Checking candidate references: when and what to ask?

Checking the candidate's references - specification of professional information, not permission to collect everything about a person. Such information can be collected from the former employer after informing the candidate in advance, and from the current one only after obtaining the candidate's consent as explained in the VDAI material. In practice, we recommend applying at the final selection stage and asking about responsibilities, specific results and cooperation, not personal life.

• Distinguish between information and consent: the former and current employer are subject to different contact conditions, specified in the explanations of VDAI.
• Start with a goal: name which position-relevant circumstance you are checking.
• Ask for samples: separate observed behavior from overall impression.
• Explain discrepancies: the recommendation should complement, not automatically replace, the entire screening assessment.
• Capture only the essence: use a short summary linked to the selection criteria.

Checking a candidate's references: when and who to contact?

We recommend that you first assess the candidate's experience through an interview and, where appropriate for the position, a practical assignment. The reference check will then have a specific purpose: for example, to clarify the scope of self-managed projects or the responsibility for team results. Calling simply because "we always do it" does not provide clear criteria for evaluation.

The final selection stage here is a practical recommendation, not a statutory deadline. Such a sequence allows not to apply to other people until it is clear whether the candidate meets the basic job requirements.

The most important legal difference is whether you are contacting a former or a current employer: prior information and consent requirements are discussed separately VDAI. Don't turn them into one generic tick on your CV.

Source of information	Contact condition	Appropriate direction of conversation	Privacy risk
Former employer	Inform the candidate in advance as explained in the VDAI material.	Former functions, responsibilities, directly observed professional abilities.	Too broad a range of questions or collection of unnecessary personal information.
Existing employer	Obtain candidate consent as directed VDAI.	Only the scope of professional information is discussed in advance.	The application itself can reveal the candidate's job search.
Another professional contact suggested by the candidate	Before applying to assess his role, information obligations and the basis of data processing according to VDAI discussed principles.	Joint project and personally observed contribution of the candidate.	The contact may not have sufficient knowledge or only pass on hearsay.

How to inform the candidate in advance?

A practical way is to write a clear message before the call, which indicates who you intend to contact, for what purpose and what professional information you will clarify. Avoid the vague "we'll check your reputation" message. The scope of the planned action must be understood by the candidate.

"In the final selection stage, we would like to contact your former supervisor regarding the specified projects, scope of responsibility and cooperation experience. Please specify who could provide information based on direct work experience. We will not apply to your current workplace without your separate consent."

It is an example of communication, not a universal legal form. Merely informing does not replace the obligation to justify the data processing and respect the proportionality discussed in the VDAI material. For a more complex case, coordinate with your organization's data protection specialist.

A practical contact sequence

Use this checklist before you begin. It can be included in the selection card and applied to comparable positions so that the decision does not depend solely on the intuition of the selection specialist.

1. Define the criterion to be checked. Instead of "is a good employee?" write "did you independently plan team work?".
2. Choose the right source. Ask the candidate who directly observed the job in question. The title of the position does not in itself indicate how much a person knows.
3. Check the contact condition. Differentiate between former and current employer by following According to the VDAI's explanation.
4. Match the conversation. Introduce yourself, state your goal, check the interviewer's role and ask if he can provide a professional recommendation.
5. Use a neutral questionnaire. First, find out the circumstances of the joint work, then ask for examples.
6. Write down important information. Separate the confirmed circumstance, the interviewer's assessment, and what could not be ascertained.
7. Discuss the important discrepancy with the candidate. Ask for clarification before forming a final conclusion.

If the candidate does not want to disclose the search for the current job, offer an alternative: a former direct manager or a contact from a previous project. Do not pressure the candidate to choose between confidentiality and the possibility of continuing the selection; first look for another way to estimate the missing professional information.

What to ask a former employer?

Good sampling questions do not ask for a label, but for the observed action and its circumstances. We recommend applying the same core questionnaire to comparable candidates; emphasizes the benefits of uniform questions for comparing candidates and reducing subjectivity VDI recommendations.

What are you checking?	Neutral question	What should be specified in the answer?
Reliability of the information source	"In what circumstances did you work together and which tasks of the candidate did you observe directly?"	Is it from personal work experience?
Scope of responsibility	"What decisions was the candidate independently responsible for?"	Where did his responsibility end and the team's responsibility begin?
The results	"What specific job or project could you describe and what was the candidate's contribution?"	Is the result tied to a specific action?
Cooperation	"How did the candidate handle work disagreements? Can you provide an example?"	What did the person do, not how they were described?
Improve skills	"Which tasks did he need more help with and how did he respond to feedback?"	Is the comment relevant to the proposed job?
Management experience	"How did the candidate distribute responsibilities and handle situations where the team was falling short?"	Is there an example of the manager's actions rather than just the team's output?

How to link a recommendation to a job interview?

Job interview questions for the candidate and questions for the person making the recommendation should test the same criteria in different ways. You can ask a candidate to describe how he organized a complex project, or a former manager to describe the limits of his autonomy on that project.

Job interview questions for a manager should include decision-making, feedback and responsibility allocation. Ask for examples of these steps in your referral interview. This makes job interview questions and answers verifiable, rather than a set of pre-prepared statements.

The question "would you accept him again?" do not take as a final verdict. If you ask it, immediately ask for reasons: the answer may be related to other job requirements or organizational circumstances that you are not yet aware of.

Privacy limits: what not to ask and not to record?

Relating questions to professional competence, qualifications and subject characteristics, rather than collecting unlimited information about a person, guides VDAI explanations. Avoid evaluating non-work-related personal circumstances also due to the risk of discrimination discussed in VDI recommendations.

Don't ask about family plans, religion or political views. If the interviewer digresses into private life, bring the conversation back to work: "For this audition, we would like to discuss only tasks and professional collaboration." Do not transfer unnecessary details to the evaluation summary.

Set the procedure for access, storage and deletion according to the specific purpose of processing and the data protection rules of the organization, taking into account VDAI discussed principles. This guide does not set a universal retention period or an appropriate legal basis for each selection.

How to evaluate a negative or controversial recommendation?

We recommend separating fact, opinion and context. "Was responsible for the allocation of tasks" is a function statement, while "was a weak leader" is a general assessment that still needs justification. Ask what behavior the interviewer expected, what the candidate did and what the circumstances were.

If the candidate and former manager describe the responsibility differently, clarify the concepts first. "Lead the project" can mean both day-to-day coordination and final decision-making authority. Give the candidate a neutral gist of the discrepancy, not an accusation: "We'd like to clarify what decisions you made independently on this project."

Mark refusal to speak with "no information received" rather than "negative recommendation". You can ask if the organization provides referrals at all and if there is another suitable contact. If data is insufficient, rely on other sampling evidence or an additional task rather than guesswork.

Minimal summary template

• Objective: what job criteria did we check?
• Source: the interviewer's professional relationship with the candidate and the extent of direct observation.
• Contact details: How is disclosure or consent required?
• Received on informacija: a specific example, clearly separated from the opinion of the interlocutor.
• Discrepancies: what was left unclear and how did the candidate explain it?
• Conclusion: the criterion is justified, partially justified or insufficient information.

Adapt the template to the specific position: change the objective and the evaluated criterion, but keep the same evaluation logic. The formation of the employer's image here begins with a clear agreement with the candidate, and not with a public promise of confidentiality.

Conclusion and next step

Checking the candidate's references should answer a specific professional question. Before the next call, write down the criterion to be checked, select the person who observed it and separate the conditions applicable to the former and current employer. After receiving the answers, assess their specificity and give the candidate an opportunity to explain any significant discrepancies.

If you are still planning the selection, in the Rasime.lt section "For Employers" select the next candidate search step, and before by posting a job ad clearly describe the responsibilities that you will evaluate later. As the candidate prepares for the selection, CV preparation is an opportunity to accurately name your contribution and exclude contacts whose usage circumstances have not yet been discussed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can a candidate's former employer be contacted?

Professional information can be collected from the former employer after informing the candidate in advance; that's explained in the VDAI material. A practical recommendation is to apply at the final stage of selection, when it is clear what circumstances relevant to the position need to be verified.

Does the current employer's contact number on the CV allow you to call him?

Don't treat a CV-only contact as a self-authorization for a reference check. Collecting information from the current employer requires the consent of the candidate, as indicated VDAI. Before reaching out, clearly agree on the specific contact, purpose and scope.

What questions should not be asked of the person making the recommendation?

Do not ask about family plans, religion, political views, or other circumstances unrelated to professional eligibility. Emphasizes the connection of selection criteria with work and the prevention of discrimination VDI recommendations. Replace the question about a personal quality with a request for an example of specific work behavior.

Does a negative recommendation or refusal to respond mean that the candidate is not a good fit?

We recommend that you do not make such a conclusion automatically. Mark the opt-out as information not received, and break down the negative review into facts, opinion and context. Ask for a specific example and give the candidate an opportunity to explain the significant discrepancy.

Sources used

1. HR challenges
2. Recommendations on how to avoid discrimination
3. Checking Candidate References – Is It Worth It?