No B.S. Job Search Advice Radio
Sep 25, 2026 · 5 min · 6 segments
EP 3229 Most people assume reference checks are a routine formality to confirm work history, but hiring managers use them as the ultimate risk-elimination tool before extending an offer. This episode…
Most of us have this idea in our heads about why companies even make these calls.
We all tend to believe that a recruiter is calling your old boss just to, you know, double check that you can actually do the stuff you say you can do, right? They're just verifying your skills, making sure your resume isn't a work of fiction.
They've put you through the ringer with case studies, technical tests, portfolio reviews.
Why would they do all of that just to call someone else and ask, so are they any good? It's totally redundant.
So if they're not really there to check your skills, then what on earth are they doing? Well, this is where we get into the real game.
The reference check is often a masterclass in misdirection, a kind of smokescreen to find out what they really want to know.
So the recruiter might start with a really soft, easy question like, so tell me, were they good at their job? But that question is just the smoke screen.
So what kind of red flags are we talking about? Well, it's almost never about whether you could write code or manage a spreadsheet.
Are you a headache to manage? Do you not play well with others? Do you have a negative vibe? Do you get defensive with feedback? These are the landmines that hiring managers are desperate to avoid stepping on.
Now, the recruiter might have a whole friendly chat with your reference, but really, the entire thing is engineered to get the answers to two, just two, absolutely critical questions.
Seriously, all the small talk, all the how-is-it-working-with-them stuff, it's all just a warm-up.
Your shot at this job, that offer letter you're waiting for, it all hangs on how your references answer these next two questions.
Most of us have this idea in our heads about why companies even make these calls.
We all tend to believe that a recruiter is calling your old boss just to, you know, double check that you can actually do the stuff you say you can do, right? They're just verifying your skills, making sure your resume isn't a work of fiction.
They've put you through the ringer with case studies, technical tests, portfolio reviews.
Why would they do all of that just to call someone else and ask, so are they any good? It's totally redundant.
So if they're not really there to check your skills, then what on earth are they doing? Well, this is where we get into the real game.
The reference check is often a masterclass in misdirection, a kind of smokescreen to find out what they really want to know.
So the recruiter might start with a really soft, easy question like, so tell me, were they good at their job? But that question is just the smoke screen.
So what kind of red flags are we talking about? Well, it's almost never about whether you could write code or manage a spreadsheet.
Are you a headache to manage? Do you not play well with others? Do you have a negative vibe? Do you get defensive with feedback? These are the landmines that hiring managers are desperate to avoid stepping on.
Now, the recruiter might have a whole friendly chat with your reference, but really, the entire thing is engineered to get the answers to two, just two, absolutely critical questions.
Seriously, all the small talk, all the how-is-it-working-with-them stuff, it's all just a warm-up.
Your shot at this job, that offer letter you're waiting for, it all hangs on how your references answer these next two questions.
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