Checking references may seem like just another administrative task, but it’s a valuable chance to get a full picture of a candidate’s background before you hire them—if you ask the right questions.
Most employers require references for important roles, but few get value from them. Too often, a reference call results in vaguely positive sentiments about the candidate and a confirmation of their basic employment details.
It doesn’t need to be like this. When you know what questions to ask references, a reference check can help you uncover a candidate’s key strengths, potential weaknesses and cultural compatibility with your organization. If you hire them, this additional background can help you get them off to a good start in their first weeks. It can also prevent a bad hire that costs you money and damages productivity.
In this article, I’ll cover some of the critical steps you need to take to ask the right questions in your reference check and get as much value out of it as possible. And if you’re currently hiring, don’t forget to download our template with the best questions to ask when checking references to use in your next call.
make sure to get the basic information about the candidate
It may seem like a waste of time during a reference call to check basic facts instead of focusing on the candidate’s personal qualities. However, checking things like dates of employment, job roles, responsibilities, skills, and training is one of the most critical parts of a reference call.
Even though these details don’t tell you much about how the candidate will be as a colleague, they tell you they’re being truthful about their core competencies. 2023 research from ResumeLab shows as many as 70% of people have lied on a resume, and 3 out of 4 HR professionals have spotted a lie in a resume according to CareerBuilder. So double-checking the basics is a quick and necessary way to ensure the person you’re hiring is the strong candidate they claim to be.
keep questions specific, but still open-ended
It can be tricky to know exactly what to ask to get the information you need from the candidate’s reference. Asking questions like, “what was it like to work with the candidate?” may get you some general background, but it won’t give you specifics. For that reason, keep questions focused on the details — for example, “how well did the candidate meet deadlines?”, or, “would you rehire the candidate if you got the chance?”
These are good examples because they’re both specific and open-ended reference check questions. They’re focused enough to make it easy for the reference to give you relevant, specific input but general enough that they create opportunities to branch out and reveal interesting insights.
assess whether they are a cultural fit
The all-important question of whether a candidate will mesh with your company culture is difficult to answer simply by reading their resume. Even interviews with the candidate can still leave you guessing how they will fit in once hired.
The reference check is an excellent opportunity to clarify and assess the candidate’s potential for a cultural fit. By learning more about what they were like to work with, what the culture of their former company was like and how they thrived in it, you can get an informed idea of how they will work out in the long term. It’s more expensive than ever to hire new employees, and the majority of professionals say they have quit jobs due to cultural mismatch in the past. So ensuring candidates can adapt to your company culture will save both money and stress.
know what not to ask, and comply with privacy regulations
Like any other personal information, the information you gather during reference checks is often governed by privacy regulations, such as GDPR in the EU. That’s why you need to be careful about the kind of data you’re getting.
If a prospective employer has questions about a candidate’s employment history and past performance, you probably have a legitimate reason to gather some of their personal information. However, you should be careful with questions related to the candidate’s absence record or personal life. Questions like these could cause the reference to reveal things that fall under the definition of ‘sensitive data’ — such as information about illness or disabilities, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. Storing this kind of data is tightly regulated, and most employers don’t have a legitimate reason to do it. So try to avoid questions that could reveal sensitive information, and delete it immediately if you obtain it accidentally.
prepare for references that don’t respond to your questions
In certain countries and industries, employers are required by law to give references to former employees. But for most employers, it’s optional. Some companies have policies against giving references, either because they don’t want to spend time on them or because they’re worried about the risk of litigation from a disgruntled former employee who believes they got an inaccurate reference. Sometimes, employers will respond, but only with a boilerplate answer from the HR department confirming the basic details of the candidate’s employment, such as start and end dates.
In these situations, it’s important not to let the former employer’s actions reflect poorly on the candidate. Their unwillingness to provide a reference isn’t necessarily a red flag. Discuss the situation with the candidate, and give them time to find an alternative reference.
get our reference check question template
Hopefully, these tips will help you formulate good questions for references ahead of your upcoming pre-employment screening. For even more help, download our reference check question template. It’s in Word format and provides a ready-to-use-resource for your next reference call. You’ll find a list of 27 insightful and typical reference check questions designed to help you get the most out of the call and space to make notes and write down details of the reference and the candidate you’re talking about. Try it out during your hiring process, and feel free to pick out the most relevant questions and modify it to suit your reference checking process.
This is an updated version of an article originally published on 14 November 2022.
Doris Schaad
Commercial Manager
Doris joined Randstad in 1996 and holds the position of Commercial Manager for Randstad Inhouse Services. Previously, she served as National Key Account Manager and District Manager for the Staffing Businessline. Doris is an employer branding expert and appreciates the interaction with customers. In her free time she is active and can be found out and about in nature or at the gym, which provides her with the ideal balance to her often busy workday.