Reference checks are a critical part of the hiring process. With the right reference check questions, you can gain deep insight into a candidate’s work habits, abilities, and overall fit within the company.
By using reference checking services from a professional background check service provider like Barada Associates, your company can have an experienced team prepare thoughtful questions so you can avoid potential hiring mistakes and have a smoother onboarding process overall. In this blog, we’ll discuss best practices for reference check questions to help you make an informed hiring decision every time.
Why Reference Checking Questions Matter in the Hiring Process
One of the most essential hiring steps is a type of background screening service called reference checks. Checking references is the practice of gathering and discussing the background and work history of candidates with people they know through work, personal life, or academic settings.
Checking references isn’t just about confirming that someone worked at a certain place during a specific time; it’s about digging deeper into their performance, skills, and contributions to ensure they go above and beyond the basic needs of the position.
One of the most popular types of background checks, reference checks allows a potential employer to validate claims made on resumes and during a job interview, ensuring the candidate will deliver what’s expected in their role. Additionally, reference check services can highlight any red flags that may not have surfaced during interviews. Examples include discrepancies between a candidate’s job title and actual responsibilities or issues with teamwork or meeting deadlines.
With tailored services, a background check company like Barada Associates can provide your hiring team with customized questions to fit the specific needs of your industry.
Types of References to Consider When You Check References
When conducting reference checks, it’s important to consider various types of references. Each provides unique insights into the candidate’s qualifications and character. These include:
- Professional references: A former supervisor or former colleague who can speak to the candidate’s job performance, work habits, and role-specific skills.
- Personal references: Friends or acquaintances who can provide character assessments, though they may not have direct knowledge of the candidate’s professional abilities.
- Academic references: Professors or advisors who can attest to the candidate’s academic achievements and work ethic, particularly for entry-level positions.
- Client or vendor references: These can be useful when hiring for client-facing roles, offering insight into how candidates interact with external partners.
Incorporating a diverse range of references can give you a more complete view of a candidate’s qualifications, improving your ability to make well-informed hiring decisions.
Key Reference Check Questions to Ask When Using Reference Check Services
When preparing to talk to references, check questions on your list to see if they are useful. The goal is to gather as much useful information as possible to understand a candidate’s personality and qualifications.
Here are some essential questions that should be included in any reference check:
What Was Your Relationship to the Candidate?
This question helps establish the relevance and depth of the reference’s feedback. Knowing if they worked directly with the candidate as a supervisor, peer, or subordinate provides valuable context for their responses.
How Long Did You Work With the Candidate?
The length of time spent working together often correlates with the depth of the reference’s insights. A short-term association may not offer the same level of understanding of the candidate’s abilities and work style as a long-term one.
Can You Describe the Candidate’s Main Responsibilities?
Comparing the reference’s description of duties with what the candidate listed on their resume can reveal whether the candidate accurately portrayed their role. This question can be helpful for catching any inconsistencies in job performance claims.
How Did the Candidate Handle Challenges in Their Role?
It’s important to learn about a candidate’s problem-solving abilities and how they might handle difficult situations. References can provide insight into the candidate’s approach to challenges and whether they demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and innovation.
Would You Rehire the Candidate?
This simple yet powerful question often provides the clearest indication of whether a candidate is considered reliable and effective. If the reference wouldn’t hire them again, that can be a red flag for an employer.
Industry-Specific Reference Check Questions
Different industries have varying expectations and standards, which means reference check services often need to be tailored to suit specific fields. For example:
- Healthcare: When checking references for healthcare professionals, it’s important to ask about bedside manner, patient care standards, and compliance with regulations. This ensures the candidate is well-prepared to meet the high stakes of healthcare settings.
- Education: For teachers and other educational staff, reference checking services can inquire about their ability to manage classrooms, engage students, and adhere to school policies. Employers should also ask how well the candidate collaborates with parents, fellow educators, and school administration.
- Finance: In highly regulated industries like finance, references should speak to the candidate’s compliance with financial laws, ability to handle sensitive information, and ethical behavior.
Conducting due diligence checks on job candidates in any industry is vital to avoid risks associated with mishandling information or inability to complete job duties as it reveals possible mistruths in the interview process and identifies misleading information on a candidate’s resume.
Using a reference check service that specializes in your industry can help your hiring manager ask the right questions, leading to more meaningful and actionable feedback.
How Many References Should I Check?
Typically, you should aim to check at least two to three references for each candidate. This ensures a balanced view of the applicant’s job performance and work history from multiple perspectives. It’s important to include a mix of professional and personal references to get a more comprehensive picture of their abilities and character.
Too many references could complicate the job-related information you’re seeking, while too few references may not accurately portray the candidate’s performance. Three diverse references are a good place to start to help minimize the risk of bringing on a bad or unqualified new hire.
How Many Questions Should I Ask to Get a Complete Picture of a Job Candidate?
To gain a full understanding of a candidate, asking between five to ten thoughtful reference checking questions is ideal. These should cover key areas such as the candidate’s strengths, areas for improvement, and how they handle challenges. By focusing on specific, job-related questions, you can gather useful insights without overwhelming the reference.
How Reference Checking Services Improve the Reference Check Process
While your recruiter and hiring manager may conduct reference checks internally, reference checking services provide a more streamlined, consistent, and reliable method of gathering this important information. These services use a standardized process to ensure fairness and objectivity, which can help employers avoid unconscious bias and inconsistency in how references are checked.
Additionally, reference check services are adept at asking the right questions, identifying potential red flags, and ensuring nothing is missed in the process. This is particularly important for larger companies, where hiring managers might not have the time or expertise to conduct thorough reference checks on their own.
In today’s environment when many prefer working from home, remote hiring is becoming more prevalent. As such, job seekers and employers alike must navigate this changing landscape using modern technologies and more targeted questions to conduct efficient and thorough hiring.
Why Employers Should Consider Professional Background Check Services
Hiring the wrong candidate can be a costly mistake, but it’s an avoidable one if employers take the time to properly vet applicants. Using a reference checking service ensures that the process is completed in a comprehensive, unbiased, and time-efficient manner.
Here are some additional reasons why employers should consider professional reference check services:
- Time Savings: Conducting reference checks can be a time-consuming process, particularly for busy HR departments. A professional reference check service takes the burden off internal teams and ensures timely and accurate results.
- Specialized Expertise: Professional reference checkers are trained to ask the right questions and interpret the responses effectively. They are skilled at navigating sensitive areas, like drug testing results or compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), without compromising compliance with privacy and discrimination laws.
- Unbiased Feedback: Reference check services offer a neutral party to gather feedback, ensuring that the information collected is fair, objective, and free from personal bias.
- Comprehensive Reports: Many reference checking services provide detailed reports that break down the reference feedback into actionable insights, giving hiring managers a clearer picture of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Minimum salary: Reference checks can confirm if a candidate meets the basic requirements or has been paid a comparable salary for similar work in the past, ensuring alignment with company expectations.
Different companies and industries have varying requirements when it comes to checking references, which is why working with a reference check service that can tailor its approach to your specific needs is essential. For example, hiring for leadership roles might involve asking questions about strategic thinking and decision-making, while checking references for entry-level positions may focus more on reliability and the ability to learn quickly.
Contact Barada Associates Today
Incorporating the right reference check questions into your hiring process is key to ensuring you bring the best possible candidates on board. Using a professional reference check service, like Barada Associates can help you paint a more complete picture of a candidate to see if they are the right fit for your business.
The insights gathered from references can help you avoid hiring pitfalls, learn a candidate’s management style, or gain a clearer understanding of their potential fit within your company. When in doubt, working with our reference checking team allows you to streamline the process and make more informed, data-driven hiring decisions.
We also offer a variety of related background screening processes for pre-employment or existing employees, including employment verification services, criminal background checks, drug and alcohol testing, and so much more.
Contact Barada Associates today to learn how we can help you make more informed hiring decisions without delaying or complicating your hiring process.