Adam Caller, founder of leading global private tutoring firm, Tutors International, expressed his concern this week that some tutoring companies are not being thorough when following up on candidate references.
Speaking this week of concerns surrounding the lack of care taken by some tutoring firms, over the collecting and handling of tutor references, Adam Caller commented:
“We do our utmost to safeguard our clients and their children by using a thorough and painstaking due diligence process. Tutoring companies should never take it on trust that the email address an applicant provides for a referee is authentic. An applicant could easily have set up the address themselves, so companies must verify referees are who they are purported to be via independent means.”
Tutors International has its own detailed list of requirements when it comes to submitting and screening candidate references. First and foremost, Mr Caller stresses that the organisation should always be the point of reference, rather than the individual.
Mr Caller explained: “It’s no good listing a headmaster as your reference if, years down the line, that person is no longer head of that school. If that headmaster leaves, it is up to his successor to provide an official reference, so you should always refer to the school. At Tutors International, we are also very strict and specific with our character reference criteria. We certainly require more than a private email address. We expect your referees to be informed prior to us contacting them, and know what will be required of them, as this will be more than just an email reply. Candidates needn’t be anxious about this. More often than not, referees are happy to say whatever you would like them to say about you.”
Mr Caller, whose academic career spans over 25 years, founded Tutors International in 1999, and has since built the firm’s international reputation on its commitment to excellence and extensive due diligence, ensuring the perfect tutoring match for each individual client.
To find out more about Tutors International, and their due diligence process, visit www.tutors-international.com. For more details about the firm’s referencing criteria and procedure, visit tutors-international.net.