About this template
Reference checking in recruitment – template for reference calls, questions, and GDPR
Do you want to conduct professional reference checking in recruitment? This document package includes a complete reference checking template with a structured interview protocol, competency-based reference questions, candidate dialogue, reference summary, and GDPR checklist. You also receive an Excel register for administrative follow-up.
The separate templates help employers, recruiters, and HR to ask work-related questions supported by a predetermined requirement profile. The materials distinguish between what the reference person has observed themselves, what is uncertain, and what the recruiter assesses. The product is a tool for humane, objective recruitment decisions and does not replace a professional assessment of the individual candidate.
Digital delivery: 15 files in a ZIP – 7 editable Word (DOCX), 7 corresponding text-searchable PDF files (A4), and 1 Excel (XLSX). Five main Swedish templates, a Swedish user guide, and an English User Guide. No physical products or subscriptions.
01. Package contents
Total of 15 files: seven DOCX, seven text-searchable PDF, and one XLSX. Five main Swedish templates (01–05), Swedish user guide (06), and an English user guide (07). The Word documents are editable. The PDF versions are suitable for printing and review. Excel contains nine tabs with sixteen administrative key performance indicators.
Language: Main documents in Swedish. The English User Guide is just a guide, not a translated main agreement. Document version: 1.0 / 2026–2027. Editorial source review: October 16, 2026, without claim of external legal certification or future legislative changes.
02. What the files contain – document by document
| Document | Content and use | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 01. Reference call – interview protocol | Protocol including work relationship, same core questions, factual examples, source criticism, and closing. | DOCX + PDF |
| 02. Competency-based reference questions | Comparable question bank linked to an established requirement profile, with checks for discriminatory questions. | DOCX + PDF |
| 03. Reference request and candidate dialogue | Message templates for the candidate and reference person, and verification of information and contact channels. | DOCX + PDF |
| 04. Objective reference summary | Separates verifiable information, statements by the reference person, and the recruiter's interpretations. | DOCX + PDF |
| 05. GDPR, equal treatment, and deletion | Checklist for legal basis, data minimization, authorizations, documentation, and retention periods. | DOCX + PDF |
| 06. Swedish user guide | Ten steps for employers, common pitfalls, practical application, and legal sources. | DOCX + PDF |
| 07. English User Guide | English guidance for the Swedish documents; no English main templates. | DOCX + PDF |
| 08. Reference checking – Excel register | Nine tabs and 16 control KPIs for positions, candidates, references, calls, and GDPR. | XLSX |
All Word and PDF files have two separately framed information boxes with the headings 01. Package contents and 02. What the files contain, as well as a data protection and discrimination limitation. There are no fictional candidates, reference persons, or reference testimonials in the delivery.
03. Excel tool for reference checking – nine tabs and 16 KPIs
Overview · Positions · Candidates · References · Calls · Assessment · Follow-up · Data protection · Read me.
The overview summarizes, among other things, recruitments, candidate entries, provided references, contact attempts, completed calls, needs for further depth, GDPR checks, and follow-up cases. When you register the actual contact day and the date of the completed call, an administrative status is updated to "Contacted" and "Completed," respectively. Excel has dropdown lists for several status fields and is empty from the start, without fictitious personnel.
Important: Excel is not a secure recruitment database and does not contain automatic candidate scoring, profiling, or assessment of legal basis. Use internal IDs, store with restricted access, and make all employment decisions through human evaluation. An assigned status is not a legal conclusion.
How to conduct reference checking – ten steps
- Establish the requirement profile. Choose only competencies relevant to the vacant position.
- Validate personal data processing. Specify legal basis, purpose, information, and authorized users.
- Inform the candidate. Request relevant professional references and plan the contact before calling them.
- Select comparable questions. Use document 02 so that the same core requirements are examined for comparable applicants.
- Check the relationship. Ask the reference person to describe when and in what capacity they have worked with the candidate.
- Ask for concrete examples. Ask questions about tasks, collaborations, quality, and results.
- Separate facts and interpretation. Record factual observations and mark uncertain claims.
- Avoid irrelevant personal data. Do not collect sensitive data or information about criminal offenses unless necessary, especially regarding legal support.
- Compile for human assessment. Compare against the same requirement profile and follow up on contradictory information.
- Limit retention time. Document the deletion review and handle special rules for public employers.
GDPR and equal treatment during reference checking
What legal basis applies when the employer contacts references?
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) states that employers must have a legal basis and a necessity for processing in recruitment. For private employers, a documented balance of interests may be relevant; for authorities, public interest may apply. IMY states that consent is often problematic in working life due to the dependency relationship. That the candidate and reference person receive relevant information is important, but information alone does not replace a legal basis.
How long may the employer keep reference notes?
According to IMY's guidance on rights in working life, notes and references should normally be deleted or de-identified when they are no longer needed for the recruitment. Continued storage may be relevant, for example, with regard to actual legal claims and public archive regulations. Do not save documents habitually for all future recruitments without a valid legal basis and correct information.
Equal treatment and relevant reference questions
The Equality Ombudsman (DO) emphasizes that recruitment requirements and selection processes should be designed to counteract discrimination. Questions about age, pregnancy, religion, health, sexual orientation, or other irrelevant private circumstances should not be used as a basis for candidate assessment. Ask questions about work-related tasks, actual performance, and the requirements included in the recruitment.
Candidate's references and contact planning
The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) recommends that job seekers choose reference persons who are familiar with their professional experience and that references are asked in advance. As an employer, you should use relevant references and not carry out unexpected or unauthorized background checks.
Related templates and internal links
For a separate competency-based comparison of candidates after interviews, see Candidate assessment and assessment matrix. When you move forward with an actual employment, Probationary employment agreement 2026/2027 is available. More related labor law documents can be found in HR, Labor Law & Whistleblowing – Templates. These are separate products that are not included in the ZIP file.
Frequently asked questions about reference checking
How do you do a professional reference check?
Start with a clear requirement profile, contact relevant professional references after the candidate has been informed, and ask equivalent, competency-based questions. Document concrete work-related examples and make a comprehensive human assessment.
What questions are you allowed to ask references?
Questions about actual work tasks, results, collaboration, and examples of work-related problem-solving can be relevant. Avoid irrelevant personal and sensitive information.
Is reference checking permitted according to GDPR?
Yes, it can be permitted if there is a valid legal basis, a relevant recruitment purpose, and the data is necessary and securely handled. An individual recruitment process must always be checked.
Must the candidate consent to reference checking?
It is good practice to inform and ask the candidate before relevant references are contacted. However, the candidate's consent is not automatically a legal basis according to GDPR; IMY states that consent is often unsuitable as such a basis in working life.
How should negative reference information be handled?
Document only relevant, factual information and note if it is the reference person's direct observation or a subjective opinion. Follow up on contradictory or uncertain information and ensure a fair comparison against the requirement profile.
How long should reference protocols be saved?
No longer than what is necessary for the actual purpose, with applicable exceptions for legal claims or public archive regulations. A general deletion deadline cannot be established solely based on the template.
Can Excel automatically choose which candidate is best?
No. The workbook contains 16 administrative key performance indicators but no candidate scoring or automatic selection algorithm. Decisions should be made by authorized humans with relevant and factual materials.
Are ready-made reference questions for managers and HR included?
Yes. A separate Word and PDF document contains structured questions about experience, responsibility, delivery, collaboration, and learning, which should be adapted to the actual position.
Are the main templates in English?
No. The five main templates are Swedish. An English User Guide is included, which explains the use and Swedish law.
Is the product reviewed or approved by the IMY or DO?
No. The templates are editorial document templates. They are not official forms, government-approved, or individually lawyer-reviewed.
Sources and version
Version: 1.0 / 2026–2027. Editorial source review: October 16, 2026. Sources: IMY – recruitment and personal data, DO – active measures, Arbetsförmedlingen – references, and EU General Data Protection Regulation. The edition designation 2027 does not guarantee future legislative changes, and the material does not replace an individual legal assessment.
