Reference checks verify information shared throughout the recruiting process and help ensure a quality hire. By tapping into insight from people who know a (prospective) new teammate well, they can also help us bring a new teammate up to speed as quickly as possible.
Ideally we'll speak with past colleagues who've managed and worked with the candidate. For entry-level positions, classmates and character references may be able to provide reasonable confidence around the candidate's future performance.
Here's how it typically plays out.
We're excited about bringing [candidate] aboard as a [role], and [they] provided you as a reference. Thanks for being willing to spend a few minutes speaking with us.