Questions to Ask References – Hiring Practices, HR, Employment Screening

In our last video we established that one of the most effective tools for hiring managers is the reference check. However, reference checks are only good if you are asking the right questions. So, here are 8 questions that you should ask every reference. 1. What were the position and job responsibilities the candidate had while working at your company? This question is meant to help you verify the information on the candidate’s resume and see if the candidate is qualified for the position you are hiring. A good follow up question is “Did the candidate complete these duties satisfactorily? 2. Do you think the candidate is qualified for the position? First, I would describe the position to the reference and then I would ask whether the reference believes that the candidate is qualified for the job. If the reference says yes, then I would follow up with question number three. 3. What are the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses? With the questions, you want to probe the reference for specific examples of when the candidate has demonstrated their strengths and gather an understanding of what they need to work on. 4. Is the candidate a team player? With this question, you want to gather an understanding of how well the candidate interacts with others. If the position works independently, then better questions may include “Did the candidate work well with their manager, did they get along with their peers? Or can you describe how well they interacted with customers? 5. What was …