What Do Employers Ask in a Reference Check?

Reference checks usually happen late in the hiring process, often when you are one of the last candidates left. So what do employers ask in a reference check? Typically, they ask your references about the duties you performed, how you worked with other people, and whether they would recommend or rehire you. The good news is that you can prepare your references for those questions before anyone calls. This guide uses a federal hiring guide as its example. OPM's Reference Checking guide covers federal hiring; private employers' processes vary.

When do employers check references?

If you are wondering when do employers check references, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Reference Checking guide (a federal hiring guide with no date on the page, accessed Oct 24, 2026) describes it as a late step: “Reference checks are conducted once the applicant pool is narrowed down to the top candidate(s).”

The guide also says who usually makes the call: “Typically, the person who will be making the final hiring decision checks the top candidates’ references.” And it notes how: “The best way to contact a reference is usually by phone.”

That is how the federal guide describes it, not a rule every employer follows. Still, it is a useful signal. If an employer asks for your references, you are probably close to a decision, and your references may get a phone call from the hiring manager soon.

What do employers ask in a reference check? Examples from the federal guide

OPM’s guide includes sample reference check questions. Here are a few examples from the federal guide, quoted exactly:

• “In what capacity did you work with the candidate (e.g., peer, colleague, supervisor)?”

• “Could you give me a brief description of the duties the candidate performed?”

• “Would you recommend him/her for this position? Why or why not?”

• “How would you describe the candidate’s relationships with co-workers, subordinates, and supervisors?”

• “Is the candidate eligible for re-hire in your organization?”

The guide also gives reference checkers this instruction: “Ensure questions are open-ended and based on behavior the references are likely to have observed.” In other words, your references are likely to be asked to describe what they actually saw you do, not just to give a yes or no.

Private employers may ask different questions, but these examples cover the themes most reference calls touch on: your role, your work, your relationships and whether they would hire you again.

What some former employers will only confirm

Not every former employer will say much. OPM’s guide notes: “At a minimum, most will provide start and end dates and position titles.”

That is one reason a former manager who knows your work well is often more useful as a reference than a general HR contact. A manager can speak to the duties, relationships and results that the sample questions ask about, while a company line may only confirm dates and a title.

How to prepare your references

The federal guide says that “Typically, candidates provide three (3) references”, so expect to be asked for a short list rather than one name. Treat that as a common practice, not a fixed rule. Here is how to prepare your references so they are ready when the phone rings:

• Ask permission first. Never list someone who doesn’t know they might be called.

• Send the job description and point out the skills it stresses most.

• Remind them of one or two projects you worked on together, with the details you’d like them to recall.

• Walk through the sample questions above: your duties, how you worked with others and whether they’d recommend you.

• Tell them the employer may call, and roughly when, so the call isn’t a surprise.

Reference briefing email (illustrative). From Jamie, an invented candidate, to a former manager: Hi Dana, thanks again for agreeing to be a reference. I’m a finalist for an operations coordinator role at an invented company, Riverside Supply, and their hiring manager may call you this week. I’ve attached the job description. They care most about scheduling and vendor communication, so it would help if you could mention the delivery schedule I rebuilt and the supplier onboarding project we ran together. Thank you!

Worried about your current employer being called?

Many candidates don’t want their current employer to know they are looking. OPM’s guide describes one option for reference checkers: “One option is to ask if their current supervisor can be contacted once a tentative offer has been extended to the candidate.”

That is an option in the federal guide, and private employers vary. If this worries you, say so directly and ask when the employer would contact your current workplace.

If a reference’s account differs from yours

Sometimes a reference remembers things differently. OPM’s guide advises reference checkers: “If you receive information differing from what the candidate said, it may be beneficial to allow the candidate an opportunity to clarify.”

The best protection is to keep your own account accurate and consistent, from your resume to your interviews, so there is little to clarify.

Choosing who to list is a separate step

This post covers what gets asked in a reference check and when it happens. Deciding who to list as references, and whether references belong on your resume at all, is a separate step worth getting right before you share any names.

FAQ

Do employers always check references?

Not always. Practices vary by employer, but it is safest to prepare as if they will, especially once you reach the final stages.

Can a reference check happen after an offer?

It can. Some employers check references before making an offer, while others make an offer contingent on the checks. Ask the employer about its process if you aren’t sure.

Conclusion: Brief your references before the call

Reference checks usually come late and focus on your duties, how you work with others and whether someone would recommend you. Choose references who know your work, brief them with the job description and a couple of projects, and let them know a call may be coming.