Given all the help and entertainment Hitrack has provided, here's an attempt to repay a tiny bit of the debt:
At my company we always check references. However, we generally go for the previous employers on the list. Personal references are used only in the event that the person does not have previous work experience. This may be the case with Hatrick's (young ?) neice. Even in those circumstances we'd prefer the reference to be a former teacher or guidance counsellor at school.
Typically we ask a mix of specific and open ended questions. Some of these may include?
- How long have you know Ms. LookingForAJob?
- What is/was your relationship to her?
- What kind of employee/student is/was Ms. LookingForAJob?
- What can you tell me about her work?
- Was she puntual/reliable?
- Did she always completer her assignments/homework on time?
- What would you say are her strengths?
- What areas would you say she needs to improve?
- How did she work with her team/group?
- How did she work by herself?
- Would you consider her a team player?
- Would you hire her again?
- What would you consider best quality?
These are just some of the questions we typically ask, depending on the answer more probing may occur. Especially the type that ask the referee to provide an example of a situation.
Hope this helps.
JE