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Retail Assistant reference check template

A short reference check form for retail assistants, sales associates and store staff. It adds eight questions on customer service, selling, cash and stock handling, and reliability.

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  • Free, no sign-up
  • Editable Word file
  • 8 retail assistant questions

What to focus on in a retail assistant reference check

In retail, ask the store manager about customers, cash and reliability across peak trading periods. Cash handling is the one area worth a direct question.

8 reference check questions to ask about a retail assistant

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

  1. 1.How long did the candidate work in your store, and what were their main duties?
  2. 2.How did the candidate approach customers who were browsing?
  3. 3.How did they deal with a complaint or a return that went badly?
  4. 4.Did they meet sales or add-on targets? How did they compare with the team?
  5. 5.Did they handle cash or the register? Were there any discrepancies?
  6. 6.How did they handle stock, deliveries and visual merchandising?
  7. 7.How reliable were they in busy periods like sales and holidays?
  8. 8.Would you rehire them for your store?

What a strong reference sounds like

  • Friendly with customers without being pushy
  • Accurate on the register
  • Steps up in sale periods
  • Store manager would rehire

Red flags to follow up

  • Register discrepancies
  • Unreliable in peak periods
  • Customer complaints about attitude
  • Hesitation on rehiring

Download the retail assistant 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.

Retail Assistant 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. Retail Assistant questions

  1. 12.How long did the candidate work in your store, and what were their main duties?
  2. 13.How did the candidate approach customers who were browsing?
  3. 14.How did they deal with a complaint or a return that went badly?
  4. 15.Did they meet sales or add-on targets? How did they compare with the team?
  5. 16.Did they handle cash or the register? Were there any discrepancies?
  6. 17.How did they handle stock, deliveries and visual merchandising?
  7. 18.How reliable were they in busy periods like sales and holidays?
  8. 19.Would you rehire them for your store?

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

Can I ask a referee about theft or cash problems?

You can ask whether there were cash discrepancies or conduct issues. Record the answer factually and confirm with a second referee before you decide.

How many retail references should I check?

One recent store manager is usually enough for casual roles, two for full-time or supervisor roles.

What if the candidate's last store has closed?

Ask for the former manager's personal email or phone. A store closing does not stop a former manager giving a reference.

Send these retail assistant 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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