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After reviewing applications and conducting interviews, you’ve identified a promising job candidate. The next step in your hiring process may be to conduct a reference check. Professional and personal references can help you better understand the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and character and evaluate whether they could succeed in the position you’re trying to fill.
Key takeaways
- Use a mix of questions for the references, including open-ended, yes/no, and scale ratings
- Consult your legal counsel to make sure your questions comply with any local restrictions
- Creating a list of standard questions helps create a fair hiring process and saves your team time during the evaluation phase
- Professional background check services can automate collecting references to speed up the process
Top questions to ask when checking references
The questions you ask depend on the relationship between the candidate and the reference:
- Professional reference: Ask about work experience, qualifications, and character demonstrated through work situations.
- Personal or character reference: Focus primarily on character traits and interpersonal qualities.
Start every reference check by confirming the reference's name and asking a few simple questions to learn more about the connection between the candidate and the reference, such as:
- How do you know the candidate?
- How long have you worked with (or known) them?
- In what capacity did you work with (or know) them?
Then, follow up with a mix of different types of questions that will give you a more complete picture of the candidate.
Work experience reference questions help you evaluate a candidate's qualifications and fit for the role. These questions typically cover:
- Job duties. What were the candidate's primary responsibilities in their role? What positions did the candidate hold, and what were the dates they held each position?
- Performance. How would you describe their overall job performance? Did the candidate receive any promotions during their tenure at the company? What were their greatest accomplishments?
Planning these questions up front saves time and keeps your reference checks focused on information that matters most.
Open-ended work experience questions to ask references
When asking open-ended questions, it’s important not to rush the reference or to comment on their answers. Let them answer each question at their own pace while you take thorough notes. Top work-related reference questions for new hires include:
- What was/is the candidate's job and the nature of their duties?
- How would you describe their job performance?
- Did they reliably complete assigned tasks?
- Did they demonstrate initiative? Can you provide an example?
- When they begin a task, do they carry it through to completion?
- What could they have done to improve their job performance?
- What are their strongest abilities?
- What are their weaknesses?
- Do you have any major concerns about this candidate?
- Why did they leave the company? Was it voluntary or involuntary?
Scale rating work questions for references
The reference is asked to rate the candidate for each characteristic listed. For example, “On a scale of one to five, with one indicating poor and five indicating excellent, how would you rate the employee on the following?” Categories include:
- Dependability
- Collaborates well with coworkers
- Takes initiative
- Ability to work independently
- Time management skills
- Communication skills
- Treats coworkers with respect
- Team player
Yes or no work experience reference questions
These questions allow the reference to provide simple "yes" or "no" answers, such as:
- If the candidate is eligible for rehire and a suitable position were open at your company, would you hire them again?
- Would you recommend them to another employer?
While many questions may have already been addressed by the other types, yes and no answers are still helpful for determining how a former employee feels about working with the candidate.
Top questions to ask references about a candidate’s character
Character reference checks can be helpful when the applicant has limited work experience or a former employer cannot provide any information beyond a verification check. Employers may also use character reference checks to understand whether the candidate represents the organization’s values.
Here are several examples of questions for the reference that give you a better understanding of the candidate’s character:
- How would you describe the candidate's integrity and honesty?
- Can you provide an example of how they handled a challenging situation?
- How well does the candidate communicate with others?
- Would you describe them as reliable and trustworthy?
- How does the candidate handle feedback or criticism?
- What personal qualities make them stand out?
- What are some of their strengths and weaknesses?
Get a professional reference check with Checkr
Reference checks provide insights that interviews alone cannot, but they're often a time-consuming process. Getting in touch references often requires multiple efforts, and asking for meaningful information takes skill.
Checkr can take the time-consuming task of reference checks for new hires off your HR team’s to-do list, while still helping you gather the information you need. Checkr’s team will conduct the reference check and document the answers to a set of our predetermined questions, so you’re consistent for all hires. We offer both personal and professional reference checks that can be used as a standalone screening or part of a comprehensive background check to meet your hiring needs.
Disclaimer
The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. We advise you to consult your own counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.
