Factually, successfully carrying out a quality reference check consumes lots of time and energy. Recruiters want as much information as possible from the references to ensure they make the best hiring decisions.
This usually results in asking in-depth, open-ended questions in interview style to extract the most out of the reference.
But not every recruiter or employer has ample time to carry out these types of reference checks. That’s when most employers turn to professional background screeners to conduct reference checks for them.
But if that’s not an option for you, you may need to employ other solutions to conduct the necessary reference checks.
But what really goes into creating a reference check form for your business?
In this article, we’d be sharing how to create the form and what you ought to include.
Details About The Candidate & Reference Check
Firstly, you need to make sure a strong introduction is provided for the reference so they have an excellent understanding of what’s being requested of them.
A templated introduction ought to include the below details:
- An introduction of yourself, the company you’re with, and your position.
- Describe how the candidate has submitted them as a reference
- State how long it might take to finish the reference check form
- Add details like deadlines or when you would want the form returned to you
- Request that they contact you directly if they are unable to finish it.
- Give instructions for filling out the form, if any.
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And the form itself, some sample fields about the candidate ought to include:
- The Candidate’s Name
- The Position applied for
- The Company
Doing that ensures the reference more accurately speaks to the candidate and their qualifications for the position they’re vying for.
Questions About The Reference
Although reference check email templates are supposed to streamline the screening processes, you still need to make sure you get to know the referee. By adding more definite questions, you would better understand who the referees are, how close they are with the aspirant, and much more.
Some sample questions about the reference can include:
- Name
- Company
- Current job title
- How they know the candidate
- If they worked with the candidate
- How they worked with the candidate
- Job titles/positions held while working closely with the candidate
Questions About The Candidate’s Employment & Work
Thereafter, your reference check template would’ve to include a detailed overview of the candidate’s employment and general work. This is your chance to obtain more information that Employment Verifications can’t give you and potentially detect inconsistencies. You will also have the chance to know more about their general responsibilities, duties, and all-encompassing job performance.
When conducting phone interviews with referees, you should try to keep as many questions open-ended as possible.
But for reference check forms, you can compress lots of the questions without reducing the quality of information you’ll get back.
For example, instead of asking an open-ended question about the candidate’s communication and time management skills, you can change them into a yes or no question or request the referee to rate the candidate on a scale. You should also add open-field comment boxes at the end of each section for referees to provide more context.
Some sample questions about the candidate’s employment and work can include:
- Candidate’s employment dates
- Candidate’s job titles, roles, and dates spent in each
- Responsibilities
- Notable accomplishments
- Reason for leaving
Some sample yes/no questions:
- Job promotions
- Performance issues
- Attendance issues
Some sample scale (1-5) questions and topics:
- Time management
- Communication skills (written, oral, listening)
- Reliability
- Dependability
- Positive attitude
- Team player
Questions About The Candidate’s Character
A standard reference check should include some open-ended questions, even if it’s a template. This way, referees can share more open and candid details about the candidates without being limited to a simple yes or no answer.
Some sample open-ended questions can include:
- Major concerns
- Strongest attributes/strengths
- Areas of improvement
- Anything else they want to add
- Overall experience on working with the candidate
- Would they re-hire the candidate. Why or why not
Before You Get Started
Before creating your templated of employee reference check form, there are some things you ought to keep in mind:
- Be very sure of the format you’re sending the form in (Word Doc, PDF, Google Form, etc.).
This is because you need to make sure that the filling of the document is seamless, limiting issues or barriers along the way.
- Make sure the sent form is editable, easy to save, and uncomplicated to submit.
Ensure that the form collection as easy as possible.
Instead of sieving through lots of forms, it may be worth searching for softwares, tools or apps that can ensure the information is easy to scan, read, and ultimately help you make decisions without taking large chunks of time
