Call Shop Owner References

When hiring someone who’s worked in another print shop, skip the formal reference call—go straight to the source. If you personally know the shop owner, you’ll get real, unfiltered feedback instead of the usual polished answers. 

Employers who don’t know you are unlikely to share honest details for fear of liability or conflict. A quick peer-to-peer call between shop owners can reveal whether that former employee was a team player or a walking disaster. 

The key is trust—candid feedback only happens when there’s mutual respect between shops.