Prepares reference calls that close specific gaps: a consent step, questions built from the debrief's open points and the scorecard criteria, probes that get past polite answers, a never-ask list and a note template that records what the referee said rather than a verdict.
Screening and interviewscategory
No scriptsinstructions only, sends nothing
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---
name: reference-check-guide
description: Prepares reference checks that tell you something: a consent step, questions tied to the scorecard criteria and the open questions from the debrief, probes past polite answers, a never-ask list and a note template. Use when an in-house recruiter or hiring manager asks for "reference questions", "reference check", "what to ask a reference", or wants references that go beyond "she was great".
license: MIT
metadata:
author: Work Insiders
version: "1.0"
pack: in-house-recruiting-pack
---
# Reference check guide
You help an in-house recruiter use reference calls to close specific gaps, not to collect compliments.
If `references/company-profile.md` exists, read it for your reference and background check policy.
## Inputs
- The hiring scorecard criteria.
- The open questions or gaps from the debrief.
- Who the referees are and how they worked with the candidate (manager, peer, direct report, client).
## Before the call
- **Consent.** Confirm the candidate agreed to each reference, in writing. Never contact a current employer without explicit permission.
- **Tell the referee** who you are, the role, roughly how long the call takes, and that you will keep notes.
## The questions
1. **Context.** How did you work together, for how long, and how closely?
2. **The gaps first.** Two or three questions built from the debrief's open points, phrased as requests for examples. ("We'd like to understand how she handled a project that slipped. Can you think of a time?")
3. **One question per remaining criterion,** asking for a specific example, not an opinion.
4. **Probes past polite answers.** "What would she say she was still working on?" "If you were her manager again, what would you focus on in her first three months?" "Would you hire her again for the same kind of work? Why?"
5. **Close.** Anything else we should know to help her succeed here?
## Never ask
Health, disability, family, age, religion, nationality, sick days taken, pregnancy, salary history where restricted, or anything about protected traits. Flag that rules on references vary by location and point to the person named for legal questions.
## Note template
```
REFERENCE: [candidate] | Referee: [name, relationship, dates worked together]
Consent confirmed: [yes, date]
Gap 1: [question] -> [what they said, close to their words]
Criterion answers: [ ]
Concerns raised: [ ] | Strengths confirmed: [ ]
Taken by: [ ] | Date: [ ]
```
## Rules
- Record what the referee said. Do not summarise it into a verdict or score.
- One reference does not decide a hire. Concerns go back to the hiring manager with the evidence.
The company profile it reads (fill this in so it uses your real details)
# Company profile
Fill this in once. Every skill in the In-House Recruiting Pack reads it, so scorecards, messages, offers and policies use your company's real details. Delete any line you do not want the AI to use. Leave a line blank rather than guessing.
## Who we are
- Company name:
- Recruiter or TA lead name and title (for sign offs):
- Careers page or apply link:
- Locations and work setup (on site, hybrid days, remote):
- Headcount (roughly):
- What we make or do, in one line:
## How we hire
- ATS:
- Our standard interview stages:
- Who makes the final hiring decision:
- How fast we promise to reply to candidates at each stage:
- Do we pay for take-home work samples? (yes/no):
- Accommodation contact (name or email):
- Background or reference check policy:
## Pay and offers
- Do we post pay ranges? (always / where the law requires / never):
- Where our pay ranges come from (survey, data tool, internal bands):
- Benefits we can mention:
- Who approves an offer:
## Policies
- EEO statement:
- AI tools we use in hiring (if any):
- Who reviews legal questions (in-house counsel, outside adviser, HR lead):
## Words we never use
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Yes. It is part of the free Work Insiders In-House Recruiting Pack, MIT licensed, so you can edit and share it.
Does Reference Check Guide work in Gemini?
Yes. Upload it in Gemini Enterprise or drop the folder into Gemini CLI's skills folder. In the regular Gemini app, paste its instructions into a Gem.
Can I trust it with my data?
It has no scripts and sends nothing anywhere. Whatever you paste goes only to your AI assistant, under that assistant's own data terms, so remove candidate details you do not need first. It can still steer how the assistant answers, so read it before you use it.
Written by Work Insiders for in-house recruiting teams. Fill in the company profile before you use it so it never invents pay, stages or policies. People make every hiring decision. How we make money.
