A reference check is often the last step before a job offer, and one of the most useful when it is done well. A few specific questions to someone who supervised the candidate can confirm dates, duties and how the person works.
These articles are for employers, recruiters and candidates. They cover what to ask, how to run a check by phone or email, consent and privacy, referees in other countries and warning signs that a reference may not be genuine.
Candidate verification for employers in Australia and NZ: what to check at each hiring stage, how to ask for consent, and when to delete the results.
Referee not responding to a reference check? What to do in the first 24 hours, a message to send, and other routes to offer before the job offer stalls.
Pre-screened overseas candidates: 8 questions to ask any recruitment provider, what each screening step should prove, and the checks you run yourself.
Fake references warning signs to know before you make an offer: 8 clues a referee may be a stand-in, plus 5 quick checks that confirm who they are.
How to run an overseas reference check: get consent, confirm the referee and company yourself, plan calls across time zones and ask questions that work.
Fake work experience on a CV can cost you a bad hire. Here are 8 warning signs, the honest explanations and a fair question to ask for each.
Most reference checks only confirm dates. Here are specific questions that show whether a tradesperson's skills, independence and safety record match their CV.
