The Art of Reference Checks: Questions That Actually Reveal

# The Art of Reference Checks: Questions That Actually Reveal

Most reference checks are useless. "Would you hire them again?" yields rehearsed responses. Here's how to get genuine insight.

Why References Matter

### What They Reveal - How the person actually worked - Their reputation with colleagues - Specific strengths and weaknesses - Red flags you might have missed

### Why They're Often Useless - Candidates provide friendly references - References fear liability - Questions are too generic - Checkers don't probe deeply

Before the Call

### Get the Right References Ask for specific types: - Direct manager - Peer colleague - Direct report (for managers) - Cross-functional partner

### Do Your Research - Review LinkedIn for context - Note specific questions from interviews - Identify areas of concern to probe

The Right Questions

### Opening "Thanks for taking the time. I want to understand [Name]'s work style and performance so we can set them up for success if they join us."

### Performance Questions - "What would you say are their top 2-3 strengths?" - "Where did they need the most support or development?" - "How did they handle [specific challenging situation]?" - "What type of work brought out their best?"

### Comparison Questions - "In the top 10% of people you've worked with, or more like top 25% or 50%?" - "How did they compare to peers in similar roles?"

### Probing Questions - "Tell me more about that..." - "Can you give me a specific example?" - "What would someone who worked less well with them say?"

### The Closing Question "Is there anything I should know that I haven't asked about?"

Reading Between the Lines

### Positive Signs - Specific, enthusiastic praise - Concrete examples - "I'd hire them again in a heartbeat" - Proactive positive information

### Warning Signs - Hesitation before answering - Vague or generic praise - "They were fine" (damning with faint praise) - Deflection or topic-changing

### Red Flags - Inability to cite positives - Specific negative examples - "Let me think..." on basic questions - Refusal to answer directly

Making the Most of References

### Go Off-List Ask candidates: "Who else should I talk to?" Then ask those people for additional references.

### Back-Channel Your network may know people who worked with the candidate. These informal references are often more honest.

### Weight Appropriately One lukewarm reference among strong ones might be a personality clash. Multiple lukewarm references are a pattern.

Reference checks aren't about catching lies—they're about understanding how someone actually works. Do them well, and they'll save you from bad hires while confirming good ones.