What might a reference provide to a hiring company regarding an applicant?

A reference plays a crucial role in validating an applicant's background and capabilities, which includes providing information about their qualifications. This can encompass educational achievements, relevant skills, and performance in previous roles. By sharing insights about the applicant's strengths and competencies, a reference helps a hiring company to gauge whether the individual is a suitable fit for the position in question.

While honesty levels, previous salaries, and reasons for job changes may be considerations in the hiring process, they are typically not the primary focus of a reference's feedback. A reference generally aims to provide an objective evaluation of the applicant's qualifications to support their credibility and readiness for the role. This makes the information about qualifications the most relevant aspect that a reference would supply to a hiring company.