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Project Manager reference check template

A reference check form for project managers and project coordinators. It adds eight questions on delivery against time and budget, scope control, stakeholders and leading a team they do not manage.

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

What to focus on in a project manager reference check

Ask the sponsor or manager about a specific project: what was promised, what was delivered and what the candidate did when it went off track.

8 reference check questions to ask about a project manager

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

  1. 1.Which projects did the candidate run, and how large were they?
  2. 2.Did those projects land on time and on budget? If not, why?
  3. 3.How did the candidate handle scope creep?
  4. 4.How did they report status and risks to you and to senior stakeholders?
  5. 5.Tell me about a project that went off track. What did the candidate do?
  6. 6.How did they get work done through people who did not report to them?
  7. 7.Which tools and methods did they use, and how well?
  8. 8.Would you give them your next important project?

What a strong reference sounds like

  • Raises risks early
  • Controls scope with clear trade-offs
  • Stakeholders trust their status reports
  • Sponsor would hand over the next project

Red flags to follow up

  • Status always green until it was red
  • Blames the team for misses
  • Stakeholder friction
  • Hesitation on the final question

Download the project 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.

Project 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. Project Manager questions

  1. 12.Which projects did the candidate run, and how large were they?
  2. 13.Did those projects land on time and on budget? If not, why?
  3. 14.How did the candidate handle scope creep?
  4. 15.How did they report status and risks to you and to senior stakeholders?
  5. 16.Tell me about a project that went off track. What did the candidate do?
  6. 17.How did they get work done through people who did not report to them?
  7. 18.Which tools and methods did they use, and how well?
  8. 19.Would you give them your next important project?

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

Who should be a project manager's referees?

A project sponsor or the manager they reported to, plus a senior stakeholder or team member from a recent project.

What is the best project manager reference question?

Ask about a project that went off track and what the candidate did. It shows how they handle risk and pressure.

Do certifications replace references?

No. Certifications show training. References show whether they actually delivered.

Send these project 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.

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