The Reference Clinic

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Employment ReferenceClinicTM
Division of L.D.A. Enterprises, Ltd.

Because Your Future is Worth It

The Reference Clinic

Providing Employment Reference Checking Services

VALIDATING YOUR PAST · ENSURING YOUR FUTURE

A Bad Reference Can Cost You A Good Job:

Are you confident in the quality of your employment references?
Do you have confidence in what your employer might be saying to others behind your back?
Are you really certain that those who know you would never say things that may harm you?
Have you ever wondered why you lost an offer when you had been told that you were the ideal candidate, the perfect fit?
Have you had numerous interviews that did not result in offers? Could your references be the cause of the problem?
Could a resentful associate or previous boss hurt your chances for employment?
Did you know that if you use your contacts too frequently they might become irritated and cease providing references to employers?
Do you know how to get the most value from your good reference contacts or deal with situations where you may get a damaging reference?

The Reference Clinic can help you. We are the professionals in consumer reference checking. Our staff has been verifying references and helping professionals to achieve career goals since 1980. We go well beyond the scope of traditional job reference checking services, and we include valuable supplementary benefits that our competitors never provide.

Although our services may cost a little more than others, you get a whole lot more! Our reference checking is done the way you would want it done. It is a comprehensive, quality process designed to gain as much information and insight as possible. Unlike other reference checking services that use a superficial process focusing on only a few questions, our investigations are extremely thorough. We examine both what is being said and how it is being said.

There is no price tag on quality. When you use L.D.A. Enterprises to check your references, we don't just validate your references, we ask detailed questions to find out what they really think about you and your performance.

Who are we?

The Reference Clinic is the reference checking and verification division of L.D.A. Enterprises, Ltd., a highly respected Minneapolis based Outplacement and career management practice. Our Reference Clinic division specializes in providing comprehensive reference checking services for three groups of clients:

Jobseekers from entry level to senior executives who wish to investigate the quality of previous employment references

Individuals who wish to verify personal, character, or community leader references

Families who wish to ensure the quality of a nanny or caregiver for their children through a verification of past performance

Our Reference Investigation Services

Pricing and links to order forms and policies appear at the bottom of this page

A. Comprehensive employment and character reference investigations

B. Reference checking services for college, business, or trade school graduates

C. Nanny reference investigation services

A. Comprehensive employment reference investigations

Our reference investigation interviews do not follow a specific checklist. We use questions that are open-ended and conversational in tone. We find that this approach creates a comfort level with individuals and generates more thoughtful and detailed information.

We have over 25 years of experience checking references on behalf of our Outplacement clients. We are also experts at advising clients on how to handle poor or negative references and best utilize good references to gain maximum value. We will never reveal that you are the individual requesting information. Your privacy is always protected. No other reference-checking firm is affiliated with an Outplacement provider, nor do they have the ability to advise clients on how best to use those references.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US:

We offer two separate employment reference investigation options:

1. Our Standard employment or character reference Investigation

This is an excellent method to determine what your key references may be saying about you to others through an objective questioning process.

We will provide you with a written report of information gained through our comprehensive reference checking process. We believe that everyone deserves the same thorough, high quality service and attention to detail. All of our clients are valuable.

You will receive our copyrighted guide entitled "Managing your reference contacts" featuring 13 common sense steps and precautions allowing you to get the most from your references. It also includes a template for organizing and tracking your reference contacts along with important information on obtaining and using testimonial letters. Testimonial letters or letters of recommendation, properly used, will allow you to gain even greater value from those people on your list of references. This indispensable guide is a feature provided by no other reference-checking company.

You will also receive a copy of a second copyrighted guide entitled, "You've Been Fired, What Do You Do Now?" This brochure contains important information that will assist you in understanding and protecting your rights if an employer terminates you. It may also help you to negotiate a better severance package. No other reference-checking firm will provide this valuable guide at any price.

2. Our executive level reference checking option

Our executive reference check involves a more probing and subjective discussion of your talents, leadership capabilities, problem resolution skills, and the special concerns that may be of particular significance based upon your own individual experiences. This option adds three major components not offered in our standard reference investigation.

A more lengthy and comprehensive discussion of your talents, leadership capabilities, problem resolution skills, and any special concerns that are of particular significance or individually unique. We ask subjective questions that are designed to elicit more detailed responses. We pay particular attention to tone of voice, innuendo, and inflection that may help us to gain better insight into how the reference really feels about you.

In addition to the two brochures provided in our standard reference checking service, you will receive our copyrighted guide entitled "In Search of Interviewing Excellence." This 41-page manual contains all the information you will need to interview successfully. No other reference-checking firm will provide this valuable guide at any price.

We will provide an emailed response to any single question resulting from each reference investigation report. No other reference-checking firm provides this additional service. This service must be utilized within one week from the time you receive our reference checking report and is only available through email. Please direct inquiries to: References@EmploymentClinic.com.

As a general rule our questions concentrate on the following areas. Questions asked depend on the amount of time the reference is willing to spend and the specific type of reference investigation purchased by the client:

Confirmation of dates of employment and position or job title
Primary duties or responsibilities
Reason for separation and eligibility for rehire - why or why not?
Overall performance assessment/quality of work
Creativity and problem-solving skills
Verbal and written communication skills
Greatest areas of strength
Greatest areas for improvement or growth
Interpersonal skills/ability to get along with others
Ability to lead, manage, or mentor others
Ability to handle pressure and crisis management skills
Ability to set and achieve goals and prioritize responsibilities

To order: Click on Employment Reference Forms and Policies Link at the bottom of this page or send an email to: References@EmploymentClinic.com

B. Reference checking services for new graduates - $69.95

What you can expect from us

· We will verify references from student advisors (both undergraduate and graduate programs), professors or instructors, and school administrators as applicable; as well as current or former employers, including those you may have worked for in summer internship and college work programs.

Depending on the nature of the contact, we typically ask the following questions:

* Confirmation of degrees and graduation dates
* Validating internships and employment history
* Verifying titles and responsibilities
* Quality of work
* Ability to set and achieve goals
* Interpersonal skills and attitude
* Initiative, creativity, and problem solving skills
* Dependability and character values

· We will provide you with our 5-page copyrighted guide, entitled “Managing your reference contacts” that will enable you to always get the most benefit from your reference contacts.

C. Nanny reference checking investigations: - $149.95

Our Nanny reference checking process is outlined on a separate page because of its importance to your children's future and the amount of information presented. However, it is important to note that our process is extremely thorough and requires an in-depth conversation with previous employers of the nanny. We are one of the very few non-agency affiliated organizations that offer this type of service to the consumer. To go there, click on the Nanny Reference checking services button on the navigation bar at the top of this page.

Deposition and expert witness testimony:

We will be available to provide expert witness testimony or telephone depositions should you or your attorney feel that it would be of value. Additional fees will apply for these services (see below.) We do not have attorneys on staff, nor do we recommend any specific legal organization. If you should feel that legal counsel is required, we suggest that you contact the office of the Attorney General in your state or province, or seek the advice of an employment law specialist that is familiar with the laws in your geographic area.

Time required for completion:

In most cases your final report will be emailed and, if you request it, a hardcopy by first class U.S. mail within 7 business days, but we guarantee that it will take no longer than 2-weeks (reporting time is based upon the accessibility of your contact.) The report will contain the complete documentation of our reference checking efforts, or it will show that the contact(s) you provided and/or the human resource departments were non-responsive to our efforts to contact them. We will include, along with your written report, a copy of the free brochures referenced above. Extra charges will apply to faxed or mailed reports – see “pricing.” Telephone reports are not available.

Order Forms & Policies

Click on this link to order our reference checking services: Reference Checking Order Forms and Policies Page.

Disclaimer:

By ordering our services you agree to all of the policies and stipulations as listed on our Reference Checking Policies and Stipulations page.

To Order: Click on the Employment Reference Policies and Order Page link above or email us at: References@EmploymentClinic.com

PRICING

A. Any one standard reference investigation - $89.95
Two or more standard reference investigations - $84.95 each

B. Any one executive reference investigation - $119.95
Two or more executive reference investigations - $114.95

C. Student reference investigations - $69.95 each

D. Any one nanny reference investigation - $149.95

Two or more nanny reference investigations - $139.95 each

Prices for clients dealing with special issues or questions relating to specific concerns will be quoted on request.

OPTIONAL services and support fees (applies to all reference checking investigations)

The following charges are in addition to all fees quoted above:

Reports and brochures sent by email - Included in the price
Mailed reports - $5.00 per report
Faxed reports - $15.00 per report
Reports by telephone - not available
Notarized affidavits - $25.00 per report
Canadian reference investigation report - $15.00 per report
Telephone depositions - $200 per hour (1-hour minimum)
Expert witness testimony or in-person depositions - $1,750 per day, per person attending (one-day minimum) Plus all applicable expenses
Email consultations – all career issues $35.00 per detailed emailed response or $90.00 for 3 questions
Telephone discussions – all career issues $80.00 per ½ hour session or $150.00 per one-hour session

Inquiries can be directed to: References@EmploymentClinic.com

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