25 Questions for Candidate References

How does this person compare to the best you’ve ever seen in the role?
On a scale of 1 – 100, how would you rank this person?
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), how do you rate XYZ on [specific trait or ability]?
Can you tell me about a project that would have failed without [candidate]?
What haven’t I asked that, if you were me, you would want to know about this person?
Would you rehire this person for almost any role?
What was an experience where you saw the candidate grow?
Can you share an experience where [candidate] really blew your mind?
[Candidate] said one of the things they struggled with when they were at the company was [weakness]. Do you recall cases where that got them into trouble?
Do you have any examples of times when the candidate demonstrated grit? Not giving up?
Explain the role at length and what success looks like in the first year. Do you think that [candidate] will thrive in that position?
Tell me about a time when you saw this leader build a new team. They said they did it at the company. Can you tell me what you observed?
If you were to design an ideal role for this person, what would it be?
What was something unique about this candidate’s team versus other teams?
Can you tell me about a time that the candidate missed a deadline and how they communicated that to you and the broader team?
Can you tell me about a time when you had to provide critical feedback to [candidate]? How did they receive it and what actionable changes did you see after the feedback was delivered?
How does this person deal with differences in opinion?
Can you share someone who maybe doesn’t necessarily get along with [candidate] as well as you do? Why do you think they don’t mesh well?
What was [candidate’s] reputation within the organization or department? Among customers?
What “special treatment” helps [candidate] do their best work?
How well do you think [candidate] will do with my management style?
What causes the candidate stress or friction?
How do you think I can best support this person to make sure they thrive here?
How did you build trust with this person?
If you heard in three months that this person was no longer working at our company, why do you think they would be gone?