Good questions are the key to a valuable reference check. Here are 25 questions you can use directly — organised by competency, collaboration, leadership and reliability. Skip yes/no questions and ask open, behaviour-based ones that actually produce answers.
Confirming role and period (1-3)
- Can you confirm that [the candidate] worked with you from [start] to [end]?
- What was their job title and main responsibilities?
- In what context did you work with the candidate?
Professional competence (4-9)
- How would you rate the candidate's professional competence on a 1-5 scale, and why?
- What were the candidate's biggest professional strengths?
- Which areas had the most room for development?
- Can you describe a specific task the candidate delivered particularly well?
- How did the candidate handle complex or ambiguous problems?
- How self-directed was the candidate in their work?
Collaboration and communication (10-14)
- How did the candidate function in a team?
- Can you give an example of how the candidate handled a conflict?
- How did the candidate communicate with colleagues across roles and levels?
- Was the candidate good at giving and receiving feedback?
- How did clients or external partners experience the candidate?
Leadership and initiative (15-19)
- Did the candidate take initiative on new actions or improvements? Examples?
- How did the candidate handle responsibility and decisions?
- If applicable — how did the candidate lead others?
- How did the candidate react to change or setbacks?
- Was the candidate a formal or informal driving force in the team?
Reliability and work ethic (20-23)
- How would you describe the candidate's reliability and punctuality?
- Did the candidate consistently meet deadlines?
- How did the candidate handle periods of intense pressure?
- Was there anything about the candidate's work ethic that surprised you — positively or negatively?
Closing questions (24-25)
- Would you hire the candidate again if you had the chance? Why or why not?
- Is there anything else you think we should know before making the decision — that we haven't asked about?
Tip: Don't ask all 25 to every referee. Pick 8-12 that are most relevant to the role you're recruiting for. Consistency between candidates matters more than the number of questions.
Want these questions as a ready-made digital template? They're built into Referansio by default — you can customise them, add your own and send them out in seconds.
