Sales candidates lie on resumes. Some only stretch the truth a little, while others fabricate details about their education, work experience, and responsibilities. To help separate fact from fiction, calling candidates’ references and asking good questions is an effective way to learn more about the candidate.

Calling references should not be a formality. You need to ask the right questions to get the information you need to make a good hiring decision.

Here are some of the top questions you should be asking sales candidate references:

1. How Was the Candidate’s Relationship with Team Members? Was There Anyone They Didn’t Get Along With?

Finding the right fit is important. Naturally, you don’t want to hire someone who will disrupt your current culture. Therefore, asking about how a candidate got along with other team members and if they had issues with other co-workers will provide you with some insights into how they work with others.

2. How Was the Candidate’s Relationship with Management?

Building on the previous question, asking this can provide you with some insight into how well a candidate works with management, how they respond to constructive criticism, and how good they are at relationship building. If there is some hesitation by the reference, it could be a sign there were issues.

3. Why Do You Think the Candidate Will Be Successful in Their New Role?

This question allows you to hear if the reference thinks the candidate is prepared to make a career leap. It will also provide some more context for the skills and responsibilities they outlined on their resume.

4. Is There Anything Else You Can Tell Me About the Candidate?

This is a great open-ended question to ask, simply for the fact that you never know what the reference is going to say. You could gain some great insights into aspects about the candidate you may have overlooked.

5. Would You Rehire the Candidate?

While most references will answer yes to this question, it’s how they say it that is important. If they say yes right away with enthusiasm, then it’s a good sign. If there is some hesitation, it may be some cause for concern.

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