Practise the standard verbs for running a thorough candidate reference check.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
Fill in: 'We ___ at least two independent references for every finalist, since a single glowing recommendation rarely reveals how someone actually behaves under pressure.'
We 'check a reference' — the standard, simple collocation for verifying a candidate's history with past colleagues. The other options are less idiomatic here.
2 / 5
Fill in: 'Skipping reference checks on a candidate who interviewed brilliantly can ___ a serious pattern of behaviour from a past team completely unnoticed until it repeats.'
We say a skipped reference check will 'leave' a real pattern unnoticed — the standard, natural collocation for the resulting blind spot. The other options aren't idiomatic here.
3 / 5
Fill in: 'We ___ specific, concrete questions to every referee, rather than a generic 'would you recommend them?' that almost nobody ever answers honestly no.'
We 'ask a question' — the standard, simple collocation for putting a specific query to a referee. The other options are less idiomatic here.
4 / 5
Fill in: 'We ___ every reference call against the same short list of questions, so two candidates' feedback is genuinely comparable rather than shaped by whatever the caller happened to ask.'
We 'standardize a call' — the standard, simple collocation for making a process consistent across candidates. The other options are less idiomatic here.
5 / 5
Fill in: 'We ___ a candidate's own account of their role against what the referee actually describes, since the two versions occasionally diverge in a telling way.'
We 'cross-check an account' — the standard, simple collocation for comparing two sources of the same claim. The other options aren't idiomatic here.