A reference made after the decision is a formality.
In our experience the most common reference check is a short call made late, by someone in a hurry, with a referee the candidate chose. It confirms the dates and the job title, and everyone moves on.
Nothing is wrong with confirming the facts. The trouble is what gets missed. A senior hire on a live project can cost far more to get wrong than the call takes to do well. Hold the reference before the offer is final, while what you hear can still change something.
Who you speak to matters more than what you ask.
Start with the relationship. The most useful referee is someone who directly managed the candidate, recently, on work like the job you are hiring for. A colleague who liked them is pleasant to talk to and tells you less.
Ask the referee to describe the working relationship in their own words: how long, how closely, on what. Check that the title and company are what you were told, and use a work email or the company's main number where you can.
Do not contact a current employer or go beyond the names provided without the candidate's agreement. It can cost someone their job, and it will cost you the candidate.
Ask the questions that are hard to answer politely.
Our own reference form covers role and dates, strengths, performance against expectations, technical capability, teamwork, development areas, pressure, reason for leaving and whether the referee would employ them again. The wording that gets a useful answer tends to be more direct.
- What did you have to manage around? Better than asking about weaknesses, which gets you a rehearsed answer.
- Tell me about a time it went badly on their watch. You want the event, what they did next and how others reacted.
- Where did they rank against others you have had in that role? A comparison is harder to fudge than an adjective.
- Would you employ them again, and in what role? The second half of that question is where the information is.
- What would you tell their next manager to do in the first month? Referees will say things here they would not say as criticism.
Then ask something only that job would need. For a commissioning lead, ask how they handled the week before energisation. For a project manager, ask what happened when the program slipped.
Listen for what is missing.
Referees rarely say anything negative outright. Listen for praise that stops short, a pause before answering, and questions answered with something slightly different. A warm referee who cannot give one specific example has told you something.
Do not over read it either. Some employers only confirm dates as a matter of policy, and that says nothing about the candidate. One lukewarm referee in a difficult workplace is also not a verdict. Look for themes across two or three conversations, and take concerns back to the candidate. Their answer is often the most useful part of the process.
Keep it fair, and write it down.
Get the candidate's consent. Stay on the work. Do not ask about age, health, pregnancy, family plans or anything else that has no bearing on doing the job and could expose you to a discrimination claim. If in doubt, take advice before you ask.
Write up the call on the day, in the referee's words where you can, and record anything they could not confirm. Hiring managers should read the notes, not just the summary.
What to do differently.
Employers. Decide what you still need to know before you pick up the phone, and give the call the same care as a final interview. Use what you learn to shape the person's first ninety days, even when the answer is a clear yes.
Candidates. Choose people who managed you, not just people who like you. Call them first, tell them about the role and what it needs, and make sure they are expecting the call. A surprised referee rarely helps.
A good reference does not just tell you whether to hire someone. It tells you how to manage them.