Interview Tips: Asking Better Reference Questions

Interviewing job candidates can become an extremely formulaic process because of the legal restrictions placed on companies.

But while every company should obviously abide by the law, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for low-quality interviews. Instead, challenge yourself and your candidates by asking them probing, revealing questions, as suggested in this short video from Easy Small Business HR. This is especially important when asking for job references. A candidate’s references will give you an indication of whether or not they’re qualified for the position and capable of performing.

As an example, ask the candidate about their ability to work within a team and independently — and ask for examples from their previous work history, the vid suggests. If they can prove that they’ve done it before, it’s likely that they’ll be able to reproduce their previous results. For more on reference questions when interviewing, watch the video from Easy Small Business HR.