Master reference checks in 2025: How to ask the questions that matter

Hiring is expensive. 

But replacing an employee costs even more. 

It costs wages to repost the ad, schedule interviews and onboard another hire which not only blows out your recruitment budget but also leaves you with a disgruntled manager scrambling to cover gaps in their team. 

Which is why reference checks can become invaluable. 

HR teams spend a great deal of time perfecting the front end of the hiring process—posting ads, sifting through CVs, scheduling interviews, and shortlisting top candidate. But so many teams leave the reference check process as just a box ticker.

Research from the Society for Human Resource Management shows that nearly 1 in 5 new employees leave a new role within the first 45 days often because of a poor fit—something a comprehensive reference check would have flagged.

Reference checks, when done well, get the biggest bang for your buck. They allow you to ask those questions that have been banging around in your head. Ones that you want to ask in an interview but probably shouldn’t.

When you ask the right questions, they reveal genuine strengths, potential weaknesses and deeper insights into how someone will mesh with your organisation. Ultimately, this means fewer hiring misfires, higher retention rates, less attrition and a more stable workforce.

With the new year underway, it may be worth revisiting your reference check process. Now is the time to make sure you’re asking the right questions to ensure you secure top talent and keep them around.

In this blog, we explore why reference checks are important, how to make the most of the process so you hire the right candidate first up, and why you should use Martian Logic HRIS to build your reference check template.

Why are reference checks important?

Think of a reference check as a last line of defence. 

It allows you to find out something important that you might have overlooked during an interview. 

By speaking with a candidate's past employers or colleagues, you can verify their skillset, gauge if they’re a cultural fit and spot areas where they might need extra support or development. 

Gone are the days of just picking up the phone and confirming if a candidate’s job title or responsibilities are accurate. That’s only half the story. To get genuine feedback, you need to craft a structured reference check that prompts detailed responses from them.

How to make the most out of your reference check 

Think about the values that matter most in your organisation, then frame your questions to get real insight into each candidate’s strengths and possible blind spots. Ultimately, helping you make a final offer you feel good about.

A good set of reference questions should do two things. Confirm the information provided by the candidate during their application, and raise more questions you can go back to the candidate with and talk to them about. 

Here are some good starting points.

Clarify the candidate and referee relationship—ask how the referee knows the candidate and how closely they worked together. This ensures you’re getting feedback from someone with real insight not just a casual.

Verify the previous role of the candidate—confirm the basics like job titles, responsibilities and tenure in the organisation. This helps you spot any inconsistencies and paints a clearer base picture of their background.

Prompt insights on previous performance—ask the referee to highlight specific examples of the candidate’s strengths. 

Confirm reasons for leaving—this is when you can get into the nitty gritty. Find out why they moved on. Was it career progression, organisational changes, or something more sinister? Understanding their exit story can reveal patterns that might resurface later.

Explore additional information—close things out with broader questions like, “would you hire them again?” or “what’s one achievement you remember from working with them?” are good to understand if the candidate is the right hire for your organisation based on a final gut feel.

Why use Martian Logic to build your reference check survey? 

Here’s a quick look at how our platform removes the hassle from reference checks—so you can easily gather deeper insights, stay compliant, and keep your hiring process on-brand, all in one place.

Automated efficiency

HR teams benefit from implementing best practices with Martian Logic’s template library, which is based on years of data-driven practices from users and HR leaders. Instead of hunting down referees, you can set up tailored questionnaires letting you focus on more strategic HR tasks rather than administrative follow-ups. 

Seamless Data Flow

Every detail from the reference check stage feeds directly into the rest of your candidate’s profile. There’s no need to copy and paste or juggle multiple logins. Because it’s all in one platform, data stays current and errors from manual input are virtually eliminated. 

Data that is collated during the reference check stage will also pre-populate relevant e-forms and documents without the assistance of manual input. This capability saves time and removes the risk of potential data inaccuracies down the track.

This transparency and correct data reference points give you a single source of truth for each applicant, improving collaboration and decision-making across your HR team. 

Compliance confidence 

The system automatically saves questionnaire data, timestamp submissions and logs every interaction. This means you can easily show how candidates were evaluated, ensuring consistent, non-discriminatory practices at every step.

With Martian Logic, every SMS or email will reflect your company’s look and feel. It not only maintains a cohesive brand image for candidates and referees but also helps build trust in your hiring process. 

Beyond keeping track of data and ensuring fair practices, Martian Logic also helps you deliver a consistent candidate experience with automated notifications and enterprise-grade customisation to keep everyone on the same page without you having to lift a finger.

About us

Martian Logic has helped businesses refine their HR strategies for years by offering simple, scalable solutions that let teams thrive. Whether it’s streamlining reference checks or onboarding new candidates, our platform is built to keep everyone engaged and informed. Ready to raise the bar on hiring practices? Reach out to us today and discover how Martian Logic can transform your HR approach in 2025.