So you found a candidate that’s a great fit for your open position! However, your interview process is not yet complete. It’s always a good idea to do your due diligence and contact the candidate’s references for a deeper dive into their professional skills before you make a job offer.

Contacting these references gives you the opportunity to explore such factors as the candidate’s

• work qualifications
• previous responsibilities
• how well they collaborated with team members

Avoid any discriminatory questions about their age, familial status, race, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities, etc. These are protected classes and therefore, illegal to ask about during a reference check.

So what can you ask when speaking to a candidate’s references? Here are ten questions to consider:

1. How do you know the candidate?
2. What would you say are the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses?
3. How well did the candidate work with others?
4. Did the candidate have any notable achievements or promotions that occurred while working there?
5. How would you say the candidate does in the following areas?
6. What management style did they work best with? Did they take direction well?
7. Were they dependable? Were you able to count on them when needed, did they get to work on time?
8. Would you rehire them? Why or why not?
9. Do you think the candidate can do this job?
10. Is there anything we haven’t discussed that you’d like to share with me about the candidate?

Whether you’re hiring a customer service representative or a hotel executive for upper management, these ten strategic questions open the doors to insightful answers that can guide you to a confident and wise decision. Good luck with the hiring process moving forward.