# Reference check

A reference check is a conversation an employer has with people a candidate has worked with before, usually a former manager, to get a firsthand account of how that person actually performed on the job. It's a judgment-based verification, unlike a background check, which confirms records rather than performance.

Most employers run it late in the process, close to a final decision.

**Reference check** — A reference check is a conversation, usually by phone, that an employer has with people a candidate has previously worked with, to get an independent account of that person's actual performance, work style, and reliability. Candidates typically provide a short list of references themselves, most often a former manager, and the employer contacts them directly rather than relying on anything the candidate wrote about their own performance. Common questions cover a candidate's specific strengths and weaknesses, how they handled a real situation the reference witnessed, and whether they'd rehire the person given the chance. A vague or hesitant answer to a rehire question is often treated as a bigger signal than the words themselves, since a genuinely strong reference is usually enthusiastic without much prompting. Reference checks differ from a background check in what they verify. A background check confirms facts and records, like employment dates. A reference check is judgment-based, someone else's firsthand read on performance, which is also its limitation, since a candidate chooses who gets listed.

Reference checks usually happen close to a final decision, often after interviews are complete and sometimes alongside a background check once a conditional offer is on the table. Employers increasingly also look at informal signals, like a mutual connection at a candidate's former company, alongside the formal list a candidate provides.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who do candidates usually list as a reference?

Most commonly a former manager, sometimes alongside a peer or someone who reported to them, chosen because the candidate expects a positive account of their work.

### What's the most telling question in a reference check?

Whether the reference would rehire the candidate if given the opportunity. A hesitant or qualified answer is often read as more informative than the specific wording used.

### How is a reference check different from a background check?

A background check verifies records, like employment dates or criminal history. A reference check is a conversation getting a firsthand opinion on how the candidate actually performed.

## Related pages

- [Background check](/glossary/background-check)
- [Browse open roles](/jobs)

## Bring documented performance to the table

A completed AI interview on Intervieux produces a scored, written report a candidate can point to directly, adding real detail alongside whatever a reference call covers.

Start practicing free: https://www.intervieux.ai/register · Hire with Intervieux: https://www.intervieux.ai/employers/signup