几轮面试之后，如果公司对你有意，并且愿意考虑给你offer的时候，他们一般在取得你得同意之后进行Background check和reference check，经常也有人把它们统称为background check。其实两者略微不同。

Background check的项目一般包括犯罪记录，驾驶记录，信用记录，可能也会要求candidate去做drug test (查尿样,血样, 头发, 或唾液等等)。Check的项目和公司的要求不同也就有多有少。比如金融公司可能就会规定要检查candidate的信用记录，犯罪记录。很多公司愿意用third party来进行background check，因为专业公司的服务对于公司来说更全面更经济。

Reference check 的侧重点就在于检查对照candidate在resume和interview中列举的内容是否属实。所以千万不要提供任何不属实的内容。有统计说大约百分之四十的Resume都有不同程度的“不真实”。事实是即便是candidate拿到了offer，并且开始工作之后，resume或者interview中的“不真实”被发现的话，都可能成为中断雇用合约的理由。（这并不是说你一定会被解雇，只是如果你的雇主愿意的话，这可以成为一个很好的解雇理由）

什么样的人可以做你的reference呢？以前工作的employer，supervisor，工作中的同事，如果你是学生就可以选你的professor, classmate。如果你愿意，你的朋友也可以成为你的reference。

最常见的reference应该是以前工作中的employer或者supervisor了。很多公司规定雇员在提供Reference的时候只能提供非常有限的information，比如beginning and ending employment dates，beginning and ending salary和beginning and ending job title etc。但是你的prospective employer可能问的不只这些。以下是一些常见的Reference question。

What were the beginning and ending employment dates for this individual?
What was this individual’s beginning and ending salary?
What positions did the individual hold?
Did this individual earn promotions?
What were the individual’s most-recent job duties?
Why did the individual leave your company?
Is there any reason why your company would not rehire this individual?
Would you recommend this individual for a position at another company? Why or why not?
How did this individual’s performance compare to other employees with similar job duties?
In your opinion, what are the individual’s strengths? Weaknesses?
Did this individual get along well with management and peers?
Was this individual a team player?
Was this individual a motivated self-starter?
Did any personal problems affect this individual’s work performance?
Do you think this individual will perform well as a [job title]?
What kind of job is best suited for this individual’s abilities?
How would you describe the individual’s overall performance?
Is there anything of significance you’d like to add?
How would you describe the individual’s leadership, managerial or supervisory skills?
Does the individual communicate well orally and in writing?
How do you rate the individual’s ability to plan short-term? Long-term?
Did the individual make sound and timely decisions?
Did the individual get along well with management, subordinates and peers?
Did the individual plan, administer and make budget well?
How would you describe the individual’s technical skills?
Did the individual demonstrate honesty and integrity?
How well did the individual manage crisis, pressure or stress?
Describe the individual’s ability to attract and counsel top talent.
没有人知道reference的回答在prospective employer的心目中究竟占据多少分量，作为candidate我们可以做到的就是尽量找可以为你“说好话”的reference。还有一个需要注意的是就像我们interview的时候需要准备一样，你也要帮助你的reference准备reference check。最糟糕的情况就是你的reference对自己是你的reference这件事毫无所知，突如其然的接到一个电话打听你的事情，可是怎么也想不起来你这个人。为了避免这种情况，你可以做的有以下几件事情：

1．征的同意。在你决定把某人作为你的Reference的之前，征的他/她的同意。

2．事先通知。如果你的Prospective employer和你要了reference, 尽快和你的reference联系一下，告诉他们也许会有人和他们联系，告诉他们你申请的是怎样的工作。这样你的reference在接到联系的时候不会措不急防。

3．表达感谢。不管是你拿没拿到offer，和你的reference联系一下，报告一下result，表达一下你的感谢之意。这是基本的礼貌。

最后一条非常重要的是如果你是一边上班一边找工作的话，最好不要用current supervisor做reference。除非你确信你的supervisor全力支持你换工作，否则，不要冒这个险。