What is a reference check?
Contacting a job candidate’s references can help you better understand what it’s like to manage and interact with your potential new employee. It also allows you to determine how suited they are to fit within the culture and fulfil their job duties.
Speaking with previous employers can also provide valuable insights into the candidate’s roles, positions held and overall work performance. But to uncover the information you need, you may benefit from asking appropriate background reference questions.
Formulating specific questions for reference checking can help you to gain important insights into the candidate’s past employment, work ethic and suitability for the position.
Why check references?
When you interview a candidate about their employment history and past professional experiences, their answers may be biased because they want to make the best possible impression.
Getting the perspective of a third party who has worked alongside or managed the candidate may provide better insight into a candidate’s performance and culture add.
There are three primary reasons why it can be useful to check a candidate’s references:
- To validate CV information. A reference can verify whether the candidate has the job experience and skills they claim.
- To gain insight into the candidate’s work ethic. A reference can give you a glimpse into the candidate’s character, their resilience and ability to meet new challenges.
- To identify strengths that may better position the candidate for the role. A reference can share unique skills and abilities that the candidate might not have shared, or further validate those they did share.
Also, when asking candidates for references, request that they include at least one former manager. Although gaining colleagues’ perspectives is important, leaders are responsible for regularly evaluating their employees and can provide more details about the candidate’s job performance.
Preparing for reference checks
Before calling references, recruitment managers can take time to prepare thoroughly for the reference check process. Start by reviewing the candidate’s CV and cover letter to pinpoint key skills, job title and responsibilities that need to be verified. Doing this first may help you to tailor questions specifically to your candidate so you can confirm their professional history and qualifications.
It can also be useful to create a list of sample reference check questions tailored to the specific role. For example, you might ask previous employers, ‘Can you describe the candidate’s job title and main responsibilities?’ or ‘How would you rate the candidate’s communication skills in a team setting?’ These questions help you gather valuable insight into the candidate’s ability to meet the demands of the job.
Before reaching out, obtain the candidate’s consent to contact their references and make sure you’re following your company’s policies and procedures for conducting reference checks. Being completely upfront with both the candidate and their references sets a professional tone.
Five reference questions to ask former managers
The questions you ask will determine how well you’re able to uncover the information you need to make the right recruitment decision. Asking specific questions during reference checks can help you gain more detailed insights into the candidate’s qualifications, performance and suitability for the new role.
Here are five back-check reference questions you can use to help determine whether the candidate you’re pursuing is a good fit for the job:
- What was it like to work with this candidate?Asking this question prompts the reference to share their day-to-day experience of either working alongside or managing the candidate. Their response can help you to discover how a candidate treated colleagues, how they performed their job duties and their general trustworthiness.
- What are this candidate’s greatest strengths?Although the candidate will have likely already shared their strengths and skills with you, colleagues and managers may consider a team member’s strengths differently. By asking this question, you can identify which skills and abilities you can expect the candidate to display most often.
- What were this candidate’s biggest areas of opportunity while working together?Asking this question will help clarify specific things that the candidate might need to address in order to meet their full potential. You can use this as an opportunity to find out whether they missed work frequently, whether they started any conflicts at work and whether such issues were resolved.
- What was one of this candidate’s best accomplishments while working together?Asking this question can give references the opportunity to reflect on moments when the candidate leveraged their strengths, displayed unique skills or overcame a difficult challenge. This can provide you with insight into how the candidate may behave when faced with similar needs and challenges at your organisation.
- If you could hire this candidate again, would you rehire them? Why or why not?The fact that a reference who would rehire someone shows that the candidate is honourable and adds value to a team. However, if a reference hesitates to hire a candidate again, it could be a red flag. Make sure that you understand the reference’s reasoning behind their answer before making your decision.
Evaluating candidate performance based on reference feedback
Once you’ve completed your reference checks, it’s time to evaluate the feedback you’ve received. Recruitment managers should identify specific examples that highlight the candidate’s skills, work ethic and ability to collaborate with others. Pay close attention to comments that describe the candidate as a ‘great leader’ or praise their ‘excellent communication skills’. Also, consider asking follow-up questions for more detail.
Remain vigilant of any potential red flags, such as negative feedback or inconsistencies between the candidate’s story and what their references share. For instance, if a reference’s description of the candidate’s responsibilities doesn’t match their CV, this could mean that the candidate hasn’t been truthful about their experience.
By carefully weighing both positive and negative feedback, recruitment managers can make a more informed decision. This thorough evaluation can help make sure that only candidates who are truly the right fit for the company move forward in the recruitment process.
Best practices for reference checks
To get the most out of reference checks, recruitment managers may wish to follow a set of best practices. Start by asking the candidate for permission to contact their references and be clear with references about the job requirements and the skills you’re seeking in your future candidate.
Identify communication skills
During the conversation, use open-ended questions that encourage references to provide detailed examples and honest feedback. For example, instead of asking, ‘Did the candidate work well with others?’ try, ‘Can you give an example of how the candidate contributed to team projects?’
Take notes throughout the conversation and ask follow-up questions to clarify any vague answers or concerns.
Finally, verify that the information provided by references matches the candidate’s CV and other application materials. This step helps ensure that you have all the information needed to make a confident hiring decision and reduces the risk of hiring someone who may not be the best fit for the position.
The difference between reference checks and other screening methods
While reference checks can be a central part of the recruitment process, think about using them alongside other screening methods to gain a more thorough understanding of your candidate’s background.
For example, background checks may provide some insights into criminal convictions. Meanwhile, skills assessments and personality tests can offer insight into their abilities and cultural fit.
By combining reference checks with other screening tools, recruitment managers can make a more informed hiring decision, helping them to identify talent who are well-suited for the role and are a good culture fit. This comprehensive approach may lead to better retention and engagement, all while supporting a candidate’s long-term professional growth.
