How to check a candidate's experience before you hire
The goal
What you are really checking
A resume is a person describing their own work. Most are honest, but some stretch the truth or list what their team did as if they did it alone. You do not need to catch anyone out. You need to know whether this person can do the work you have.
Read the resume
Does the story hang together?
Ask about the work
Specific questions about what they did.
Try a small task
See a little of the work first-hand.
Talk to someone who knows
A reference, with their permission.
Start here
Read the resume for gaps and detail
Before you call, read once and note what to ask. These are questions, not reasons to reject.
- Do the dates add up, with roles that make sense one after another?
- Does the resume describe tasks, or only job titles and big words?
- Are there gaps or very short stays? Ask about them kindly.
- Does the experience match the title they used?
- Does the resume list tools you can ask them to explain?
On the call
Ask specific questions about past work
General questions get general answers. Ask for detail only the person who did the work would know. Pair these with your first-call questions.
A normal day
- Walk me through yesterday at your last job, hour by hour.
- What did you do first thing in the morning?
- Who did you work with most, and for what?
Tools and method
- Which software or tools did you use yourself?
- How did you do that task, step by step?
- What did you do when it did not work?
Problems and results
- Tell me about a mistake you made and how you fixed it.
- What was the hardest week, and what did you do?
- What part of the work was yours and what was the team?
Why they moved
- Why did you leave each job?
- What would your last manager say you did best?
See it
Use a small practical task
Nothing shows skill like a short piece of real work. Give the task at the meeting, make it match the job, and keep it to an hour or less. Tell the candidate what to expect beforehand.
Accounts
Reconcile a short sample bank statement or find an error in a sample ledger.
Sales or calling
Explain your product back to you as if talking to a customer.
Office or front desk
Draft a short email reply and enter a few lines in a sheet.
Warehouse or operations
Talk through how they would count and record a delivery.
Back it up
References and documents they already have
Ask for things the candidate already has, so nobody has to scramble. Always ask first and get their agreement before you contact anyone.
- A reference: the name and number of a former manager or senior who knows their work.
- Relieving or experience letters from past jobs, if they have them.
- Examples of their work that they can share without breaking a past employer's confidence.
- Certificates for courses or software they list.
On a reference call, keep it short and polite. Say who you are, that the candidate gave their name, and ask what the person did, what they were like to work with and whether they would work with them again. Anything beyond this, such as a formal background check, needs the person's consent and is best handled with a professional.
Avoid these
Common mistakes when checking experience
Mistake
Trusting the title
The same title can mean very different work.
Better
Ask what they did on a normal day.
Mistake
Contacting past employers in secret
Better
Ask the candidate first and get their agreement.
Mistake
A long, unpaid test
Better
A short, fair task on sample data.
Mistake
Judging only on speaking skill
Better
Check the work as well as the talk.
Mistake
Skipping all checks for a good talker
Better
Do the same checks for everyone.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I call a candidate's previous employer?
Ask the candidate first and get their agreement. Many people prefer to give you a name and number of a former manager they trust. Handle anything you learn with care, and check with a professional if you are unsure about what you may ask or keep.
What if the candidate cannot give a reference?
It does not always mean something is wrong. Some people left on bad terms or the company has closed. Ask why, and lean more on the practical task and the specific questions about their work.
Is a small practical task fair to ask for?
Yes, if it is short, relevant and about the real work. Keep it to an hour or less, tell them what to expect, and do not use it to get free work done for your business.
How do I know if the resume is exaggerated?
Ask about detail. Someone who did the work can describe a normal day, a problem they solved and the tools they used. Someone who did not will stay vague or repeat the resume.
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