RecruitLingo

Build a reference check plan for {{Candidate Name}}, who is moving into a {{Job Title}} role. WHO THE REFERENCE IS: {{their relationship to the candidate — manager, peer, direct report, client — and how long they worked together}} WHAT I WANT TO VERIFY OR DIG INTO: {{e.g. the actual size of the team they led, how they handle conflict, why they left}} WHAT THE PANEL WAS UNSURE ABOUT: {{the concerns that came out of the debrief}} Give me: 1. A 30-second opener that sets the context and invites candour without putting the reference on guard. 2. 6-8 open-ended questions, ordered from easy and factual to more probing, tailored to this reference's relationship with the candidate. 3. A follow-up for each, for when the answer is vague or uniformly glowing. 4. At least one comparison question ("compared with others you've managed at that level...") since those get past polite answers. 5. What a lukewarm answer sounds like when someone is being careful, so I don't miss it. 6. Topics to avoid: health, family, absence history or any other protected characteristic, plus anything the reference's own company policy may stop them discussing. Close with a question that invites them to add anything I didn't think to ask.