Reference Check Form Template: Word-for-Word Questions and Legal Notes

This reference check form template gives you the exact wording to use: a candidate consent line, a referee identification block, ten questions to ask word for word, a rating grid and a closing section. Copy it, adapt the role-specific questions, and check local law, because rules on references differ by country.

What a reference check is for

A reference check is a structured conversation, or a written request, with someone who has worked with a candidate. Its job is to confirm what the candidate told you and to fill gaps the interview cannot, such as how the person behaves under pressure, how they take feedback and how they work with others. It is not a trial, and it is not a way to find reasons to reject. Used well, it adds a second view of a person you are already inclined to hire, and it can catch serious mismatches before an offer. Used badly, it becomes a chat that depends on the referee's mood and your own leading questions. A form fixes most of that, because the same questions are asked of every referee in the same order, the answers are recorded in a consistent place, and you can compare them later. This guide gives you the form first, then explains how to use it, what to watch for and what to avoid. For wording of the email that asks for a reference, see our companion guide on reference check emails, and for common warning signs see our guide to reference check red flags.

Reference check form template, step one: the consent line

Do not contact a referee without the candidate's agreement. Rules differ by country, but asking first is courteous and often a legal expectation. Use this wording, word for word, in your application form or in an email to the candidate.

"As part of our hiring process we would like to speak to two people who have worked with you directly, ideally a manager and a colleague. Please give us their names, their relationship to you, their email or phone number, and the dates you worked together. By providing these details you confirm that you have told them we may contact them and that you agree to us contacting them about your work performance, reliability and conduct. We will use what they tell us only for this hiring decision, we will keep it for [retention period] and then delete it. If you would prefer we do not contact a current employer before an offer, tell us and we will wait until an offer is made subject to references."

Replace the bracketed period with the real period you will use. The last sentence matters because many candidates have not told their current employer they are looking. If you need the candidate to supply references on a form, Rezumz can send a ready-made request for references to the candidate through a private link, and the answers stay on the candidate's record.

Step two: the referee identification block

The first part of your form is the record of who you spoke to and under what conditions. It protects you if the content is disputed later. Fill this in before you ask any question.

If the check is by phone or video, say at the start: "I am calling about [candidate name], who has applied to us for [role] and who gave us your name. Is now a good time for ten minutes? I will take notes. What you tell me is used only for this hiring decision." Then confirm the dates and the relationship before moving on. If the referee's version of the dates or title differs from the CV, record both and raise it with the candidate gently, since people sometimes use informal titles.

Step three: the ten questions, word for word

Ask these in order, with minimal rewording. Keep the same order for every referee so the answers can be compared.

1. "In what capacity did you work with [candidate], and for how long?" 2. "What were the main responsibilities of their role while you worked together?" 3. "Can you describe one result they delivered that you were pleased with?" 4. "How would you describe the quality and reliability of their work?" 5. "How did they handle pressure, deadlines or things going wrong?" 6. "How did they respond to feedback or disagreement?" 7. "How did they work with colleagues, clients or people who reported to them?" 8. "What would you say are their strongest skills, and where would they benefit from support?" 9. "Why did they leave, or why are they leaving, your team?" 10. "Would you work with them again, and is there anything else we should know to support them well in this role?"

Stay neutral and let the referee talk. Follow with open prompts such as "Can you give me an example?" and "What happened then?" Do not suggest answers, and do not read the candidate's own claims out and ask the referee to confirm them. Instead, ask the question openly and compare afterwards. Question 8 is phrased about support, not weakness, because it invites honest answers without putting the referee in the position of damaging someone's career. Question 10 is the single most informative one in practice, as the way a person answers matters as much as the words.

Step four: role-specific questions to add

The ten questions fit most jobs. Add two or three that match the role, drawn from your must-have skills. Choose questions about what the person did, not what they are. For a team lead: "How many people did they manage, and how did they handle a team member who was underperforming?" For a sales role: "What targets did they carry, and how did they perform against them?" For a finance role: "How accurate and timely was their work, and how did they handle a mistake?" For a customer-facing role: "How did customers respond to them, and can you describe a difficult case?" For a technical role: "How did they approach a problem they had not seen before?" For a role with safeguarding or regulated duties, follow the rules of your sector and your country, which may require specific checks and wording. Use the same added questions for every candidate for the same role. Do not invent questions on the day that touch protected characteristics, health, family plans, age, religion or similar topics. Rules differ by country, so check local law.

Step five: the rating grid and closing section

After the call, summarise what you heard in a grid, using the referee's words wherever possible, so your record is evidence, not impressions. Rate each area 1 to 4, where 1 means serious concern, 2 means some concern, 3 means meets expectations and 4 means strong evidence.

Close the form with three lines: "Concerns raised that need follow-up with the candidate: [text]". "Verified facts (dates, titles, responsibilities): [text]". "Completed by [name] on [date]; stored in the candidate record; delete on [date]." Keep factual notes only. Avoid labels such as lazy or difficult, which are opinions. If a referee gave you information you did not ask for and should not use, such as health details or union membership, do not write it down. Share concerns with the candidate before you rely on them where law or fairness requires, so the person can respond.

A worked example with example numbers

Imagine a six-person agency hiring an account manager. The shortlisted candidate gave two referees. The hiring lead used the form above and recorded both calls. Referee A, a former manager, rated reliability 4, handling pressure 3, response to feedback 3 and working with clients 4, saying the candidate "kept three accounts running during a staffing gap and nothing slipped". Referee B, a peer, rated reliability 3, handling pressure 2 and working with others 3, saying the candidate "sometimes went quiet when deadlines changed and I had to chase updates". The grid gives an average of about 3.0, which is example data only. The difference between the two referees is useful: the candidate is strong on delivery and weaker on proactive communication. The hiring lead raised it with the candidate, who explained that the deadlines were changed late and they preferred to confirm facts before writing. The agency made the offer and agreed to set a weekly update rhythm in the first month. The form did not decide the hire. It produced a specific, fair point to discuss, and a record of why the agency went ahead.

How to run the call well

The form only works if the conversation is steady. Book the call in advance, and tell the referee how long it will take, which should be ten to fifteen minutes. Open with the purpose, and say you will take notes. Speak less than the referee; aim to talk for a fifth of the time. Write down short quotes rather than your summary, because quotes stay accurate. If the referee hesitates, wait. Silence often produces the most honest answer. If they give a vague answer, ask for an example. If they are positive in general terms but cannot give one concrete case, note that gently, since it can mean they did not work closely with the person. Never share the candidate salary expectations, other offers or interview notes with a referee. Thank them at the end, and tell them what happens next. Afterwards, complete the grid on the same day, while the memory is fresh. The table below separates fair follow-up from poor practice.

Treat the call as evidence, then weigh it with the interview, the work samples and the scorecards. No single source should decide a hire.

Legal notes you should not skip

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, and often by state or region, so check local law and, for important hires, ask a qualified employment lawyer. Common themes to check: whether you need the candidate's consent before contacting referees or a current employer; how personal data collected in a reference must be handled, stored and deleted under your data protection rules; whether a candidate has a right to see what a referee said about them; what an employer may lawfully say when giving a reference, since some places protect honest references and others restrict what can be shared; and which topics are off limits because they relate to protected characteristics. Keep the process consistent, so you can show you treated candidates alike. Keep records for a defined period and then delete them. If you rely on a third-party service for checks, read their terms and confirm where data is stored. If a referee refuses to comment beyond dates and title, accept it, since many employers have a policy of confirming only basic facts. Never pressure a referee, and never contact someone the candidate did not name without telling the candidate first.

Where Rezumz fits

Rezumz does not phone referees for you and does not run background checks. What it does help with is the paperwork around them. On a candidate you can choose Request information from the candidate and start from a ready-made references form, or write your own, and the candidate answers through a private link with no account needed. The answers stay on the candidate's record next to the CV score, the interview feedback, your notes and the decision, so the reference sits beside everything else you know. You can add your own notes after the call and tag them as a strength, a concern or something to ask next. People make every decision, and Rezumz never rejects anyone for you. It is an AI hiring workspace for small and mid-size hiring teams. The free plan includes 2 free candidate analyses. Paid plans are $29 a month, $199 a year or $499 lifetime (limited), and Team is $79 a month or $699 a year for up to 10 teammates, suited to teams of 4 or more recruiters. If you need verified employment, criminal record or credential checks, you will need a specialist provider. See the live demo at /demo and our offer guidance at /offer-letter-template.

Common mistakes and who this is not for

Common mistakes: asking leading questions, such as "She was great with clients, wasn't she?"; checking only the referees the candidate chose without ever asking about their current role; changing the questions between candidates; keeping scrawled notes in a personal notebook; letting the check run after you have already decided, so it becomes a rubber stamp; and treating one negative comment as proof. Weigh patterns across referees, not single remarks. Another mistake is skipping the check for senior hires on the grounds that you trust the person, when senior roles carry the highest cost of a mismatch. A form is also not for every situation. If you hire for regulated roles that require statutory vetting, you will need the official process in addition to this form. If you hire casual or high-volume roles, a short written check of dates and reliability may be proportionate. If a candidate has no previous employer, such as a school leaver, use a teacher, a volunteer coordinator or a community leader and adapt the questions. For everyone else, this form gives you a consistent, fair and well-documented way to hear a second voice.