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7 Tips for Conducting a Proper Reference Check

By Caitlin Mazur - Nov. 1, 2022
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A reference check can be the key to finding out if a job candidate is actually the best fit for your organization, but it takes skill to do it effectively.

In this article, we’ve put together some tips on how to conduct an effective reference check, as well as some examples of questions to ask during this process.

Key Takeaways

  • Making a poor hire can cost your company three to four times the employee’s salary.

  • Prepare questions to ask references that are similar to the ones you asked in the candidate’s interview.

  • Do your homework to make sure you aren’t talking to a fake reference.

What Is a Reference Check?

A reference check is when you contact a job candidate’s references to find out more about them.

This can be a vital part of the hiring process, as it gives you the opportunity to hear someone else back up (or counter) what the candidate said about themselves in their interview.

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Seven Tips for Conducting a Proper Reference Check

  1. Take the Reference Checking Process Seriously

    It’s frightening to think of the number of people who will actually bring someone into their organization relying on the feedback gained from a two-minute phone conversation, a two-line email, or even without carrying out any reference checks at all.

    The unfortunate truth is that they’re usually badly burned after 3-6 months of the new employee being on the job.

    This is probably a good time to remind you that the cost of a poor hire (someone who leaves because they feel the job isn’t for them or who you need to let go because they’re just not up to scratch) can be as high as 3-4 times their salary.

    A very costly exercise indeed.

  2. Conduct At Least Two Verbal Reference Checks

    There are candidates out there who look great on paper but who perform poorly during interviews. But there are also candidates who perform very well during interviews, but once they are on the job, it’s a different story altogether.

    Resumes can be embellished, and it’s even possible to become a “master interviewee” with a bit of coaching or plenty of practice. The good news is that there is a way for you to ensure that the person you initially discovered on paper and who performed strongly in their interview is actually who they say they are.

    Before you bring anybody new into your team you should really carry out two verbal reference checks. It’s the perfect way for you to understand how the candidate really performs on the job (the good and maybe even the not-so-good) before you find out for yourself… perhaps the hard way.

  3. Plan Your Questions Carefully

    When you are speaking to a candidate’s former supervisor, please don’t just ask them questions like,

    • Was she a good staff member?

    • How many sick days did she have?

    • On a scale of 1-5, how would you describe his integrity?

    You’re really not going to learn that much.

    You need to think back to the core skills (the job description) as well as the core competencies and key success measures (the performance profile) that you had created for the job.

    If during your interview you asked the candidate questions about communication, decision-making, and time management, you should then ask the reference (ideally the candidate’s former boss) exactly the same questions.

    • When did Nick ever have to “sell” an idea to a co-worker? How did he do it?

    • Can you give me an example of a time when Ken had to be quick in coming to a decision? What obstacles did he face? What did he do?

    • Please describe a situation that required Narelle to do a number of things at the same time. How did she handle it? What was the result?

    The questions you ask should prompt the candidate’s former supervisor to talk about the candidate’s actual past experiences and behavior – ideally in more than just a quick two-minute call.

    The responses to these questions will certainly tell you more than whether Liz was nice to work with, was usually punctual, had minimal sick days, or was proficient in Excel.

  4. You’re Allowed To Ask One Hypothetical Question

    One question you might also want to consider asking at the very end of every conversation with a reference is something along the lines of:

    This should be the only hypothetical question in the entire discussion. But the answer to this question can speak volumes. After all, there is a huge difference between

    Um … yeah … I guess so.

    Yes … yes I would.

    and

    I’d have her back in a heartbeat.

  5. Take Detailed Notes

    It’s always a relief when you hear positive feedback about the candidate you are so desperate to hire. In fact, you may have even already made them an offer.

    But, it’s still important to take notes during your calls with past employers. You never know when you might need to refer back to some of the comments further down the track (e.g., during performance reviews).

    In addition, if one of the two reference checks is glowing and the other is mediocre or even negative, you should try to conduct a third check just to ensure you iron out any disparity.

  6. Beware of Fake References

    You wouldn’t believe how many so-called professional candidates out there will provide fake references. When someone is desperate to get a new job, they’ll resort to anything.

    Many candidates give hiring managers the names of so-called previous “managers” who in fact turn out to be either friends or colleagues.

    Do your due diligence to make sure you’re really talking to a previous employer. If a candidate gives you the details of a past boss, check them out on LinkedIn, and ideally call them on a landline at the organization.

    Better still, after you’ve spoken to them, connect with them on LinkedIn and thank them for taking the time to speak to you. You’ll quickly find out if you actually spoke with an imposter.

    Hi Paul. Thanks for connecting with me on LinkedIn. I think you might have the wrong Trevor Bassinger. We’ve never spoken.

    Think of how you’d feel receiving this message when you’ve already made the offer to the candidate two days earlier.

  7. Don’t Put Words in Their Mouth

    Once again while you might be keen to make an offer to a rock star candidate (and this definitely applies to all you recruiters out there too!) try to avoid manipulating the conversation to go in your favor.

    So steer clear of comments like:

    • What you’re saying is that Liz interacts well within a team, right?

    • We’re looking for someone with outstanding customer service skills. Liz was part of your customer support team, wasn’t she?

    • You mentioned you’re out of the office a lot. Maybe that’s why you think Liz was difficult to manage. I’m always around so it shouldn’t be a problem.

    Oh … and if a reference is gushing with praise and can’t fault your candidate in any way at all, that should ring alarm bells too. Even the greatest employees can improve in one or two areas.

    How does that saying go? “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Questions To Ask During a Reference Check

Here are some common helpful questions to consider asking during a reference check.

  • In what ways did you and the candidate work together?

  • What dates did the candidate work at your company?

  • Would you rehire this person?

  • What are the candidate’s greatest strengths and weaknesses?

  • What was the candidate’s greatest accomplishment during their time working for you?

  • Does the candidate tend to work better alone or with a team?

  • What’s an example of a challenge the candidate faced when working for you, and how did they respond to it?

  • In what areas do you think the candidate would need extra support during their first 90 days?

Author

Caitlin Mazur

Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia where she has written 140+ articles that have reached over 1 mil viewers as of June 2023. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research.

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