PBSci Personnel/Payroll
5th Floor Physical Sciences Building
Mail Stop: PB Sci. Pers/Pay Res. Acctg.
Fax: 831-459-5599

Reference Checking and Sample Generic Questions

Your Personnel/Payroll Representative in the Natural Sciences' Business Office must review questions prior to beginning interviews and conducting reference checks.

PLEASE REFER TO THE "GUIDE TO FAIR HIRING AND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS". The Guide's "Reference Checks" section offers valuable information about structuring reference check questions. Below are just a few highlights from the "GUIDE" as well as a suggested format/opening and some sample generic questions to assist you.

You may also refer to additional reference check questions used in actual recruitments for:

• Clerical position (PDF or Word)
• Laboratory Position (PDF or Word)
• Managerial Position (PDF or Word)

Before using any of these questions, be sure they relate to requirements for the position you are recruiting.

• Always check references and check more than one reference remembering that the best predictor of future performance is past performance.
• Develop a standard set of questions to be asked of all references, based on the requirements for the job. Job related questions are the key to a good reference check. Follow-up questions may be asked, but must be job-related.
• The "GUIDE" outlines questions that are illegal to ask. If a reference begins to discuss impermissible areas, steer the discussion back to job-related factors.
• You may check references at any time in the process.
• As a courtesy, inform applicants before you check references, respecting their desire not to have their current supervisor contacted until they are a final applicant. Important Note: Final hiring decisions should be made only after talking with most current supervisor. Discuss options with your Personnel/Payroll Representative if applicant has requested that their current supervisor not be contacted.
• You may contact references other than those provided by the applicant, but again, applicants should be so informed.
• Be discreet when making calls and do not leave messages with others as to where you are calling from, why you are calling, etc.
• Asking references what the applicant has actually done, as specifically as possible, will provide more valuable information than asking what types of tasks the applicant liked or disliked, what they see as the applicants strengths and weaknesses; etc. It is easy to draw inferences from these latter types of questions that may be inaccurate and unfairly influence a hiring decision.
• The most valuable information is best elicited with open-ended questions such as: "Describe the applicant's ability to ..."; "Can you give an example of a project s/he was responsible for that required the ability to ..."; "How would you assess his/her ability to perform ...," etc.
• Asking references to rate an applicant, i.e., on a scale, etc.) is not necessarily valuable information since ratings are both subjective and depend on standards that are likely to be different from yours.
• It is not necessary to advise references of circumstances under which information they provide will be disclosed to the applicant at the outset of the reference check. However, do not promise that information will be kept strictly confidential. Applicants who request information regarding reference checks will be told that it is not our practice to disclose this information. However, applicants who make formal written requests are entitled to copies of your notes from the reference check.
• Keep your notes from all reference checks along with your interview notes and forward to your Personnel/Payroll Representative at the conclusion of the recruitment process.
  
  

• Introduce yourself and the purpose of the call.
• Describe the position for which the applicant has applied.
• Ask in what capacity they have known the applicant and for how long.
• Confirm the title the applicant held, dates of employment, salary, and what duties he/she performed.
• Ask for a description and their assessment or evaluation of the applicant's experience and abilities relative to the qualifications of the position and go through the criteria most important to confirm in a reference check or where more information is needed than what may be or have been provided in an interview.

• Describe the position applied for, and then ask: "Can you address your experience with this individual in such an environment or with these types of tasks?
• We work in a fast-paced environment responsible for processing a high volume of forms to meet weekly deadlines combined with more project-oriented tasks and many interruptions. Can you address your experience with this individual in such an environment?
• Can you speak to the quality of their work: their attention to detail; level of accuracy; need to review work; repetitive errors, etc.? OR -- Was this individual responsible for carrying out repetitive laboratory procedures and if so, were they able to do so consistently accurately and efficiently?
• Describe applicant's ability to appropriately prioritize work and how s/he has handled conflicting deadlines or competing demands.
  OR -- can you talk about his/her initiative and how independently they are able to keep themselves and their work organized to ensure they are following through on everything in a timely way, juggling many tasks simultaneously?
• As I mentioned, this individual would be working as a member of a 10-person team and part of an office of 30-40 staff with whom we work closely. Given this type of environment, can you talk about how you think they would function both in terms of:
  1. staying focused and producing accurate work,
  2. being able to be responsible for their own work, but also sensitive to the needs of the entire unit which may require setting aside your own work to help others?
• We are governed by a myriad of changing regulations, policies, and procedures that one needs to stay familiarized with to a great extent and/or be able to locate information to provide interpretations and other information quickly and accurately. Can you describe how this individual has or would perform in this area?
• Can you give some examples of his/her ability to recall and relay information clearly and concisely?
  ALSO -- does s/he easily understand new information and have good recall for consistently following and communicating directions, policies, procedures?
• Can you provide an example of a project where s/he was responsible for analyzing, developing, and recommending or implementing a solution?
• Would you describe his/her interpersonal skills with respect to customer-orientation, problem-solving, working with diverse individuals, dealing with difficult people, etc.?
• Given the volume of our work and the need for consistency and timely follow-through to meet weekly deadlines, it is crucial s/he be punctual in arriving to work in the morning and after lunch, have regular and consistent attendance, and be flexible to work some additional time occasionally during peak periods. Has this individual had any difficulties adhering to this type of schedule?
• Has s/he consistently handled confidential information appropriately?
• Can you describe this individual's experience working as a member of a team?
• Was this individual able to work independently and accomplish tasks without close supervision? Can you describe their ability to solve problems and handle difficult situations independently?
• Would you summarize what you see as this individual's strengths and weaknesses?
• Is there anything else you would like to add that is important for me to know or that you would have liked to have known before hiring this individual?
• Would you rehire this individual?
• If we hired this individual and six months from now you heard that it hadn't worked out, what do you think would most likely have been the reason?
• Is there anything else you would like to add that is important for me to know or that you would have liked to have known before hiring this individual?
  

• Clerical position (PDF or Word)
• Laboratory Position (PDF or Word)
• Managerial Position (PDF or Word)