When and whom to ask
Check references at the end, for your preferred candidate, before the written offer or with the offer made conditional on them. Ask the candidate for two or three people who managed their work directly: former managers or team leads, or, for freelancers, clients they worked for over months rather than a single task.
Ask the candidate first, always. Get their consent to contact each person, and never contact a current employer without explicit permission: the candidate may not have told them they are looking.
Verify the referee
Fake references are rare but not unknown, and they are easier to arrange across borders. A few checks take minutes:
- Look up the referee's company and role independently, for example on the company website or LinkedIn.
- Prefer a work email address on the company domain over a personal one.
- If something feels off, call the company's main number and ask for the person.
- Check that the dates and the role the referee describes match the CV.
None of this needs to be suspicious in tone. Most referees are glad to help and understand why you check.
Questions that get honest answers
Generic questions get generic praise. Ask about specific behaviour and invite comparisons:
Reference questions
1. How did you work together, and for how long?
2. What were their main responsibilities? What did they own completely?
3. Can you describe a situation where they handled something difficult well?
4. Where did they need the most support or feedback?
5. How did they communicate when you were not online at the same time?
6. How reliable were they with deadlines and working hours?
7. Compared with others you have managed in a similar role, where would you place them?
8. Why did they leave, or why did the work end?
9. Would you work with them again? In what kind of role?
Question 7 and question 9 carry most of the information. A warm “yes, immediately” is very different from a careful “in the right role”.
A request you can send to a referee
Email to a referee
Subject: Reference for [candidate name]
Dear [name], [candidate] has applied for a remote [role] position with us at [company] and named you as someone who managed their work at [their company]. Would you have fifteen minutes for a short call this week, at a time that suits you? If you prefer, I can send five questions by email instead.
Everything you share will be used only for this hiring decision. Thank you for your time.
[Your name], [role], [company]
Copy the candidate in or tell them you have written, so the referee knows the request is expected.
Questions to avoid
Ask about the work, not the person's private life. Avoid questions about health, family plans, age, religion or similar topics: they are irrelevant to the job and in many countries unlawful to use in hiring. Avoid leading questions such as “She was reliable, right?”, which invite a polite yes, and do not ask a referee to share confidential details of their own company.
Making it work across borders
- Time zones: offer a short call at a time that suits the referee, or send the questions in writing with an offer to talk.
- Language: the referee may be more comfortable writing in English than speaking it. Written answers are fine; follow up on anything vague.
- Culture: in some places referees avoid any criticism. Ask about areas for growth rather than weaknesses, and listen for what is not said.
- Short calls: fifteen minutes is enough. Respect the referee's time and thank them.
Reading the answers
Good signs: specific examples, consistent details, an unprompted mention of a strength you saw in the interview, an enthusiastic yes to working together again.
Warning signs: answers that stay vague after a follow-up, long pauses on the comparison question, details that contradict the CV, a referee who cannot describe the work, or a candidate who cannot produce any referee who managed them. One lukewarm answer is not a verdict; a pattern is. More warning signs are in our remote hiring red flags guide.
Privacy and records
Use reference information only for the hiring decision, keep a short note of what was said, and delete it when you no longer need it. If you are in the EU or hire someone there, data protection rules apply to these notes as to any personal data; check with your adviser what that means for you. This is general information, not legal advice.
References complement the rest of your process: the interview, the test and a structured start. Our trial period guide covers the first months after the offer.
Questions
How many references should I check for a remote hire?
Two good ones from people who managed the candidate directly are usually enough. A third helps if the first two disagree.
Is it fine to ask references in writing instead of a call?
Yes, especially across time zones and languages. Keep the questions short and follow up on anything vague by email or a quick call.
What if the candidate has no former manager to name?
For freelancers, long-term clients can serve as references. If there is truly nobody, rely more on a paid test and a structured trial period.
Should I check references before or after the offer?
Before the final offer, or with an offer that is conditional on good references. Checking after the start is too late to matter.
General information for small employers, not legal or tax advice: check contracts, tax and data rules for your country with a qualified adviser. Figures carry their sources below; our own prices are on the pricing page. Spotted a mistake? Write to hello@silkstaff.com.