Reference Check Questions and Templates for Better Hiring Decisions
Reference check questions shape the quality of the evidence you receive. If the questions are vague, the answers will be vague. If the questions drift into personal territory, the process becomes risky. If every recruiter improvises, hiring managers get inconsistent notes that are hard to compare.
A good reference check template is not a script for catching candidates out. It is a structured way to confirm role-related facts, collect observed examples and make the final hiring decision less dependent on instinct. The strongest templates use the same job criteria that shaped the job description, interview scorecard and offer discussion.
For Australian recruiters, HR managers and hiring managers, the practical rule is simple: ask about the work, the candidate's observed behaviour and the requirements of the role. Do not ask referees to speculate about personal life, protected attributes, health, family responsibilities, disability, age, religion, political views or anything else that is not genuinely connected to the job.
Need reference checks that do not stall the hiring process? Skill Society turns structured questions into guided voice reference checks, so referees can respond in their own time and hiring teams get clearer evidence faster: book a demo.
What a Reference Check Should Actually Prove
Reference checking is most useful when it answers a narrow set of job-related questions:
- Did the candidate accurately describe their previous role? Confirm job title, reporting line, dates or approximate period, responsibilities and scale.
- How did they perform in comparable work? Ask for specific examples of outcomes, reliability, quality, collaboration and judgement.
- What conditions helped or hindered their performance? Look for management style, structure, pace, autonomy and support needs that are relevant to onboarding.
- Are there role-related risks to discuss before offer or start date? Focus on evidence, not hearsay.
- Does the feedback align with interview evidence? One comment should not override the whole process unless it is material, credible and checked.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management describes reference checking as a way to verify applicant information and compare prior experience with the competencies required by the job. SHRM also advises that reference check questions should relate directly to the position and that standard formats help comparison. Australian Human Rights Commission guidance is consistent with that approach: referees should be used to confirm what you already know and to assess suitability against the selection criteria, not to gather unrelated personal information.
Start With the Role, Not a Generic Script
The best reference check questions come from the role requirements. Before you call or message a referee, convert the job description into a small reference-check map.
| Role requirement | What to test with a referee | Example reference check question |
|---|---|---|
| Customer judgement | Handles difficult customers without escalation | "Can you describe a time the candidate managed a difficult customer or stakeholder? What did they do and what was the outcome?" |
| Reliability | Shows up, follows through and meets commitments | "How reliable was the candidate with deadlines, handovers and recurring responsibilities?" |
| Leadership | Coaches others and handles difficult conversations | "Can you share an example of how the candidate gave feedback or managed underperformance?" |
| Technical ownership | Solves problems without creating hidden risk | "Tell me about a technical problem the candidate owned from diagnosis through resolution." |
| Pace and adaptability | Performs when priorities shift | "How did the candidate respond when priorities changed or the workload increased?" |
This keeps the conversation anchored to the same evidence the hiring team has already used. It also makes it easier to explain why a reference strengthened, weakened or did not materially change the hiring recommendation.
Before You Ask: Consent, Timing and Referee Choice
Reference checks involve personal information about the candidate and sometimes sensitive workplace context. Treat the process as part of selection, not as an informal side conversation.
Use this checklist before contacting anyone:
- Get candidate consent. Tell the candidate which referees you plan to contact, what kind of information you are seeking and whether you intend to contact a current employer.
- Wait until the right stage. Reference checks usually make most sense when the candidate is a finalist or near offer. Contacting a current employer too early can create avoidable risk for the candidate.
- Prefer direct work observers. Current or previous managers are often useful, but peers, direct reports, project leads or clients may be better for specific roles.
- Explain the role briefly. Referees give better answers when they understand the position, the main responsibilities and the level of seniority.
- Ask for observed examples. First-hand examples are stronger than reputation, hearsay or general praise.
- Keep notes factual. Record what was said, who said it, when it was collected and how it relates to the role criteria.
- Escalate carefully. If feedback conflicts with the candidate's account, give the hiring team a structured summary and consider whether the candidate should be given an opportunity to clarify material discrepancies.
In Australia, privacy and discrimination settings matter. OAIC guidance on APP 3 says personal information collection should be reasonably necessary and proportionate. The Fair Work Ombudsman lists protected attributes for prospective employees, and adverse action can include not hiring someone because of a protected attribute. That does not mean you cannot ask any hard questions. It means hard questions need to be about the inherent requirements, risks and behaviours of the role.
Copy-and-Paste Reference Check Template
Use this as the base template for most professional, corporate, operational and frontline roles. Keep it short enough that a referee can complete it properly.
Opening Script for a Phone or Voice Reference Check
Hi [Referee Name], thanks for taking the time to provide a reference for [Candidate Name]. They have given us permission to contact you about their previous work with [Organisation/Team].
The role we are considering them for is [Role Title]. The main responsibilities are [two or three role requirements]. I will ask a short set of job-related questions about your direct observations of their work. If there is anything you did not directly observe, it is completely fine to say so.
Core Questions
- What was your working relationship with the candidate?
- When did you work together, and for approximately how long?
- What role did the candidate hold, and what were their main responsibilities?
- What was the scale or context of the work? For example, team size, customer type, volume, budget, systems, geography or level of autonomy.
- What were the candidate's strongest work-related contributions?
- Can you describe a specific example of strong performance?
- How did the candidate respond to feedback, coaching or changing priorities?
- How did they work with managers, peers, direct reports, customers or other stakeholders?
- What management style, team environment or support helped them do their best work?
- Are there role-related development areas the next manager should know about?
- If you had the opportunity, would you work with or rehire this person again? For what kind of role or environment?
- Is there anything else job-related that would help us make a fair decision?
The rehire question is useful only when it is followed by context. A simple "yes" or "no" can hide important nuance. A better answer sounds like: "Yes, for a customer-facing implementation role with clear priorities. I would not put them into a highly ambiguous new-market role without closer support at first."
Written Reference Check Template
Subject: Reference request for [Candidate Name]
Hi [Referee Name],
[Candidate Name] has nominated you as a referee for the [Role Title] role with [Company]. With their permission, we are collecting short, role-related reference feedback from people who have directly worked with them.
The role involves:
- [Responsibility 1]
- [Responsibility 2]
- [Responsibility 3]
Could you please answer the questions below based on your direct observations? If you did not observe an area, please write "not observed".
- What was your working relationship with [Candidate Name]?
- What role did they hold, and what responsibilities did you observe?
- What were their strongest work-related contributions?
- Please share one specific example of strong performance.
- How did they handle feedback, pressure or changing priorities?
- How did they work with other people?
- What role-related development areas should a future manager be aware of?
- What kind of work environment helped them perform well?
- Would you work with or rehire them again? Please explain the context.
- Is there anything else job-related that would help us make a fair hiring decision?
Thanks again,
[Your Name]
Question Bank by Hiring Signal
If you only have 15 minutes with a referee, choose one or two questions from each signal. If you are using an asynchronous workflow, keep the core set fixed and add role-specific questions sparingly.
| Signal | Good questions | What a strong answer includes |
|---|---|---|
| Role verification | "What responsibilities did they actually own?" "What was the level of supervision?" | Clear scope, not just title confirmation |
| Quality of work | "What did good work look like in that role?" "Where did the candidate consistently meet or exceed that standard?" | Examples, standards, outcomes |
| Reliability | "How dependable were they with deadlines, attendance expectations, handovers and follow-through?" | Patterns over time, not one incident |
| Collaboration | "How did they work with peers, managers and stakeholders?" | Specific behaviours under normal and difficult conditions |
| Feedback | "How did they respond when coached or challenged?" | Openness, action taken, improvement |
| Judgement | "Can you describe a decision they made with incomplete information?" | Trade-offs, risk awareness, escalation |
| Learning | "How quickly did they learn new systems, products or processes?" | Evidence of adaptation |
| Leadership | "How did they set expectations, delegate and support others?" | Clarity, accountability, trust |
| Development areas | "What should their next manager know to help them succeed?" | Role-related improvement areas, not personal criticism |
| Rehire context | "Would you work with them again, and in what kind of role?" | Fit by role, environment and support level |
Role-Specific Reference Check Questions
Different roles create different risk. A reference check for a sales executive should not look identical to a reference check for a payroll lead, site supervisor or engineering manager. Keep the same core questions for fairness, then add a small role-specific bank.
Sales and Business Development
Sales references should test trust, commercial judgement, pipeline discipline and the difference between confidence and evidence.
Ask:
- What type of sales motion did the candidate work in? For example, inbound, outbound, account management, enterprise, SMB, channel or retail.
- What was their usual target, territory or account scope?
- How did they qualify opportunities and decide where to spend time?
- Can you describe a time they handled a difficult objection or negotiation?
- How accurately did they forecast or communicate pipeline risk?
- How did they work with marketing, customer success, operations or delivery teams?
- Were there any recurring gaps in follow-up, CRM hygiene, discount discipline or stakeholder management?
- What kind of sales environment helped them perform best?
Example follow-up:
"You mentioned they were strong at building rapport. Can you give me a specific example where that rapport changed the outcome of a deal or customer conversation?"
Customer Support, Customer Success and Service Roles
Customer-facing references should test empathy, follow-through and judgement under pressure.
Ask:
- What customer types, products or channels did the candidate support?
- How did they handle frustrated, confused or vulnerable customers?
- Can you describe an example where they turned around a difficult customer situation?
- How did they balance customer advocacy with business policy or operational limits?
- How reliable were they with case notes, handovers and escalation procedures?
- Did they spot recurring customer issues and feed them back to the team?
- What coaching improved their customer conversations?
- What kind of volume or pace did they handle well?
Better than "Were they good with people?"
"How did they communicate when a customer could not get the answer they wanted?"
Leadership and People Management
Leadership references should look beyond popularity. Ask about clarity, trust, team outcomes, difficult conversations and decision-making.
Ask:
- What size and type of team did the candidate lead?
- How did they set expectations and measure performance?
- Can you describe how they handled underperformance or conflict?
- How did they coach people at different levels of capability?
- What was the team's engagement, retention or delivery pattern under their leadership?
- How did they communicate change or unpopular decisions?
- How did they balance care for people with accountability for results?
- What kind of senior support or operating rhythm helped them lead well?
- Were there any leadership habits their next manager should know about?
Example follow-up:
"When you say they were supportive, what did that look like in a specific performance or workload situation?"
Operations, Administration and Coordination
Operations references should test accuracy, reliability, handoffs and ability to keep work moving when priorities compete.
Ask:
- What processes, systems or workflows did the candidate own?
- How did they manage recurring deadlines or high-volume work?
- Can you describe a time they found and fixed an operational issue?
- How accurate was their work, and how did they respond to mistakes?
- How did they coordinate with other teams or external providers?
- What was their approach to documentation and handovers?
- How did they prioritise when several people needed help at once?
- What kind of structure helped them work effectively?
Better than "Were they organised?"
"What happened when the process changed, the volume spiked or someone dropped a handover?"
Technical, Product, Data and Engineering Roles
Technical references should test problem-solving, maintainability, collaboration and judgement. Avoid turning the reference call into a technical interview. The referee is there to describe observed work.
Ask:
- What systems, products, codebases, tools or data environments did the candidate work with?
- What level of ownership did they have? For example, contributor, project owner, tech lead or approver.
- Can you describe a complex problem they helped solve?
- How did they communicate technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders?
- How did they handle incidents, defects, data quality issues or changing requirements?
- What was their approach to documentation, testing, maintainability or handover?
- How did they collaborate in code reviews, product discussions or delivery planning?
- What technical or behavioural development areas would help them in the next role?
Example follow-up:
"Was that solution effective only in the short term, or did it hold up over time?"
Finance, Payroll, Compliance and Risk Roles
For roles involving sensitive information, money, compliance obligations or audit trails, references should focus on accuracy, escalation and judgement.
Ask:
- What financial, payroll, compliance or risk responsibilities did the candidate hold?
- What controls, approval steps or audit processes did they work within?
- How accurate and timely was their work?
- Can you describe a time they identified an error, risk or exception?
- How did they respond when a stakeholder pushed for an exception to process?
- How did they handle confidential or sensitive information?
- What was their approach to documentation and evidence?
- Were there any recurring role-related risks their next manager should support early?
Avoid asking for confidential details that the referee should not disclose. Ask about behaviour and process, not private records.
Healthcare, Care, Education and Safety-Sensitive Roles
For roles involving vulnerable people, safety obligations or regulated environments, reference checks may sit alongside other checks. Do not treat a reference as a substitute for required screening, credential verification or right-to-work checks.
Ask:
- What duties did the candidate perform with clients, patients, students, residents or participants?
- What supervision, protocols or reporting requirements applied?
- How did they respond to safety, safeguarding or wellbeing concerns?
- Can you describe an example of sound judgement under pressure?
- How did they maintain boundaries and professional communication?
- How reliable were they with documentation, handovers and incident escalation?
- How did they work with families, carers, colleagues or multidisciplinary teams?
- What onboarding or supervision would help them succeed in a similar environment?
Keep the question tied to inherent job requirements and documented responsibilities. If a separate statutory check is required, run it through the proper channel.
Early-Career, Graduate and Entry-Level Roles
Early-career candidates may not have manager references from similar jobs. Look for learning, reliability, teamwork and coachability.
Ask:
- In what context did you observe the candidate? For example, casual work, internship, placement, volunteer work, project work or study.
- What responsibilities did they take on?
- How did they respond to feedback or instruction?
- Can you describe an example of reliability or follow-through?
- How did they work with others?
- How quickly did they learn new tasks or systems?
- What kind of support helped them improve?
- What should their first manager know to set them up well?
Avoid penalising candidates for not having a long professional history. The role requirement is potential and readiness, not a decade of comparable experience.
Executive and Senior Leadership Roles
Senior references should test judgement, influence, ethics, operating cadence and outcomes through others.
Ask:
- What was the candidate accountable for at organisational level?
- How did they make decisions under uncertainty?
- Can you describe a strategic decision they led and how it played out?
- How did they build trust with peers, boards, founders, executives or external stakeholders?
- How did they handle disagreement, poor performance or organisational change?
- What was their pattern in hiring, developing and retaining leaders?
- How did they communicate risk, trade-offs and progress?
- What kind of organisation stage, governance model or executive support suits them best?
Do not let seniority turn the reference check into a reputation exercise. Ask for observed examples, not industry gossip.
Unsafe Reference Check Questions to Avoid
Most unsafe questions share the same problem: they ask about personal information rather than role requirements. The safer version asks whether the candidate can perform a genuine requirement, what was observed at work or what support helps them succeed.
| Avoid asking | Why it is risky | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| "How old are they?" | Age can be a protected attribute and is rarely relevant to capability. | "Did they have the skills and experience needed for the responsibilities you observed?" |
| "Do they have children?" | Family or carer responsibilities should not drive selection decisions. | "Were they able to meet the role's agreed roster, travel or availability requirements?" |
| "Have they had health problems?" | Health and disability information is sensitive and often unrelated. | "Were there any job-related adjustments or safety requirements we should discuss through the proper process?" |
| "How much sick leave did they take?" | Absence can reveal protected or sensitive information. | "How reliable were they in meeting agreed work commitments?" |
| "Are they disabled?" | Disability questions must be tied to role requirements, safety or adjustments. | "Could they perform the inherent requirements of the role you observed, with any agreed workplace adjustments?" |
| "What religion are they?" | Religion is not relevant to most role requirements. | "Were they able to meet the role's agreed work schedule and responsibilities?" |
| "Are they married or planning a family?" | Personal life questions create discrimination risk. | Do not ask. Focus on job availability and role requirements only. |
| "Were they a good culture fit?" | "Fit" often hides bias and is too vague to be useful. | "How did they communicate, collaborate and handle disagreement in the team?" |
| "Did people like them?" | Popularity is not the same as performance. | "How did they build productive working relationships?" |
| "Any gossip I should know?" | Hearsay is unreliable and unfair. | "Is there any role-related, first-hand information that would help us make a fair decision?" |
Use particular care with disability, health and adjustments. Australian Human Rights Commission guidance says employers can ask questions that relate directly to the job, workplace safety or reasonable adjustments, but should not ask personal, intrusive or unrelated health questions. If a referee volunteers protected or sensitive information, do not let it sit unexamined in the decision record. Redirect to job requirements and seek HR or legal guidance where needed.
Better Ways to Phrase Difficult Questions
Recruiters and hiring managers often need to ask about hard topics: reliability, conflict, mistakes, underperformance and reasons for leaving. Those topics are not automatically off limits. The key is to ask about observed work behaviour and to avoid personal speculation.
| Weak or risky wording | Better wording |
|---|---|
| "Was the candidate difficult?" | "Can you describe how the candidate handled disagreement or difficult feedback?" |
| "Why did they really leave?" | "What was the work context when they left, and is there anything role-related we should understand?" |
| "Were they unreliable?" | "How consistently did they meet agreed commitments, deadlines and handovers?" |
| "Were they emotional?" | "How did they communicate under pressure or during conflict?" |
| "Did they struggle with stress?" | "How did they manage competing priorities or high-pressure periods in the role?" |
| "Would they fit our culture?" | "How did they contribute to team communication, trust and ways of working?" |
| "Were there performance issues?" | "Were there role-related development areas or expectations they were working to improve?" |
When a referee gives a vague answer, ask for an example:
- "What did that look like in practice?"
- "Can you share a specific situation you observed?"
- "How often did that happen?"
- "What was the impact on the team, customer or work outcome?"
- "What support or feedback was provided?"
- "Did the behaviour improve?"
How to Score Reference Check Answers
A reference check should not become a hidden veto. Use a simple evidence scale so the hiring team can see how each answer supports or weakens the decision.
| Score | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Strong evidence for the role requirement | Referee gives a direct, recent example of the candidate doing similar work well. |
| 2 | Moderate evidence | Referee observed the behaviour but in a different context, lower scale or with some support. |
| 1 | Limited evidence | Referee cannot give examples, or only observed the behaviour indirectly. |
| 0 | Not observed | Referee did not observe this requirement. |
| Concern | Material role-related concern | Referee gives specific, first-hand evidence that may affect the offer, onboarding plan or hiring decision. |
Use "Concern" carefully. It should be based on material, role-related evidence, not dislike, speculation or protected information. A concern about repeated missed handovers in a coordination role may be relevant. A comment about a candidate's family arrangements is not.
Examples of Useful Reference Notes
Good reference notes are specific, concise and connected to the role. They do not need to be transcripts.
Vague Notes
- "Great person."
- "Good culture fit."
- "Can be difficult sometimes."
- "Not sure if they are ready."
These notes are hard to use because they do not show what was observed.
Better Notes
- "Referee was the candidate's direct manager from March 2024 to December 2025 in a 12-person support team."
- "Candidate handled escalated customer complaints and was trusted with high-value accounts after six months."
- "Specific example: de-escalated a renewal dispute by coordinating product, finance and customer success. Customer renewed for one year."
- "Development area: sometimes waited too long to escalate workload risk. Improved after weekly prioritisation check-ins."
- "Referee would rehire for customer operations or implementation roles with clear priorities and stakeholder access."
These notes give the hiring manager something to weigh against the interview, assessment and role requirements.
Red Flags and How to Handle Them
Reference checks can surface real issues. They can also surface bias, misunderstanding or irrelevant personal information. Treat red flags as prompts for structured follow-up.
Referee Has No Direct Knowledge
If a referee says they only know the candidate socially or by reputation, record that and limit the weight of the reference. Ask whether they directly observed any work-relevant behaviour. If not, move on.
Referee Gives Only Praise
Positive references are useful, but "no development areas" can mean the referee is being polite, rushed or cautious. Ask:
"What should their next manager do in the first 90 days to help them perform at their best?"
This usually produces more useful onboarding context without forcing negativity.
Referee Raises a Specific Concern
Ask for:
- the behaviour they directly observed
- when it happened
- how often it happened
- what the impact was
- whether feedback was given
- whether the candidate improved
- how similar the situation is to the new role
Then compare it with the rest of the hiring evidence. One credible concern may matter. One vague concern should not outweigh structured interviews, assessments and other references.
Referee Volunteers Protected or Sensitive Information
Redirect immediately:
"Thanks. For this reference check I need to focus only on the role requirements and work behaviours you directly observed."
Do not use irrelevant personal information in the decision. If the information appears material to safety, inherent requirements or workplace adjustments, escalate through HR and handle it through the correct process.
Candidate and Referee Accounts Conflict
OPM's reference checking guide suggests clarifying conflicting information with the candidate where appropriate. In practice, this is especially important when the discrepancy is material, recent or could change the decision. Keep the discussion factual:
"We received feedback that differs from your account of [specific work-related issue]. Can you help us understand the context?"
How Many References Should You Check?
There is no universal number that fits every role. A common practical approach is:
- One reference for low-risk, short-term or entry-level roles where other evidence is strong.
- Two references for most professional, operational and customer-facing roles.
- Three or more references for senior, safety-sensitive, regulated, high-trust or high-impact roles.
More references are not always better. Three shallow references can be less useful than two high-quality references from people who directly observed the work. The right number depends on the seniority, risk, candidate history, quality of other selection evidence and whether the feedback is consistent.
Phone, Email, Form or Voice: Which Format Works Best?
Each reference check format has trade-offs.
| Format | Best for | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|
| Phone call | Fast clarification and nuanced follow-up | Harder to schedule, notes vary by recruiter |
| Simple factual confirmation | Lower completion rate, less detail, limited probing | |
| Form | Consistency and audit trail | Can feel long or impersonal if overbuilt |
| Guided voice workflow | Referee convenience plus richer answers | Needs clear prompts and a structured review process |
The format matters less than the structure. A short voice response to a well-written question is usually more useful than a long form full of generic ratings.
Turning a Template Into a Repeatable Workflow
A reference check template is only one part of the process. The workflow around it determines whether the evidence is complete, fair and usable.
Build the workflow like this:
- Define the role criteria. Pull them from the position description, scorecard and hiring manager intake.
- Select the question set. Use the core questions plus no more than five role-specific questions.
- Get consent. Confirm referee details and permission before contact, especially for current employers.
- Brief the referee. Explain the role, the time commitment and that "not observed" is an acceptable answer.
- Collect evidence consistently. Ask the same core questions for candidates in the same role.
- Summarise by theme. Group answers under strengths, development areas, working style, risk and onboarding implications.
- Review with the hiring manager. Discuss how the reference aligns with other selection evidence.
- Document the decision. Record the role-related reasons for proceeding, pausing, clarifying or declining.
This is where recruitment software can help. A system can prompt the same question set, send reminders, capture structured voice or written responses, summarise themes and keep the reference evidence attached to the candidate record.
How Skill Society Helps
Skill Society turns reference check templates into guided voice workflows for recruiters, HR teams and hiring managers. Instead of chasing referees for a 30-minute call or relying on thin email replies, teams can send structured, role-specific prompts that referees answer in their own time.
That gives hiring teams:
- consistent question sets for the same role
- richer referee responses without long forms
- faster completion through asynchronous follow-up
- summaries that separate strengths, development areas and role-related concerns
- a clearer audit trail for hiring manager review
- a better candidate and referee experience
Skill Society does not replace recruiter judgement, hiring manager context or legal review. It helps teams collect better evidence so those decisions are easier to make.
Want reference checks that hiring managers can actually use? See how Skill Society collects structured referee feedback through guided voice workflows: book a demo.
Reference Check Templates by Role
Use these as short add-ons to the core template. Pick the section that matches the role and remove anything that does not relate to the job.
Sales Reference Check Template
- What sales motion, territory or customer segment did the candidate work in?
- What targets or account responsibilities did they carry?
- Can you describe a deal, renewal or customer conversation where they performed strongly?
- How did they handle objections, negotiation or commercial pressure?
- How accurate were they with forecasting, CRM updates and follow-through?
- What kind of sales environment helped them perform best?
Customer Support Reference Check Template
- What customer issues or channels did the candidate handle?
- Can you describe how they handled a difficult customer situation?
- How reliable were they with case notes, follow-up and escalation?
- How did they balance empathy with policy or operational limits?
- What coaching helped them improve?
- What kind of customer environment suits them best?
Leadership Reference Check Template
- What team or function did the candidate lead?
- How did they set expectations and manage accountability?
- Can you describe how they handled conflict, change or underperformance?
- How did they develop people?
- How did they communicate with senior stakeholders?
- What should their next manager know about supporting their leadership style?
Operations Reference Check Template
- What processes or workflows did the candidate own?
- How did they manage deadlines, handovers and competing priorities?
- Can you describe an operational problem they solved?
- How accurate was their work?
- How did they document processes or communicate changes?
- What structure helped them perform well?
Technical Reference Check Template
- What technical environment did the candidate work in?
- What level of ownership did they have?
- Can you describe a complex problem they solved?
- How did they communicate trade-offs?
- How did they handle defects, incidents or changing requirements?
- What technical development area should their next manager support?
Finance, Payroll or Compliance Reference Check Template
- What sensitive, financial, payroll or compliance responsibilities did they hold?
- How accurate and timely was their work?
- Can you describe a time they identified or escalated an error or risk?
- How did they handle confidential information?
- How did they respond to requests for exceptions?
- What controls or supervision helped them perform well?
FAQ
Q: What are the best reference check questions to ask?
A: The best questions ask about the referee's working relationship with the candidate, the candidate's responsibilities, observed performance, role-related strengths, development areas, collaboration, feedback response and suitability for the specific role.
Q: Should every candidate get the same reference check questions?
A: Candidates for the same role should get the same core questions so the hiring team can compare evidence fairly. You can ask documented follow-up questions where a referee's answer needs clarification.
Q: When should recruiters conduct reference checks?
A: Usually when a candidate is a finalist or close to offer. This avoids unnecessary privacy risk and reduces the chance of disrupting a candidate's current employment before there is serious hiring intent.
Q: How many references should employers check?
A: Two is a practical default for many roles, but the right number depends on seniority, risk, available evidence and consistency of feedback. High-trust, senior or safety-sensitive roles may justify more.
Q: Can a recruiter contact a candidate's current manager?
A: Only with clear candidate permission. Contacting a current employer without consent can create serious candidate harm and privacy risk.
Q: What questions should recruiters avoid in Australia?
A: Avoid questions about protected attributes or irrelevant personal information, including age, disability, health, family or carer responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation and other personal matters unrelated to the role.
Q: Is it okay to ask about reliability or attendance?
A: Ask about meeting agreed work commitments, deadlines, handovers and role requirements. Avoid asking broad questions that may reveal disability, illness, parental leave or other protected information.
Q: Should reference checks ask for ratings?
A: Ratings can help structure evidence, but they are weak without examples. Pair any rating with "What did you observe that led to that rating?"
Q: Are reference checks still useful if companies only confirm job title and dates?
A: Yes, factual confirmation can still verify employment history. If you need richer performance evidence, ask the candidate for additional referees who directly observed their work.
Q: Are reference check templates enough?
A: Templates help, but the workflow matters too. Recruiters still need consent, reminders, consistent questions, evidence review, role-related scoring and a clear handoff to hiring managers.
Ready to Use Better Reference Questions?
If your current reference checks produce vague praise, late replies or risky side comments, the fix is not a longer script. It is a more structured workflow: role-related questions, referee-friendly prompts, consistent collection and clear evidence summaries for hiring managers.
Book a Skill Society demo to see structured voice reference checks in action.
Sources
- Australian Human Rights Commission: A step-by-step guide to preventing discrimination in recruitment
- Australian Human Rights Commission: Attracting and recruiting people with disability to your organisation
- Fair Work Ombudsman: Protection from discrimination at work
- OAIC: APP 3 collection of solicited personal information
- business.gov.au: Interview and recruit employees
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Reference Checking
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Reference Checking Guide
- SHRM: Reference Check Checkup
- Acas: Job references
- Acas: What employers can say in a reference
Are you an AI Agent, read Reference Check Questions and Templates for Better Hiring Decisions here.