Employers confirm a job applicant’s references, which are professional contacts who can vouch for the applicant’s qualifications, and ask them questions about the candidate during a reference check. Employers can collect the same information for every candidate whose references they examine by using a form and standard questions.

What Is a Reference Check?

A reference check is a technique used during the hiring process to verify each job candidate’s references.
The importance of references in the job application process cannot be overstated. When applying for a job, you might be requested to submit a list of professional references, such as former bosses, coworkers, or employers.

Employers can fact-check by obtaining information from someone other than the job candidate by checking references. Employers can also get a sense of a candidate’s work style, how they interact with others, and how they might fit into the business culture by checking references. 1 An employer’s last step before issuing a job offer is frequently checking references.

This sample reference check form would be for a check conducted over the phone, filled out by someone from the company you are applying to.