Reference Check Call
Structured reference summary per call in ATS (relationship context, strengths with examples, development areas, would-hire-again, red flags, competency scores). Hiring manager brief: 3 sentences + recommendation. Overall reference package marked complete when all references received.
Before you start
- Candidate has provided 2-3 references with names, titles, and contact info
- Hiring manager has provided 3-5 competencies to probe
- Reference check policy reviewed (what can be asked per local employment law)
- Reference contact details (name, title, company, phone or email)
- Candidate's role at that company, tenure, and stated responsibilities
- Target role job description and key competencies
The steps
- Schedule reference calls — Email each reference with who you are, the candidate, the role, twenty minutes, and a scheduling link. Say it is confidential and role-specific — not a fishing expedition. Aim to book within 48 hours of the candidate being approved.
- Prepare tailored question set — Eight questions. Five always: how long and in what capacity did you work together; what did they own; what are the two or three things they do best; what did they need to develop; would you hire them again, and for what. Three more from the hiring manager, specific to the role.
- Conduct the call — Re-confirm confidentiality, then ask in order — never skip the development question. Listen for hesitation, qualified praise, and anything volunteered. When you get a generic positive, ask for a specific example. Never repeat what another reference said.
- Probe for red-flag signals — Watch for a slow or short answer on whether they would hire again, praise with no examples, a story that contradicts the candidate's own, or reluctance on development. If any appear, ask: is there anything I should know that would help us set them up for success? It is safe to ask and it usually works.
- Summarize and score the reference — Within thirty minutes: relationship, strengths with the examples given, development areas, the would-hire-again answer and any hedging, red flags, and overall quality — strong, neutral or weak. Score against the hiring manager's competencies. Record what was said, not what you inferred.
- Log in ATS and brief hiring manager — Upload the summary to the ATS with any red flag at the top, not buried. Brief the hiring manager in three sentences: overall signal, one standout strength, one thing to probe. Recommend proceed, discuss or hold based on the pattern across all references.
If it goes wrong
References give only generic positive answers
Probe every adjective with 'Can you give me a specific situation where you saw that?' If probing yields nothing concrete, rate reference as neutral-weak and note that no verifiable examples were provided.
Reference is clearly coached by candidate
Log that responses were rehearsed-sounding with no specific examples. Recommend requesting an additional uncoached reference (e.g., a peer the candidate did not list).
Scheduling references takes more than 72 hours
Follow up via phone if email unanswered at 24h. If reference is still unresponsive at 48h, notify candidate to follow up directly. Do not let reference phase delay an offer for a top candidate beyond 5 business days.
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