What questions are asked during reference check?

Have you ever been asked for references during the recruitment process? References are a broad topic, but are they actually checked?

The answer is – sometimes yes, sometimes no. However, it is worth being prepared for the possibility that a headhunter or a direct potential employer (someone from HR or a potential supervisor) may ask for them. I am not talking about written references but contacts to former supervisors or people who have worked with us.

I once checked references provided by a candidate, which, to put it mildly, were not positive. One of the former bosses was very surprised that the candidate decided to give me his phone number. The candidate might not have been aware of the kind of references his former boss would provide or acted on impulse.

What to expect?

Before you provide references, check what you can expect. It is also good practice to ask for references from former bosses, clients, or coworkers (when changing positions or organizations) on an ongoing basis. It is also a good idea to ask for the publication of references ("endorsements" on LinkedIn). Indeed, it takes time from the person we ask, but such references have a more positive and individual tone than, for example, "collecting likes" in the "skills" section (here the rule of reciprocity often works, although it is still worth using).

You can also commission someone, like a coach/career advisor, to check your references. This way, you will be assured that the references you present after verification will be positive.

Real (and not so real) references

In the UK and the United States, there is an entire industry of services related to checking references, known as "background checks." Companies also verify the authenticity of academic degrees. There is also a market response to the needs of potential candidates who cannot boast good references. There are companies that "come to the rescue" and build non-existent references for their clients. A potential supervisor calling the reception of company x is connected with an assistant and then with a supposed former boss, who speaks highly of the client (potential candidate). I do not support such actions, as I believe that "lies have short legs," although it amuses me that the market does not tolerate a vacuum in this case too.

The less formal route

If your potential future supervisor or someone from HR has ever worked with someone from your environment who might know you, they will most likely informally hesitate to contact that person. Especially HR employees tend to have an extensive network of contacts. You have no control over such a situation. You can only take care of positive relationships with people in your business environment in advance. I am not advocating for compliance and do not want to scare anyone – not everyone must like us. Instead, I encourage maintaining professionalism, assertively expressing your thoughts and needs, providing constructive feedback, and simply treating people fairly. Expertise and high professional competences "will always defend themselves." Even if someone does not feel particularly friendly towards us but believes that we perform our work at a high level, they will most likely provide positive (informal references).

Of course, it is also important what questions the person calling for references will ask. It will not surprise anyone that the less formal the way of obtaining references, the less formal questions may appear.

What questions can the person calling for references ask?

Best practices suggest asking specific questions, such as:

• What was your relationship with the candidate?
• How long have you known the candidate?
• Can you confirm the candidate's job title, dates of employment, and their duties?
• What are the candidate's strengths and weaknesses?
• How did the candidate react to stressful situations?
• How was your experience working with the candidate?
• Why did the candidate leave that position/organization?
• Would you rehire this candidate?
• Is there anything else we should know about this candidate?

It is valuable to know that someone might contact people from our business environment asking such or similar questions. In the current state of technological development (ubiquitous social and business media), little can be hidden. Our professional life is becoming more transparent, and access to references (the less formal ones) is becoming easier. It is therefore worth building your professional brand on solid foundations such as knowledge/experience, values, and attitudes.