3 great questions to ask in a reference check
My first proper job straight out of Uni was in recruitment. And over that time I must have done 100's of reference checks. 25 years later, I'm still doing reference checks but a few weeks ago, I decided to mix it up a little.
Tired of all of the dull questions, 'what's his/her/they greatest strength / weakness blah blah blah?" I decided to invent three brand new questions which have brought a heap more joy and spontaneity to the process and has unlocked some honestly and insights that I was desperately seeking.
So here it goes...
Question 1:
If XXXXX was a country, what country do you think they would be and why?
In the latest role we were looking to fill we got feedback from the referee that the candidate was the US (entrepreneurialism) mixed with Portugal (friendliness and great relationship builder) which is perfect for the role. However, in your company you may be looking for Germany (precision) Canada (grounded) or maybe a Bhutan (happiness). But remember, diversity and inclusion is critical to building a successful team so focus more on the 'why' they're that country, rather than the 'what' country.
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Question 2:
If XXXX was a punctuation mark, what would they be and why?
In our company we're always seeking '?' question marks; curious minds that are always asking questions. But in your company or another role you may be looking for a '!' exclamation mark to fill a PR role. Or a '.' full stop kind of person to manage a team. Or a ';' semi colon for someone who can link ideas. Or perhaps an ellipses "..." if you are looking for a creative.
Note: Have also found this is also a good game to play as a ice breaker in meetings where people go around and say what kind of punctuation they think they are and why that is so.
Question 3:
What will i need to do to keep hold of this person?
Given all the talk about the 'Great Resignation' that is due to hit Australia March next year, this questions is a little less creative than the others , but it possibly a whole lot more important. So listen in closely. The insights may be WFH, L&D, opportunities to make a difference (through volunteering, staff giving, team building). Or the answer may be more pay, needing a large team, share options etc... Knowing the answer to this question may save you a bunch of surprises down the track.
I hope these ideas help you I hope you have an awesome day.
Ash CEO GoodCompany (Australia and NZ)
Director, Non-profit Partnerships @ Chezuba | Empowering Nonprofit Organizations in 46 States of America and 120 countries worldwide with CSR initiatives and impressive impact. | Trusted by Nonprofits worldwide |
2 年Ash, thanks for sharing!
Senior Manager - Talent Acquisition at Capgemini
3 年Hi Ash, thanks for asking! In my opinion I would give the first question a miss, could become a challenging/controversial one. I do like the last 2 questions though
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3 年Hey there Ash, thanks for asking. The 2nd and 3rd questions will be strong engagement. The 1st might concern people as the judgement or ability to respond could be challenging, it is also a personal perspective that could have bias. I would not want that friction in the conversation. I like Scott's, question below, as I have used similar and it works well.
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3 年Yeah the country one makes me nervous... But love the last one along with something along the lines of 'what will make them the absolute best them they can be'?! Or 'if you ran your own small business, would you hire them and trust them with your money'? ;)
Hi Ash, 1. I like the third question in terms of 'motivation', but not the others. They're cute but I wouldn't like someone describing me in terms of a country. 2. I would base my referee questions on the main responsibilities in the Position Description. 3. I'd look at the strategic plan, and in what area this person could play a part. 4. Personality questions: follow up each attribute you're seeking with 'could you give me an example of where you've observed them taking a tough decision / showing empathy / taking initiative.