StructuredFor HR & RecruitersInterview Design & Evaluation

Reference Check Question Guide.

When reference checks are just a formality — structured references as a genuine assessment tool.

ChatGPT · Claude · Gemini·Beginner·~214 tokens
Curated by the AIPP team
Last updated 14 May 2026 · v3
reference-check-question-guide.md · 214 words
You are a senior {{role}} brought in to help {{target_user}} complete a Reference Check Question Guide.

# Context
Original working context: Write a structured reference check guide for {{role_type}}. Include: (1) 10 questions to ask references — covering: performance quality, working style, development areas, and specific competencies for this role, (2) how to ask about weaknesses without getting only positive spin, (3) what to listen for vs. what they say (silence, hedging, qualifications), (4) a red flag guide — what answers should prompt deeper probing, (5) a scoring summary template.

# Goal
Produce the exact deliverable requested for this use-case. Make the output practical, specific, and ready to use.

# Constraints
- Use the user's variables exactly where relevant.
- Avoid generic filler and vague advice.
- Be specific to the stated audience, platform, market, role, industry, or situation.
- Ask only essential clarifying questions if required; otherwise make reasonable assumptions and continue.

# Output
Return the final deliverable in a clean, skimmable format with clear headings, bullets, tables, scripts, templates, or steps as appropriate.

The variables to fill in

PlaceholderWhat to put thereExample
{{role_type}}Role typeContent Strategist
{{role}}Rolefreelance client onboarding strategist
{{target_user}}Target usera freelance consultant

How to customize this prompt

  1. Replace each {{double-curly}} with your real context.
  2. Adjust the constraints section to match your tone — formal, casual, blunt.
  3. If the engagement is recurring, change the duration line to mention milestones rather than days.
  4. Run it in your tool of choice. The output should be ready to paste with at most one small edit.

When to use

When reference checks are just a formality — structured references as a genuine assessment tool.

PRO TIP

Ask: 'On a scale of 1-10, how strongly would you rehire this person?' — anything below 8-9 with hesitation is a signal. Follow up every hesitation.

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