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Marketing Manager reference check template

A reference check form for marketing managers and marketing coordinators. It adds eight questions on measurable results, budget, campaign delivery, use of data and managing people and agencies.

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  • Free, no sign-up
  • Editable Word file
  • 8 marketing manager questions

What to focus on in a marketing manager reference check

Marketing candidates often present team results as their own. Ask the referee what the candidate personally owned and which numbers moved because of them.

8 reference check questions to ask about a marketing manager

Ask these after the standard verification and performance questions. They are already in the Word and PDF template.

  1. 1.What was the candidate responsible for, and what budget did they manage?
  2. 2.Which results improved because of the candidate's work, and how were they measured?
  3. 3.Tell me about a campaign they ran from brief to results.
  4. 4.How did they use data to decide where to spend?
  5. 5.How did they work with sales or the leadership team?
  6. 6.How did they manage agencies, freelancers or a team?
  7. 7.Tell me about a campaign that did not work. What did they do?
  8. 8.Would you hire them to run marketing again?

What a strong reference sounds like

  • Clear ownership of specific results
  • Moves budget based on data
  • Good working relationship with sales
  • Admits and learns from failed campaigns

Red flags to follow up

  • Cannot separate their results from the team's
  • Overspent without results
  • Friction with sales or leadership
  • Hesitation on rehiring

Download the marketing manager reference check template

Free, no sign-up. The Word version is editable; the PDF is ready to print.

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Want more questions? See 35 reference check questions to ask references. Prefer referees to answer online? HiveRef sends the form, chases replies and builds the report. Start with 4 free checks.

Marketing Manager Reference Check Template

For phone or written reference checks. Use the same questions for every referee so answers are comparable.

1. Candidate and referee details

  • Candidate name
  • Role applied for
  • Referee name
  • Referee job title and organisation
  • Referee email and phone
  • Relationship to the candidate (for example, direct manager)
  • Date of reference check
  • Checked by

2. Consent

Confirm the candidate agreed to you contacting this referee. Tell the referee their answers are used only for this hiring decision.

  • Candidate consent confirmed (yes / no)
  • Date consent was given

3. Verification questions

  1. 1.How do you know the candidate, and what was your working relationship?
  2. 2.What were the candidate's start and end dates, as far as you remember them?
  3. 3.What was their job title, and did it change while you worked together?
  4. 4.Did the candidate report to you directly? If not, how often did you see their work?
  5. 5.What were the main reasons the candidate left, as far as you know?

4. Performance questions

  1. 6.Which parts of the role did the candidate own day to day?
  2. 7.Tell me about a deadline the candidate missed or nearly missed. What happened next?
  3. 8.Give an example of the candidate producing good work with incomplete information.
  4. 9.What result improved while they were in the role, and what was their contribution?
  5. 10.When results were below expectations, how did they respond to feedback?
  6. 11.What skill did the candidate develop most while you worked together?

5. Marketing Manager questions

  1. 12.What was the candidate responsible for, and what budget did they manage?
  2. 13.Which results improved because of the candidate's work, and how were they measured?
  3. 14.Tell me about a campaign they ran from brief to results.
  4. 15.How did they use data to decide where to spend?
  5. 16.How did they work with sales or the leadership team?
  6. 17.How did they manage agencies, freelancers or a team?
  7. 18.Tell me about a campaign that did not work. What did they do?
  8. 19.Would you hire them to run marketing again?

6. Working style and integrity

  1. 20.Describe a disagreement the candidate had with a colleague. How did they move the work forward?
  2. 21.How did the candidate ask for help when they needed it?
  3. 22.When the candidate made a mistake that affected others, what did they do?
  4. 23.What would you tell a new manager about working with this person?

7. Closing questions

  1. 24.Is there anything we have not asked that you think we should know?
  2. 25.What kind of manager or team would get the best out of this person?
  3. 26.Would you hire or work with this person again? Why or why not?

8. Recommendation

  • Overall: recommend / recommend with reservations / do not recommend
  • Strengths confirmed
  • Concerns or follow-ups
  • Signed and dated

Do not ask about health, family, age, religion or other protected personal information, and check the law where you hire.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a marketing candidate's claimed results?

Ask the referee which results the candidate personally owned and how they were measured. Compare that with the CV.

Who should give a marketing manager reference?

The person they reported to, plus a sales leader or agency partner who worked with them.

Can I use this for marketing coordinator roles?

Yes. Swap the budget question for one about organisation and supporting campaigns.

Send these marketing manager questions online instead.

HiveRef emails the referees, chases them for you and puts every answer into one report. First 4 checks free, no card needed.

Start freeSee a sample report