Reference check questionnaire
A structured reference check with the questions that actually predict performance, plus a consent line and notes field.
Reference Check Notes
Call date:
Candidate
· Considered for:
Reference
· at
Working relationship:
Reference checks are conducted with the candidate's express written or electronic consent. Personal information collected during this call is handled in accordance with PIPEDA (federal) and any applicable provincial privacy law.
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1. How did you work together?
2. What did the candidate do best?
3. Where did they need to grow?
4. How did they compare to peers?
5. How did they handle disagreement and feedback?
6. Would you hire them again? Why?
7. Anything else we should know?
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Made with WalnutsHR Paper · Reviewed for Ontario · April 2026
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No compliance hints for this jurisdiction yet — your document looks good for the basics. Have a lawyer review before sending anything consequential.
About this template
A structured reference check beats an unstructured one — research is consistent on this. Asking the same set of behavioural questions, taking real notes, and avoiding leading questions produces a much better signal than "so, anything we should know?".
When to use it
- You're at the offer stage and need to validate the candidate's claims and their working style.
- You want a consistent, comparable record of references across candidates.
- Your team is small and you don't have a dedicated talent partner running references for you.
What to include
- Reference's working relationship and dates.
- Strength and growth-area questions, asked in that order.
- A peer-comparison question — references give better signal when forced to rank.
- A collaboration / feedback question.
- A direct "would you hire again?" with a follow-up "why?".
- A consent statement that aligns with applicable privacy law.
Frequently asked questions
How many references should I check?
Typically two or three — at least one direct manager. More references rarely add signal; a deeper conversation with the right two beats a shallow conversation with five.
Can I check references the candidate didn't list?
Only with explicit, additional consent. "Backdoor" references (calling people the candidate didn't list) violate Canadian privacy law in most provinces and many state-level analogues in the US.
What if a reference is unwilling to give specifics?
Many corporate references default to date-of-employment and title-only. Where that happens, ask whether you can have a quick personal call — references will often give more in a personal capacity than they would on company stationery.
Legal disclaimer. References involve personal information about the candidate and the reference. Get the candidate's consent in writing before contacting any reference (most ATS systems handle this automatically). Avoid asking about anything protected — age, marital status, family planning, religion, disability, etc. — unless it directly bears on a bona fide occupational requirement.
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