Contact previous supervisors to verify service quality, reliability, and team integration whilst asking specific questions about customer service achievements, pressure management, and alcohol service responsibility. Focus on performance verification that predicts success in your establishment environment and service demands.
Common misunderstanding: Reference checks are just about confirming job dates.
Many managers only check basic employment details without exploring service quality. This misses crucial insights about customer satisfaction and team work.
Let's say you are a bar manager hiring for weekend shifts. You call a reference who confirms the candidate worked at their pub for two years. Instead of stopping there, ask about their busiest nights, how they handled difficult customers, and whether they helped train new staff.
Common misunderstanding: Quick reference checks save time.
Rushing through references often leads to hiring problems later. Proper reference checks reveal work patterns you cannot see in interviews.
Let's say you are hiring a bartender for a busy cocktail bar. A five-minute reference call might miss that the candidate struggled during peak times or had issues with teamwork. Spending 15 minutes on detailed questions could prevent hiring someone who quits after two weeks.
Inquire about service consistency, busiest shift performance, customer satisfaction levels, and team collaboration whilst exploring drink preparation quality, safety compliance, and professional presentation standards. Request specific examples of problem-solving achievement and pressure management during challenging service periods.
Common misunderstanding: Basic questions about attendance are enough.
Asking only about punctuality misses the service skills that make great bartenders. You need to understand their customer service approach.
Let's say you are checking references for a cocktail bartender position. Instead of just asking "Were they reliable?", ask "How did customers respond to them?" and "Can you give me an example of how they handled a complaint?"
Common misunderstanding: General reference questions work for all jobs.
Bartending requires specific skills like managing busy periods and serving alcohol responsibly. Generic questions cannot reveal these abilities.
Let's say you are hiring for a sports bar that gets packed during football matches. Ask the reference: "How did they cope when three deep at the bar?" and "Did they ever have issues with checking IDs or cutting off customers?"
Confirm employment dates, service volume handled, establishment types worked, and technical competency progression whilst verifying certifications, training completion, and specific achievements through detailed reference discussions. Validate claimed experience complexity and customer service responsibility levels.
Common misunderstanding: Candidates always tell the truth about their experience.
Some candidates exaggerate their skills or responsibilities. References help you verify what they actually did.
Let's say you are hiring someone who claims cocktail experience. Ask their reference: "What types of drinks did they make most often?" and "How complex were their cocktail orders?" This reveals if they made simple mixed drinks or proper craft cocktails.
Common misunderstanding: Certificates prove someone can do the job.
Qualifications show training completion, not practical skills. You need to know how they used their knowledge in real bar situations.
Let's say you are interviewing someone with a mixology course certificate. Ask their reference: "How did they apply their training during busy shifts?" and "Did customers actually enjoy the cocktails they made?" This shows if they can use their knowledge under pressure.