Thread: Checking References

It has been quite some time since I have done the Reference Checking on any interviewees.

These are personal references I'd be checking. I've never check personal references, just professional. HOWEVER, checking professional references might be difficult.

The last 3 companies for this guy:

Reason for leaving:

1 Boss/Owner of company left town fleeing from police

2 Company filed bankruptcy

3 New ownership/merger cut jobs

I told my boss this guy is cursed and we should give him $5 for gas and tell him to leave the area!

So.......in checking personal references..........what kinds of things should I ask, aside from "how long have you known x?" and "where do you know X from?"

Please help me list the kinds of things I should ask. I would like to make up a sort of form, print them, and fill them in as I talk to each reference.

If you owned a business...would you hire this person to work for you.

What do you consider this person's greatest strengths? weaknesses?

i'd ask basically the same ?'s...
how long have you known him?
how do know him?
if you owned a company would u hire him?
what are their greatest strengths & weaknesses...

looks like you have a good set...

#1 on my list----Would you rehire this person?

I think that is a big indicator of good work ethics. I have had two past employers call and beg me to come to work for them again.

If you have to call for personal references, ask personality type questions. I had to give a personal reference for my friend two weeks ago and they asked me questions where I had to answer within a range- Very good, good, ok, poor, very poor.

Like,

Was she easy to work with?
Did she have any problems doing what was asked of her?
Was she happy at work?
Did she have "personality conflicts" with very many people?


Things like that, all answered on the above range.

Originally posted by cpbaby
#1 on my list----Would you rehire this person?

That's asked on a professional reference. I've checked those fine before, and had a form with pre done questions listed for me to ask.

Personal references get iffy, but I muddled thru OK!