This article is part of a larger series on Hiring.
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Conducting a reference check is a vital part of your hiring process as it helps verify the information a candidate has given you and provides additional details about the candidate’s work performance and abilities. It is equally important to know what reference check questions to ask as this will help you make the best hiring decision.
Let’s dive into some of the best questions to ask when checking references, along with some tips for getting the most out of your time with each reference. We’ve listed our reference questions below for professional references (basic, work ethic, and character questions) and personal references.
Start your professional reference check conversation with a friendly greeting, thank the reference for their time, and tell them anything they say will be kept confidential. You’ll generally start with a “housekeeping” question to get the basic details. Then, follow up with additional questions to ask during a reference check.
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This is a great way to verify the reference was a direct supervisor of your chosen candidate. It also helps you determine how much weight to give this reference’s answers. If the reference only supervised your chosen candidate for a few months, they may not provide as full a picture as you’d like. You should keep speaking with them but also understand the limitations of their answers. If you happen to be talking to a personal reference, use your first question to establish the reference’s relationship to the candidate.
Some references balk at this question or provide vague information. What you’re ultimately looking for here is a verification of what the candidate told you about why they left the company. Ask follow-up questions about whether they left on good terms and how much notice they gave. This is good information to have so that you know what to expect if the candidate ever decides to leave your company.
Any response other than an immediate yes is a red flag. If there’s hesitation, ask why; and if there’s a caveat, ask why. If the reference hesitates on rehiring this candidate, maybe you should hesitate to hire them.
As part of a strong hiring process, we recommend asking basic questions, work ethic and experience questions, and character trait questions of all professional references.
This is the meat of the professional (or employer) reference discussion—where you gather specific information about the candidate’s abilities and what it’s like to manage them. Pay close attention to the answers provided and ask follow-up questions frequently. Use the following questions for a reference check.
This will give you an idea of the candidate’s daily duties. Ensure these line up with the duties you need them to do for your organization. Here’s a great opportunity to ask detailed follow-up questions to probe a little deeper into the candidate’s abilities, specific projects the candidate handled, or how much training the supervisor had to provide.
Asking this question helps you understand the candidate’s ability to work well under pressure. If the job you’re hiring for requires quick thinking and action, spend time here asking for more details and examples.
Especially in challenging situations, workers may become overwhelmed and face setbacks. No one is perfect, and understanding how someone handles tough situations can prepare you to effectively manage an employee. It also gives you insight into the candidate’s ability to pivot and overcome obstacles.
This is a common question—one any reference should be able to answer with confidence. If there’s any hesitation by the reference, that’s a red flag. Ask follow-up questions to ensure you get the full picture of the candidate’s strengths and how they relate to the job you need them to do.
A common follow-up question, this lets you know where you might need to provide support or guidance to the candidate if you hire them. As their manager, you need to know what will make this candidate successful in your company. Many references give responses like the candidate “works too hard” or “cares too much.” If you get those superficial responses, dig deeper.
If the answers given here aren’t job- or task-focused (like the candidate needs to work on handling anger or stress or managing their work schedule), that may present a case for consideration of whether you truly want to hire this individual. However, if the responses are more focused on aspects of the job (like the candidate may need more training on your company’s proprietary systems or software), that’s different and generally easy to overcome. Knowing this information can even help you prepare a modified new employee onboarding plan.
This is an extremely important question to ask professional (and personal) references as it gives you insight into how to manage the new hire. Every employee may need slightly different management. Some need a more hands-on approach, while others need more independence and hands-off management. Knowing what this candidate needs allows you to set the right tone from day one.
Understanding a candidate’s character is vital. You need to be sure they fit with your company culture and can work well with their colleagues. When speaking with professional references, below are the best questions to ask.
Some people are simply better workers on their own. If the reference notes that the candidate didn’t work well with others or regularly faced interpersonal battles, take note. If the job you’re hiring them for doesn’t require working with others, this may be acceptable. But if you need them to work as part of a team, this could be a deal breaker.
Especially if the candidate will work closely with others, or manage workers, they’ll need to have these soft skills. If the reference can’t provide concrete examples to show the candidate’s good communication and listening skills, take note and possibly reevaluate the candidate.
Check out our applicant screening guide for more strategies on how to filter job candidates.When conducting a personal reference check (from a friend or family member of the candidate, and not a former supervisor), your questions will be a bit different. First, begin by noting the relationship between the reference and the candidate. Then, use the following questions to ask references. Download our customizable personal reference check questions.
