What a reference check is, and when it happens
A reference check is a new employer's way of confirming that what you've told them is true, and of hearing from someone who's seen you work. In the UK it usually comes near the end: many offers are made subject to references, and the check happens between the offer and your first day.
Acas, the public body that advises employers and employees on workplace matters, recommends asking for references at the final stage, ideally once a conditional offer has been made. One reason is that an early request can tell your current employer you're looking before you're ready. Some employers still ask sooner, and some application forms want your referees' details from the start. It's perfectly reasonable to ask that your current employer isn't contacted until an offer is on the table.
The check itself can take several forms: a questionnaire sent by email, a short phone call, an online reference-checking service, or a letter from HR confirming the basics. In some sectors, such as work with children or vulnerable adults, financial services and other regulated professions, checks are usually more thorough and can look further back.
Basic, detailed and character references
Not every reference says the same amount. It helps to know which kind your old employer gives, so that neither you nor your new one is caught by surprise.
A basic reference isn't a bad sign. Recruiters see them all the time and know they reflect the employer's policy rather than your work. But a basic reference leaves them with little to go on, which is why it's worth offering a second referee who can talk about how you work.
- A basic or factual reference: your job title and the dates you worked there, sometimes your reason for leaving. Many organisations only give this kind, as a matter of policy, and it usually comes from HR.
- A detailed reference: answers questions about your skills, performance, conduct and suitability for the role. It usually comes from a line manager or someone who worked with you closely.
- A character or personal reference: from someone who knows you well outside work, vouching for your reliability and honesty. Useful for a first job, after a long gap, or when a work reference isn't available.
The factual questions almost every referee gets
There's no standard form, and each employer writes its own questions. But the same themes come up again and again. The first group simply checks that your application is accurate, and HR can usually answer it from records. These are examples of what you can expect, not an official list.
- When did the candidate work for you, and in what role?
- What were their main duties and responsibilities?
- Why did they leave?
- How would you describe their attendance and timekeeping?
- Are you aware of any current disciplinary action or investigation involving them?
Questions about how you work
When the referee knows your work, the questions go further. They're often open, sometimes a rating on a scale, and nearly always tied to what the new role needs. This is where a well-chosen, well-prepared referee makes the difference.
The final question on that list is short and carries a lot of weight. A warm yes says more than a paragraph of praise, and a hesitant answer gets noticed. It's one reason to choose referees who'd genuinely be glad to work with you again.
For senior roles, expect questions about scope and judgement too: what you were responsible for, how you handled a difficult decision, how you led people through a change.
- What were their main strengths in the role?
- Is there anything they could develop further, or where they'd need support?
- How did they get on with colleagues, and with the people they managed, if any?
- How did they cope with pressure, deadlines or a heavy workload?
- Can you give an example of a problem they solved or a piece of work they led?
- How did they deal with customers, clients or the public?
- How reliable were they, and could they be trusted to work without close supervision?
- Do you have any reason to doubt their honesty or integrity?
- How well do you think they'd suit the role we've described?
- Would you employ them again, if you had the chance?
What an employer can and can't say in a reference
Here's the general position in the UK, as set out by Acas and on GOV.UK. It's general information rather than legal advice, and the details can depend on your situation.
Seeing your reference is less straightforward than people assume. You can ask the referee or your new employer for a copy, but a reference given in confidence may be withheld under data protection rules, so you won't always get it. The Information Commissioner's Office explains your rights over your personal data, and Acas has guidance on what to do if a reference seems wrong.
- An employer doesn't generally have to give a reference, unless they've agreed to in writing, for instance in your contract or a settlement agreement, or the role is one where a regulator requires it, as in parts of financial services.
- If they do give one, it must be fair and accurate. Opinions should be backed by evidence, and the reference mustn't be misleading, for example by leaving out something that changes the picture, or by mentioning an allegation that was investigated and found to be untrue.
- A fair reference can still be unflattering. If you were dismissed, or your performance fell short, a reference can say so, as long as it's true and can be backed up.
- It mustn't be discriminatory. A reference shouldn't include information that could be used against you because of a protected characteristic, such as age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
- Many employers keep to basic references as a policy, precisely because detailed ones carry risk. That's their choice, and it says nothing about you.
Choosing and preparing your referees
Look back at the questions above and ask, for each person you might put forward, how well they could answer them. The right referee isn't the most senior person you know. It's the one who saw your work closely enough to give examples, and who'll answer the re-employment question without a pause.
Our guide on asking for a reference covers the request itself, with messages you can send. The point here is different: a referee who knows what's coming gives a clearer, more confident account, and clarity is what recruiters trust.
- Match the referee to the role. If the job is about clients, pick someone who saw you with clients; if it's about leading a team, someone who watched you do it.
- Check what your old employer's policy allows. If references have to go through HR, a former line manager may still be willing to speak about your work personally, where the policy permits it.
- Tell your referee which questions are likely to come up, and which examples you used at interview, so their account backs up yours.
- Send them the job description and your CV, so the dates and job titles match exactly.
- Warn them about anything awkward, such as a short stay, a gap or the reason you left, so they're never caught off guard.
- Keep a spare referee in reserve, in case someone's away or slow to reply.
If your last employer won't give you a good reference
It happens: a falling-out with a manager, a job that ended badly, an organisation that's since closed, or simply a policy of confirming dates and nothing else. None of these has to sink an offer, especially if you deal with it early.
Written recommendations from people who've worked with you help here too. They don't replace the check, but they give a new employer a fuller picture before they read a thin or unfavourable reference.
- Be upfront with the new employer. Explain briefly and without blame, and offer an alternative before the check starts, not after it goes wrong.
- Offer another referee: a different manager or senior colleague from the same organisation, someone from an earlier job, or a client who saw your work.
- If a detailed reference isn't on offer, ask your old employer for a basic one confirming your role and dates.
- Suggest a character reference from someone who knows you well, alongside the basic one.
- Offer to start with a probationary period, so the employer can judge your work for themselves. Acas mentions this as an option.
- If you think a reference was inaccurate or misleading, ask the person who wrote it to check it first, since it may be a simple mistake. If it isn't, Acas and Citizens Advice explain your options, and it's worth getting advice before taking things further.
Give recruiters more than a reference with Take Your Skills
A reference arrives at the very end, and you rarely see what it says. A written recommendation works the other way round: you have it before you apply, you know exactly what it says, and you can share it whenever it helps.
With Take Your Skills, you create a profile and share its link with the people you've worked with. Each of them writes a recommendation about you. If they don't know where to start, an AI assistant asks them a few questions and they answer in their own words, or they can simply write it themselves.
Their recommendations appear on your public profile, and you decide which ones are shown. You can send the profile to a recruiter by link, or download it as a PDF to go with an application. From your public recommendations, Take Your Skills also writes a professional portrait of you.
- It's free, for you and for everyone who recommends you.
- You can make any recommendation private at any time.
- It doesn't replace the reference check a new employer runs. It means that check confirms what they've already read.