Recruiting template

Reference Check Form Template

A reference check form keeps every reference call the same: who the referee is, how they know the candidate, the questions you ask and what they said. Pick the version below for a call, a written questionnaire, the candidate consent step or a dates-only check, fill in your details and copy it.

Updated October 27, 2026

Fill in your details

Every version below updates as you type. A field left empty stays as a [placeholder] in the text you copy.

Candidate name

Role you are hiring for

Your company

Referee name

Referee job title

Referee company

How the referee knows the candidate

Candidate’s job title there

Dates the candidate gave

First thing the role depends on

Second thing the role depends on

Date of the check

Reply by

Your name

Your job title

Your email

Your company and sender details are remembered, so the next template starts with them filled in.

Note

Rules on references differ by country and state: they commonly cover candidate consent, data protection and whether you can ask about pay history. In the US, reference checks run by a third-party agency can fall under the FCRA’s disclosure rules. Check local law before you use the form; this is not legal advice.

Phone reference check form

When to use it: A reference call with a former manager or colleague, where you ask the questions and write down the answers as you go.

REFERENCE CHECK: [Candidate name] Role applied for: [Role you are hiring for], [Your company] Date of call: [Date of the check] Checked by: [Your name], [Your job title] Referee: [Referee name], [Referee job title], [Referee company] Relationship to candidate: [How the referee knows the candidate] Candidate consent to contact this referee confirmed: Yes / No Opening (say this first) "Thank you for making time. I'm [Your name] from [Your company]. [Candidate name] has applied for a [Role you are hiring for] role with us and gave us your name. It won't take long. I'll share your answers only with the people making this hiring decision." 1. Confirm the facts Can you confirm [Candidate name]'s job title and the dates they worked with you? (Candidate said: [Candidate’s job title there], [Dates the candidate gave]) Notes: How did you work together, and for how long? Notes: 2. The work What were they responsible for, and what did they do best? Notes: The role we are hiring for depends on [First thing the role depends on]. Can you tell me about a time you saw them do that? Notes: It also depends on [Second thing the role depends on]. What did that look like in their work? Notes: 3. Working with others How did they handle disagreement with you or with colleagues? Notes: What kind of manager or team brought out their best work? Notes: 4. Judgement and growth Tell me about a time something went wrong on their work. What did they do? Notes: What feedback did you give them most often, and what did they do with it? Notes: 5. Closing Is there anything I haven't asked that would help us support them in this role? Notes: Would you hire them again, if you had the right role? Answer, and how readily it was given: Summary for the hiring team Supports the interview findings on: Raises questions about: Follow-up needed: Yes / No Reminder: do not ask about or record health, disability, pregnancy or family plans, age, religion, race, marital status or other protected characteristics, even if the referee mentions them.

Written reference questionnaire

When to use it: A referee who prefers to answer in writing, or a time difference that makes a call hard to arrange.

Reference questionnaire Candidate: [Candidate name] Role applied for: [Role you are hiring for] at [Your company] Referee: [Referee name], [Referee job title], [Referee company] Thank you for agreeing to give a reference for [Candidate name], who has given us your name and agreed to us contacting you. Please answer the questions you can, and leave any you can't. Your answers will be read only by the people involved in this hiring decision. Please return the completed form to [Your name] at [Your email] by [Reply by]. 1. How do you know [Candidate name], and for how long did you work together? 2. Please confirm their job title and their dates of employment with you. 3. What were their main responsibilities? 4. What did they do particularly well? An example would help. 5. The role we are hiring for depends on [First thing the role depends on]. How did they show this in their work with you? 6. It also depends on [Second thing the role depends on]. How did they show this? 7. Where could they develop further, or what support helped them do their best work? 8. How did they work with colleagues, managers and anyone they managed? 9. Why did they leave, if you know? 10. Would you employ them again? Please add anything you would like to explain. 11. Is there anything else you think we should know? Your name: Job title: Company: Signature: ____________________ Date: ____________ If you would rather talk this through by phone, email [Your email] and I will arrange a time.

Employment verification form (dates and title only)

When to use it: The referee’s employer only confirms facts, such as job title and dates, and will not comment on performance.

Employment verification request From: [Your name], [Your job title], [Your company] To: [Referee name], [Referee job title], [Referee company] Date: [Date of the check] [Candidate name] has applied for the role of [Role you are hiring for] at [Your company] and has agreed to us verifying their employment with you. Please confirm or correct the details below. We are not asking for any comment on performance. Details given by the candidate Job title: [Candidate’s job title there] Dates of employment: [Dates the candidate gave] Please complete Job title(s) held: Start date: End date (or "still employed"): Employment type (full-time, part-time, contract): Is the candidate eligible for re-employment? Yes / No / We do not disclose this Completed by: Job title: Signature: ____________________ Date: ____________ Please return this form to [Your email] by [Reply by]. Thank you for your help.

Reference form for an early-career candidate

When to use it: A candidate with little or no work history, whose referees are a tutor, a placement supervisor or a volunteer coordinator.

REFERENCE CHECK: [Candidate name] Role applied for: [Role you are hiring for], [Your company] Date: [Date of the check] Checked by: [Your name] Referee: [Referee name], [Referee job title], [Referee company] Relationship to candidate: [How the referee knows the candidate] Candidate consent confirmed: Yes / No 1. In what setting did you know [Candidate name] (course, placement, project, volunteering), and for how long? Notes: 2. What were they responsible for, or what did they work on? Notes: 3. How reliable were they with deadlines, attendance and commitments? Notes: 4. Tell me about a time they had to learn something new quickly. How did they go about it? Notes: 5. How did they work in a group? What role did they usually take? Notes: 6. The role we are hiring for depends on [First thing the role depends on]. Did you see anything that tells us how they would approach that? Notes: 7. When they got stuck or received critical feedback, what did they do? Notes: 8. What kind of support would help them settle into their first job? Notes: 9. Would you recommend them for this role? Why? Notes: Summary for the hiring team:

How to use this template

1Check references once the candidate is on your shortlist or has a conditional offer, and only after they have agreed. The consent form version records that agreement and the names.
2Before the call, write down the two things the role depends on most and put them in the fields above. Those two questions are where a reference tells you something new.
3Call rather than email where you can. Use the written questionnaire when the referee asks for it, and the verification form when their employer only confirms dates and job titles.
4Use the same form for every referee and every candidate for the role, so the answers can be compared fairly.
5Write the summary straight after the call, and share it only with the people making the hiring decision.

Mistakes to avoid

Contacting a referee, especially a current employer, before the candidate has agreed.
Asking only for opinions such as "was she good?" instead of examples of what the person did.
Asking about or recording health, family plans, age or other protected characteristics, even when the referee raises them.
Asking a referee for the candidate’s past salary where pay history questions are banned.
Treating one lukewarm reference as a decision: compare it with the other references and the interview evidence first.

Questions

What should a reference check form include?

The candidate and role, the referee’s name, job title and relationship to the candidate, confirmation that the candidate consented, the questions you ask with space for notes, and a short summary for the hiring team.

What questions should I ask in a reference check?

Start by confirming job title and dates, then ask for examples: what the person was responsible for, how they handled a problem, how they worked with others and how they took feedback. Add one question for each of the two or three things your role depends on, and finish with whether the referee would hire them again.

What is an employment reference check form?

It is the form an employer uses to confirm a candidate’s work history with a former employer. Some employers only confirm job title and dates; the employment verification version above is for that case.

Should I use a reference check questionnaire or a phone call?

A phone call usually tells you more, because you can ask follow-up questions and hear how readily the referee answers. Use a written reference questionnaire when the referee asks for it or a call is hard to arrange.

How many references should I check?

Decide on a number before you start and use it for every candidate for the role. Include at least one person who managed the candidate, because they saw and judged the work.

Can a candidate see what their referee said?

It depends on where you are. In the UK, the Data Protection Act 2018 has an exemption from subject access for references given in confidence, but how it applies depends on the case. Check the data protection rules where you hire before promising confidentiality.

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