vetting of all candidatestakes place, organisations acknowledge the additional burden of time and effortin relation to vetting immigrant candidates. However, there is some consensusacross organisations that the more highly skilled the job in question or themore scarce the skills set, the more willing the company will be to overcome anydifficulties. Some differences between public and private sector approaches arealso evident, with the private companies displaying a greater tendency to beexpedient in areas where they have discretion.• Checking references: Organisations take different approaches to thisbut one area of consistency is that Irish referees are not required. Somebelieve that the practice of providing references (other than verifyingactual periods of employment) is declining and invest minimal effort infollowing up on foreign references. Others will follow up and will havereferences translated if necessary.• Validating qualifications: Some organisations tried to anticipate issueswith qualifications at the application or screening stage, but manyfrequently had to invest time and effort in establishing the validity andcomparability of foreign qualifications prior to job offer. Some, but not all,of the organisations are familiar with the NQF (National QualificationsFramework) and the NQAI (National Qualifications Authority of Ireland)and use these to validate qualifications prior to job offers. Among thecompanies surveyed, almost three quarters were aware of the variousorganisations that are in place to clarify the status or relevant standing ofthe qualifications of an immigrant candidate, but less than five percenthad actually approached these bodies for assistance. Some organisationsare prepared to make job offers subject to the candidate undertakingto validate their qualifications within the Irish system. Validatingqualifications is perceived as time consuming and difficult althoughmost note that there have been improvements in recent months. It is alsoseen as delaying the process of recruitment while the validating takesplace: notably, where recruitment is the responsibility of a dedicateddepartment or team, these are prepared to wait to see the processthrough, but recognize that the line managers may be very anxious tospeed things up.58Issues and Challenges in the Recruitment and Selection of Immigrant Workers in Ireland