Steve Jones - SSC Editor (7/23/2008)
Never a guarantee, not never works out. 😉I agree with you, but I've seen people give out references, including former bosses that were co-workers. If you call XYZ corp and ask for Bill Smith, supervisor for DBAs, how do you know Bill Smith is the supervisor? He could be your interviewee's best friend.
Also, you never know because someone could have a life changing experience. There are plenty of people that are great employees and then they get divorced, sick or something else and they don't perform. It happens all the time. Not necessarily everywhere, but it does happen.
I've had people I've hired that seemed marginal and out-performed expectations as well, even after checking references.
I think this post in particular is probably the most accurate of any in this entire thread. The bottom line, is "there is no guarantees in anything or anyone in life". It's all a crap shoot for the most part. Yes, there are things you can do to hedge your bets in life but when it comes right down to it,it's the luck of the draw most of the time, it's just that simple. Once you start defining maxims (rules) in anything or anyone that is when you get let down primarily because there will always be someone out there that will try to get around them, particularly if you have the money.. Recommendations and references can be bought. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"