Finally, help the referee avoid frequent biases. Avoid broad questions such as “What can you tell me about Martin?” since the answer would probably focus on his best or most salient general characteristic (rather than the one most relevant to the job), tain ting everything that follows since the referee wants to appear consistent. Instead, after checking the person’s relationship with the candidate, be specific about the job and its challenges. Ask whether the referee has seen the candidate perform under similar circumstances. And then—only then—ask what the candidate’s exact role was, what he did, how he did it, and what the consequences were.