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Questions To Ask When Checking References

Role-specific reference check questionnaires are essential for employers to assess a candidate's suitability for a position by gathering targeted information from references, ensuring fairness, consistency, and legal compliance throughout the hiring process.

Key Takeaways

Generic questions do not help you find the best talent for specific jobs.
You must identify key role competencies before you start the check.
Behavioral based questions give you proof of a candidate's past performance.
Standardized questionnaires help you compare candidates fairly.
Using professional software makes the process faster and more accurate.

You have found a candidate who looks perfect on paper. Their resume is clean. Their interview was great. Now, you reach the final step: the reference check. Many hiring managers treat this as a simple chore. They call a former boss and ask, "Was this person a good worker?" This is a mistake.

If you want to hire the right person, you need a better plan. You need to perform role specific reference checks. This means asking questions that match the exact job the person will do. A person who is great at sales might be bad at data entry. A great manager might be a poor solo coder. Generic questions do not show you these differences.

At Refhub, we see how the right questions change hiring results. When you ask the right things, you get the truth. You find out if the person can actually do the work. You also find out if they will fit in with your team.

Questions To Ask When Checking References

Why Generic Questions Fail in the Checking References Hiring Process

The checking references hiring process is often the weakest part of recruitment. This happens because people use the same old questions for every job. You might ask if the person was on time. You might ask if they got along with others. These are okay, but they are not enough.

Generic questions lead to generic answers. Most references want to be helpful. If you ask a broad question, they will give a broad, positive answer. This does not help you make a hard choice. You need to know if the candidate has the specific skills for your open seat.

Consider these problems with basic questions:

They do not test technical skills.
They do not address the specific challenges of your company.
they allow references to hide weaknesses.
They do not give you a way to compare two strong candidates.

To fix this, you must change your strategy. You need to move toward a more targeted approach.

The Power of Role Specific Reference Checks

A role specific check focuses on the tasks the candidate will do every day. If you are hiring a truck driver, you need to know about their safety record and their ability to handle long hours. If you are hiring a CFO, you need to know about their financial planning and honesty.

Role specific reference checks help you:

Verify specific claims made on a resume.
Understand how a person handles the exact stress of the role.
See if the person has the right tools to succeed in your environment.
Reduce the risk of a bad hire.

When you tailor your questions, you show the reference that you are serious. They are more likely to give you detailed, honest feedback when they see you have done your homework.

How to Identify Key Role Competencies

Before you write your questions, you must identify key role competencies. A competency is a skill or trait that is needed to do the job well. You cannot ask good questions if you do not know what you are looking for.

Follow these steps to find the right competencies:

Look at the Job Description: What are the top three tasks the person will do?
Talk to the Team: Ask the people who will work with this new hire. What do they need most from a teammate?
Think About Past Failures: Why did the last person in this role struggle? Use that to form a question.
Focus on Hard and Soft Skills: You need a mix of technical ability and personality traits.

For example, if you are hiring a Project Manager, the competencies might be:

Organization.
Communication.
Conflict resolution.
Budget management.

Once you have this list, you can build your survey.

Creating Effective Reference Check Questionnaires

Building effective reference check questionnaires takes time, but it pays off. You want a document that guides the reference through the candidate's history. It should be easy to read and easy to answer.

When you use reference checking software, you can save these templates for future use. This makes your work faster. Here is how to structure your questionnaire:

The Introduction: Explain who you are and why you are calling. State that the candidate gave permission for this check.
The Basics: Verify the job title, dates of employment, and reason for leaving.
The Core Questions: This is where you put your role specific questions.
The Behavioral Section: Ask for real stories of the candidate's work.
The Closing: Ask if they would hire the person again. This is often the most telling answer.

Make sure your questions are clear. Do not use complex words. You want the reference to understand exactly what you are asking.

Using Behavioral Based Reference Questions

One of the best ways to get the truth is to use behavioral based reference questions. These questions ask for proof. Instead of asking "Is the candidate a hard worker?", you ask for a time they went above and beyond.

Behavioral questions usually start with phrases like:

"Tell me about a time when..."
"Can you give me an example of..."
"Describe a situation where..."

These questions are hard to fake. A reference can easily say "Yes, they are good." It is much harder to make up a detailed story about a project or a problem. These stories give you a window into how the candidate actually works.

Sample Questions for Different Job Categories

To help you get started, here are lists of questions for common roles. You can add these to your surveys.

Questions for Sales Roles

Sales is about results and resilience. You need to know if the person can handle the pressure of a quota.

Can you describe a time the candidate missed their sales target? How did they react?
How does the candidate handle rejection from a difficult lead?
Describe the candidate's style when closing a deal. Are they aggressive or consultative?
Did the candidate manage their own lead list, or did they rely on the company to provide them?

Questions for Technical and IT Roles

For tech roles, you need to verify skills and problem-solving abilities.

What is the most complex technical problem the candidate solved at your company?
How does the candidate handle a system failure or a high-stress "down" period?
Can you speak to the candidate's ability to explain technical ideas to non-technical people?
How much supervision did the candidate need when starting a new coding project?

Questions for Leadership and Management

Managing people is a specific skill. You need to know how they treat their team.

Tell me about a time the candidate had to give hard feedback to an employee.
How did the candidate handle conflict between two team members?
Can you describe the candidate's style of delegation?
What was the turnover rate in the candidate's department while they were in charge?

Questions for Customer Service

Customer service requires patience and empathy.

Give an example of a time the candidate turned an angry customer into a happy one.
How does the candidate handle a high volume of calls or tickets without losing quality?
Describe a time the candidate had to follow a policy that a customer did not like.
How does the candidate support their teammates during a busy shift?

Maintaining Fairness and Consistency

You must be fair to every candidate. This is why standardization is important. If you ask one candidate's reference ten questions and another candidate's reference only two, your data is not good.

To keep things fair:

Use the same questionnaire for every person applying for the same job.
Give every reference the same amount of time to respond.
Score the answers using the same scale.
Do not let personal bias get in the way of the facts.

When you use a consistent process, you protect your company. You also make sure you are picking the best person based on facts, not feelings.

Legal Standards and Privacy Compliance

You must follow the law when checking references. This is not just about being nice: it is about protecting your business from lawsuits.

Here are the rules to follow:

Get Permission: Never call a reference without the candidate's written consent.
Stay Professional: Only ask about work performance. Never ask about age, race, religion, or health.
Keep Data Safe: Store the answers in a secure place. Only show them to people who need to see them for the hiring decision.
Be Honest: Do not try to trick the reference into saying something bad.

If a reference refuses to answer certain questions, respect their choice. Many companies have strict rules about what their managers can say. This is why having a written survey can be better than a phone call. It gives the reference time to check with their HR department.

FAQ

How many references should I check?‍

You should usually check three. This gives you a good mix of opinions. Try to get at least two former managers.

What if a reference gives a bad review?

‍Do not panic. One bad review might just be a personality clash. Look for patterns. If all three references say the same negative thing, then you have a problem.

Can I check references not on the list?

‍This is called a "backdoor" reference check. It is risky. In many places, it is better to stick to the list provided by the candidate to stay safe legally.

How long should a reference check take?‍

If you use an automated system, it can be done in less than 48 hours. Phone calls often take longer because of "phone tag."

Should I check references at the start or end of the process?

‍Most companies do it at the end. This saves you time. You only check the people you are serious about hiring.

What is the most important question to ask?

‍"Would you hire this person again?" This question cuts through all the fluff. If the answer is "No," you need to find out why.

Mastering Your Reference Strategy

The hiring market is moving fast. You cannot afford to make mistakes. Using role specific reference checks is the best way to make sure your new hire will succeed. It moves you away from guessing and toward knowing.

By taking the time to identify key role competencies, you build a foundation for a great team. You stop asking "Were they nice?" and start asking "Can they do this job better than anyone else?"

Refhub helps you manage this whole process. You can create effective reference check questionnaires and send them out with a few clicks. You get clear reports that help you make the right choice.

Stop treating references as a box to check. Treat them as your best source of truth. When you ask the right behavioral based reference questions, you find the stars. You avoid the duds. You build a company that lasts.

Your hiring process is the heart of your business. Give it the attention it deserves. Use these steps to change how you look at candidates. You will see the difference in your team's performance almost immediately. Better questions lead to better hires. It is that simple.

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