A good reference check template turns a polite chat into useful evidence. Below is a free call guide with job-related reference check questions you can copy and edit, plus an email to request the call and a short written form for references who prefer to reply in writing. Every question is about the work, which makes answers easier to compare and keeps you clear of topics you shouldn't raise.
Reference check template
The reference call guide (15 to 20 minutes)
The request email to a reference
When to use it
Run references at the finalist stage, once you're seriously considering an offer, rather than for every applicant. Many teams check after the final interview and before the verbal offer. Others make the offer contingent on references, in which case the offer letter should say so.
Use the same guide and the same questions for every finalist in a role. Consistency is what makes reference notes worth comparing, in the same way a structured interview beats an unstructured one.
How to customize it
- Replace the bracketed duties with the two or three criteria from your interview scorecard, so references speak to the same things your panel assessed.
- For a manager role, add: "How did they handle someone on their team who was struggling?" For a technical role, ask what systems or codebases they owned.
- Follow up on vague praise: "Can you give me an example?" One concrete story beats five adjectives.
- Write notes during the call in the evidence box, not after. Memory blends references together fast.
- Store the notes with the candidate's record in your ATS so the hiring team sees them in one place.
Variations
Some references, especially at large companies, can only answer in writing. Send this shorter form instead.
Mistakes to avoid
- Asking about health, disability or medical leave. The EEOC says employers may not ask applicants disability-related questions before making a job offer, and that applies just as much when the question goes through a reference.
- Asking about age, family, religion, national origin or anything else tied to protected traits. The EEOC lists these as bases on which hiring decisions may not be made, and the answers aren't job-related anyway.
- Calling a current employer without the candidate's explicit consent.
- Asking a reference only "Would you recommend them?" A yes tells you almost nothing. Ask for examples tied to the role.
- Letting one lukewarm reference outweigh consistent evidence from interviews and work samples without a job-related reason.
If you give references for your own former employees, note that the EEOC says it is illegal to give a negative or false reference, or refuse one, because of a protected trait. EEOC rules also require employers to keep employment records for one year, so keep reference notes with the hiring file. This is not legal advice.
Automating this with Carolina
Carolina, NTRVSTA's AI Head of Talent, can take the logistics off your plate: sending candidate messages to collect references, and scheduling the calls with your calendar through Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoom or Calendly. The conversation and the judgment stay with your team.
Once references are in, ask Carolina in plain English which finalists are still waiting on checks, or see it in the morning digest in Slack or Teams. When the offer comes next, it waits for a person, because offers and compensation changes always do. Start with one open role on the free Starter plan; see pricing.
Related: pair this with your interview scorecard template, read why structured interviews work, then move to the verbal offer script and the job offer letter. See all recruiting templates.
Questions
How many references should you check?
Two or three is typical, ideally including at least one former manager. Use the same questions for every candidate in the same role so the answers are comparable, and give each reference call about 15 to 20 minutes.
What questions should you not ask a reference?
Don't ask about health, disability, medical leave, age, pregnancy or family plans, religion, national origin, genetic information or anything else tied to a protected trait. Keep every question about the work the person did and how they did it.
Do you need the candidate's permission to contact references?
Ask for it every time. Get the names from the candidate, tell them when you will call, and never contact a current employer without explicit consent, since that can put their job at risk. Some states and countries add their own consent rules, so check locally.
Want to see how much of the finalist stage Carolina can schedule for you? Book a 20-minute demo, or try a sample interview yourself.
