TL;DR:
Get the candidate's consent and the references' names before you call anyone.
Ask for specific examples, not opinions, and ask the same questions for every candidate.
Listen for what is not said, and write the answers down.
Most reference calls go the same way: "Was she good to work with?" "Yes, great." That answer feels reassuring and tells you nothing you could not have guessed. Nobody lists a reference who will say otherwise.
The way to get information is to ask for things the person actually saw. You can prepare the questions in a notes document in ten minutes, and take notes in the same one.
Start with consent
Ask the candidate before you contact anyone, and let them choose who to list. Contacting a current employer without permission can put someone's job at risk. Tell them what you will ask and roughly how long the call will take.
Rules on reference checks vary by country and employer, and some former employers will confirm only dates of work. This is not legal advice. If you are unsure what you may ask or share, check with your HR contact.
What makes a question useful
Ask for a concrete episode ("tell me about a time") instead of a score out of ten.
Keep it open, so the answer needs more than a yes or a no.
Tie it to the job you are filling.
Put it to every candidate's references in the same words.
Give the reference room to be candid about where the person still has growing to do.
Steps for the call
Prepare: Re-read the job post and your interview notes. Choose five questions and note one thing from the interview you want to check.
Open clearly: Explain who you are, that the candidate gave their name and what the role is. Ask whether it is a good time.
Ask and listen: Ask one question at a time, then wait. Silence often brings the more honest part of an answer. Ask "can you give me an example?" when answers stay general.
Write it down: Record what was said in the reference's own words, then your own impression separately, so you can tell them apart later.
Worked example: five questions for a reference call
These are for a candidate applying to be a support specialist. Swap in the work of your own role.
"How did you work with this person, and for how long?" This sets the context and tells you how much the reference really saw.
"Tell me about a time they handled an upset customer. What did they do?" You are listening for what they did, not adjectives.
"What kind of support or direction helped them do their best work?" This shows how to manage them, and often reveals growth areas.
"Tell me about a time something went wrong, and how they handled it." Look for ownership and what they changed afterward.
"Is there anything I haven't asked that would help me support them in this role?" This leaves space for what the reference actually wants to say.
Ask all five of each candidate's references, and compare answers question by question. If one reference is warm in general terms but cannot recall an example, note that as information, without treating it as a verdict.
Note: A missing example is not proof of a problem. The reference may not have seen that part of the work. Weigh it against the interviews and the rest of the references.
Mistakes to avoid
Leading questions such as "She was great at this, right?"
Different questions for different candidates.
Asking about topics unrelated to the job or personal matters.
Treating one negative comment as final. Check it against another source.
Sharing what the reference told you with people who have no need to know.
What to listen for
Listen for the specific details: names of projects, the order of events and what the person did, not only what the team did. Concrete details usually mean the reference saw the work. Generic praise with no details may mean they saw little of it.
Notice the tone and pauses. A reference who stops before answering the third question may be choosing words carefully. Follow up gently, for example by asking what support would have helped, rather than pushing for a confession.
When you have all the notes, compare them with your interview scorecards. Reference answers should check what you saw, not replace it.
Handling a lukewarm reference
Sometimes a reference is polite but guarded. Ask what the candidate would do differently if they could repeat a project, or what kind of manager would suit them best. These questions invite honest detail without asking anyone to speak badly of a former colleague.
Never push someone to say more than they are comfortable sharing. If you need more, ask the candidate for another reference who saw their work more closely.
Doing it faster
Put the five questions in a template with a space for notes under each. During the call, keep the document on one side of your screen. DuckyHelper can look at your screen and help you tidy your notes into a clean summary when you ask out loud, but you should check every sentence against what was said.
Frequently asked questions
How many references should I call?
Two or three is common. The number matters less than asking everyone the same questions.
What if a reference will only confirm dates?
Accept that and move on. Rely on your interviews and any work samples, and do not push for more than they can share.
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