Reference interview guide

Number and types of references

• For people who are to have managerial responsibility, 3 to 5 references (including page, parent and subordinate) should be provided.
• For everyone else, at least two references should be requested (preferably one over and one page order).
• References that have not had working contact with the applicant during the last 2-3 years are, in principle, little worthwhile and should be considered extra carefully.

Preparation of the interviews

• It is important that one of the employers' representatives from the first interview perform all the reference interviews.
• The questions in the reference interview will vary from interview to interview as they are based on issues derived from the initial interview. Make a summary of the initial interview that you want to use in the reference interview. What would you like to know more about? What are you wondering?
• One should initially ask for a "free" assessment of the applicant. Then you should ask for information on what to check out. One should not accept yes / no answers. Ask for examples and feel free to pursue why, how, in what way, etc.
• Below are some standard questions that should come in addition to one's issues from the initial interview.

Interview guide

Reference interview concerning applicant:

For position as:

Reference provided by:

Date:

Note: Initially, inform the reference informant about the position to which the applicant is a candidate.

Suggested Questions

1. Please tell me about your relation to the person in question and give your general assessment of him/her.  
2. What kind of position/duties did he or she have with you?
3. How were the tasks performed?
4. How did he/she develop during the working period?
5. How did he/she get along with employees (peers, subordinate, bosses, union representatives, possibly in relation to the students)?
6. Has he/she been involved in workplace conflict?

7. Is there anything in particular we need to be aware of (loyalty, unregulated absence)?

8. His/her strengths?
9. His/her weaknesses?
10. Are there any other matters/private matters of importance?
11. If you were to give advice, what would it be?
12. If you were to give advice to his/her new manager, what would it be?
13. Will any other reference person in your organisation be able to give a different account of him/her?
14. Why did he/she quit? / Would he/she be re-hired?
15. How would you assess this person's ability to fill our position?
16. Other comments?