What do companies ask when they call references

Seek input The first step in the process is to solicit feedback from all the people in your organization who interviewed the candidate, according to Claman.

What would you like to follow up on? What do you wish you knew more about? What you learn should form the basis of your questions for the references. If you want to measure his influencing skills, talk to peers. Next, Claman advises complimenting the applicant. If you display skepticism toward the candidate or hesitate, the reference will likely clam up out of loyalty, she says. Emphasize the value of having a reliable reference.

Then ask the reference if she has seen Mary perform in similar circumstances. What did she do? How did she do it? And what were the consequences of her actions? When you applied for the position, you may have been required to provide a resume reference list, or a document containing relevant background and contact information for your professional references. Hiring managers rely on these references to:. Human resources HR or hiring managers will usually contact your references by phone or email.

Taking an active part in the reference check process can make it go more smoothly for both you and potential employers. Follow these steps to prepare:.

Contact your potential references once you begin your job search to confirm they are willing to speak with potential employers. Express your appreciation if a reference appears hesitant or refuses, and try your next option. It is best to have references that will readily provide positive feedback.

If a potential reference accepts, offer your gratitude and confirm you have the correct contact information such as phone number and email address. You can also give them a current version of your resume so they can review your professional history, skills and achievements. Try to use people you have worked with in the past five years so potential employers will get a more recent perception of your work. Human resources will typically notify you when they plan to contact your references.

Let them know as soon as possible so they have time to prepare. If you are interviewing for multiple positions at the same time, provide a job description for each role so they have context for their conversations. Depending on the job, HR may ask for a character reference letter.

If the candidate has lost contact with their previous line manager, suggest they use LinkedIn to track them down. Many jobseekers will prefer you not to contact their referees until an offer is made and accepted, especially if they are a current employer.

If you have a signed statement of permission from a candidate, it may be worth attaching this to any initial email making contact with a referee to reassure them. What specific qualities does the candidate have that will help them fulfil these responsibilities?

Always make sure questions are as open-ended as possible, not ones that solicit simple yes or no answers, and let the referee do most of the talking. Most referees will feel uncomfortable giving bad feedback on a previous employee, and are likely to clam up altogether. Instead, you need to coax information out of them and intuit negative feedback from what is NOT said. Make sure you probe sufficiently into their responsibilities — previous volunteers can be particularly prone to over-inflating their duties.

What are their strong points? What are their weak points? How did they get along with other people? Do they have good communication and listening skills? Were there any behaviors that affected job performance? Would you rehire? Did they require a lot of supervision or work well independently? How did the candidate handle work-related stress? Do you think the candidate can do the job we spoke about?

Would you like to add anything else? Inform the candidates upfront you check references. Make sure and take detailed notes. Conduct the reference checks by phone.

Verify employment dates Make sure the employment dates listed on the resume are the correct dates when you verify them with the manager. This is a vital piece of the reference checking process. Assure the reference of confidentiality Does the former supervisor hesitate to answer your questions?

Be on guard for fake references Candidates that have burned bridges at previous positions with former employers or just have a terrible attitude and work ethic will oftentimes provide fake managerial references using a former colleague or a list of references with bad contact information. Search All Jobs Ready to Hire?

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