Reference Checking: Unexpected Questions May Yield More Candid Feedback
January 26th, 2010“I’m sorry, but all I can do is verify this person’s name, title and dates of employment.”
Sound familiar?
These days, getting an honest and reliable reference can be a real challenge. HR is cautious. Supervisors are too busy. And often, the references provided are afraid or unwilling to give honest feedback. So how do you get a good reference check?
Beyond the standard length of employment/position/job responsibilities questions, here are a few unexpected ones you can try asking. Designed to start conversations, these open-ended questions may entice a reference to ”drop his guard,” and help you solicit more candid feedback:
- Did the candidate ask your permission to be a reference for him?
- What was his greatest strength? Weakness?
- What circumstances frustrated him the most?
- How well did the candidate manage time? Pressure? Crises?
- What did he learn during his time with your company?
- If you could give him a single career suggestion, what would it be?
- What was his biggest accomplishment while working for your company?
- Would you rehire this person? Why or why not?
- Is there anything else I haven’t asked that you would like to share with me?
Thankfully, you don’t need to ask questions like these when you work with Berks & Beyond. You can rest assured that every candidate we refer has been carefully screened, tested and reference-checked for you. To learn more about the measures we take to ensure candidate quality, please visit our website.