7 Questions You Should Consider When Doing A Reference Check!
1.̉ ̉ What are their major achievements? Use this as an opportunity to cross-check what your candidate has already told you in the interview. Any discrepancies are a red flag and should be investigated further.2.̉ ̉ Are there any areas that require improvement? Ensure that anything mentioned here is not going to be a critical part of the candidatẹ€™s new job with you.
3.̉ ̉ How did they get along with others? The response you want to get here should be something that confirms your positive feeling about the candidate. Perhaps their comments might be something like "S/he was accepted really quickly into the team" or "Will be keeping in touch with some of his/her colleagues". What you don"t want to hear is something along the lines of "S/he was very direct when dealing with members of the team" or another̉ quality that need to be "worked on". This is a sign to investigate further.
4.̉ ̉ What was the best way to manage them? If the response is that the individual really needs to be micro managed, and you know you need someone who can work autonomously, this may not be the right person to join your team.
5.̉ ̉ How effective has the individual been at completing projects?
6. Why not describe the potential role to their referee and ask if they think the candidate is appropriate for the job?
7. ̉ Would you re-hire? Probably the most important question of all. If the referee pauses for a bit too long, you have your answer on whether or not to take this person on board.