The search process for senior positions is long and intense - from defining a role and writing a job description, to articulating the characteristics of the ideal candidate, to screening resumes, interviewing candidates, and checking references, to making an offer and assimilating a new hire. For many organizations, the search committee lets out a collective sigh of relief after getting through the interview process and narrowing the field down to a potential hire. Though it is tempting to think of the reference check as a mere formality, this step is critical both to making a final decision and, if all goes well, to thinking about how best to assimilate the individual into the organization.

The role of the reference check

"People underestimate the amount of information you can get from a reference check if you both ask and listen carefully," says Kathleen Yazbak-Chartier, Bridgestar s National Director of Talent and Recruiting. "You re not just looking for things that will rule out a candidate, but for things that will help you make trade-offs among candidates, or will help ensure that the person you pick will be positioned to succeed within the organization." Sometimes reference checks surface something that elevates a finalist candidate to "the" candidate; other times you learn something that helps you think from the start about how to support and develop this person appropriately.

Certainly, the reference check can uncover some surprising things about candidates that will drop them out of the process. For example, "After referencing one CEO candidate, we found out that he had attended the university listed on his resume, but he had not completed the degree," said Janet Albert, a Director of Talent and Recruiting at Bridgestar. Similarly, a lead candidate for a senior human resources position at a nonprofit "had led us to believe he was still working at a company, but he had left months ago. He had been hesitant to give references in the first place," she added. In each case the clients decided not to continue discussions with the candidate.

But the reference check also can help uncover subtleties that either help make a difficult decision between two finalists or help ensure that the ultimate candidate is well supported once he or she accepts the offer. Karen DeMay, a Director of Talent and Recruiting at Bridgestar, noted, "For one senior level search, we had two highly qualified candidates, both highly capable and great options for the position. Probing heavily with references regarding the candidates mindsets and approaches to challenges, we learned that one candidate stood out for his confidence, his positive attitude, and his strong ability to build relationships. These qualities - which we heard from several references - differentiated this candidate and helped our client feel comfortable making a final decision."

In another situation Albert shared, a reference check on a CEO candidate revealed that his finance skills were not quite as strong as the client would have liked. Rather than give up on a candidate who was extremely strong in all other areas and a great fit for the organization, the client decided to give him the offer, and also decided to complement him with a strong CFO in a broadly defined CFO role to ensure that the organization as a whole had all the necessary skills.

Establishing trust with each reference is critical for getting answers that go below the surface. The reference needs to know that you are interested and invested in making sure this is a good fit for the organization and the individual, and not just looking for "dirt" or a confirmation of what you already know. Said DeMay, "Establishing trust with references is key. It s what makes them comfortable enough to be honest and explicit about the candidates." In order to do so, you need to "spend time upfront with the reference to introduce yourself and to explain the specific opportunity," said DeMay. "And make sure that - though you re clearly looking for specific information - the process feels like a conversation." This can help a reference get comfortable with you and the process.

Doing it right: A referencing toolkit

Taking insightful references on prospective employees is essential, but how do you get started? You can either have a professional third-party take references for your candidate or you can conduct the references internally. Either way, it is helpful to do a number of references - ideally 5 to 6 - to gather both:

• Hard data - confirmation of the candidate s track record, skills and competencies, including questions about the role the candidate played within the organization, specific responsibilities, and performance; and
• Qualitative data - tangible examples that allow you to better understand the candidate s management and communication style, track record, and both strengths and areas for improvement, including more qualitative questions about the individual s style, interpersonal interactions, and approach to work.

Your goal in conducting references is to speak with individuals who have known and worked with the candidate, ideally for a long period of time and in different settings. When asking for a reference list, you should suggest that candidates provide references that include peers, direct reports, their own bosses, and someone external to their organization with whom they worked somewhat closely (e.g., a vendor, a client, or a partner in a collaboration). This provides a more rounded view of how that person interacts with people at different levels within and outside the organization.

If at all possible, avoid questions that elicit a "yes" or "no" response; rather, focus on questions that are open-ended and allow the reference to describe events, accomplishments and difficulties. Listening carefully and drilling down below the surface of initial comments will make a reference truly useful. For example, "If someone notes that a candidate was a great manager but didn t get along well with the CEO, I would ask how do others in the organization get along with the CEO? ," said Albert. It is also important to listen not just to the overall comments a reference makes, but also to the specific word choice and the tone and enthusiasm with which he or she describes the candidate. DeMay noted, "One candidate had very strong overall references, but the specific words used by key references weren t enthusiastic enough, and the hiring organization decided to pass for that reason." Both Albert and DeMay encourage reference takers to "go with your gut." If someone makes a comment that seems unclear, ask a follow-up question. DeMay said that once she had someone "give a glowing reference about a candidate, but used the word slick to describe him, which can have some not-so-glowing connotations. So, I asked what he meant by slick. It turns out the reference truly was glowing, and slick really meant polished, but it was critical to explore that during the conversation."

A number of sample questions are listed below. You may also tailor questions to specific areas you d like to probe about the candidate, or to how he/she would respond to specific aspects of the job under consideration.

• How did you know (how long; in what context; confirm resume) him/her and what can you tell me about him/her?
• What adjectives (strengths) come to mind when you think of this person?
• What was his/her biggest accomplishment or contribution to the organization?
• How would you describe his/her leadership and communication styles?
• What type of work environment does he/she thrive in? What environments does he/she find harder to work in?
• What would you see as the ideal role for him/her? Why?
• How would you compare him/her with other leaders of the same level in relation to:
• • Teamwork?
  • Initiative?
  • Decision-making/judgment?
  • Growth potential?
  • Analytical/strategic ability?
  • Follow-through?
  • Financial acumen?
  • Creativity?
  • Flexibility?
  • Quick assimilation of new information?
• Do you know of anything that would affect his/her performance?
• What are his/her development areas, or things he/she could work on? How did you see him/her grow while you were working together?
• If you were advising this person s new boss, what advice would you give on how to coach him/her?
• Would you work with this person again?

It is also critical that anyone conducting a reference avoid discriminatory questions and use and report on the information gathered in a legally acceptable manner, which includes understanding that you may never directly attribute the source of a particular quote about a candidate or divulge information from the candidate to the reference. For more information on the ethical standards surrounding gathering references, the Association of Executive Search Consultants is an excellent source.

Professional third party reference and background checks

Ideally, a professional third-party should conduct references for senior management hires. Why? Professional recruiters are able to gather information objectively that allows the organization to benchmark the candidate s skills and personal qualities against a specific job description. In addition, while candidates generally do not offer references who would not give a glowing testimonial, professional recruiters have extensive personal and professional networks that often allow the organization to benefit from references that have not been named by the candidate. Furthermore, as professional recruiters tend to do reference checks significantly more frequently than any given nonprofit leader, their expertise and comfort in reference calls may help get the most out of each one.

Given how important making the right choice is for your organization, you may also want to look beyond gathering references when screening a potential candidate s background. Investigators state that the most common areas other than professional references to cover include verification of:

• Employment History - dates, positions and actual responsibilities can be checked with the specific employers listed.
• Educational Degree - you can call registrar departments at colleges and universities to check on diplomas, and can also verify Board certifications (for example, Certified Public Accountants) online.
• Criminal and Civil Record - there are both specialized investigative firms and web-based services that will help you conduct criminal and credit checks on a candidate. In all cases, candidates must be made aware, in writing, that their backgrounds are being checked.

In addition to the reference check, we also recommend that organizations turn to an age-old practice of requiring a candidate to fill out an employee application, which includes questions such as:

• Have you ever received a subpoena?
• Have you ever filed for personal bankruptcy?
• Have you ever been suspended from a professional membership organization?
• Have you ever been the subject of an IRS audit?

Of course, the reference check is just one of many elements of the hiring process. For more insights on the process from A to Z, take a look at the Bridgestar Hiring Toolkit: Navigating the Hiring Process on www.bridgestar.org.