Reference Check Documentation Techniques

The Case for Maximal Referencing of PMs: In a past job, I worked with two product leaders with equal skill in building products. But they had completely divergent skills in hiring. One hired phenomenal PMs. They quickly grew to be company-wide favorite PMs due to their strong viewpoints. The other hired on paper phenomenal PMs. But they just weren’t right for the company. It’s not really a surprise the first got promoted - and the other left for greener pastures. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 One of the practices the first hiring manager swore by was lots of reference checking. She was a master of back channel reference checking throughout the interview process. And her reference checks were notoriously long. The other just did one reference check after he had already decided he was giving out the offer. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘀: 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯. I, too, have found it works really well. Nowadays, I’ve started to do these reference checks at three stages. Let’s break this approach. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝟭 - 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 Committing to a conversation with a candidate means I’ll also tap into: • Previous workplace colleagues • Mutual connections Direct collaborators get a call, a brief 10-minute check-in. My aim here is to pinpoint standout candidates that I really want to push through. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝟮 - 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 The second reference check I like to do is post-interview. I’ll use this to 𝘷𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 of what people said in the interview. If the pass this second reference check, they’re almost ready to hire. 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝟯 - 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 The third and final reference check is the one most companies do. But I like to focus it on supervisors and skip levels. All PMs need to make an impact on leadership. This is the only round I actually use references supplied by the candidate. Everything else is back-channels. 𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘈𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘩, 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳!” I know that it seems a lot of work to add two stages of reference checks to your process when you probably only have the pre-offer stage right now. The thing is, getting your hiring right makes you much more impactful. But getting them wrong really hurts you. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂: 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.

A few days back, I had an interesting conversation with one of my #BFSI clients in #Dubai, who reached out to me for help in selecting a #leadership member for their organization. They were very clear about one thing: the #referencecheck process was absolutely critical in their hiring decisions. In fact, they emphasized that no matter how impressive the candidate was during the #interviews, a negative reference meant an automatic #rejection. At first glance, this seemed like a reasonable approach. After all, reference checks are supposed to validate a candidate's credentials, right? But as we dug deeper into the conversation, I realized how limiting and potentially risky this mindset could be. We discussed how this rigid reliance on reference checks might actually hurt their chances of securing #toptalent. I shared a simple truth: Who gives the reference is just as important as the feedback itself. More often than not, candidates who leave a role aren’t leaving because of their own performance—they’re leaving because of issues with their direct #manager,#workculture or team dynamics. Yet, that same manager is the one providing the feedback, which could be inherently #biased, or worse, downright inaccurate. So, while the reference may reflect one side of the story, it might not tell the full picture of the candidate’s true potential and contributions. In fact, I pointed out that this very approach could lead them to miss out on a fantastic candidate who would be a perfect fit—simply because they overlooked the possibility of bias or a limited perspective. We both agreed that their approach needed to evolve, and quickly. Here’s how we brainstormed a more #pragmatic, comprehensive way forward: Rethinking Reference Checks: 1.Seek feedback from multiple stakeholders: Instead of relying solely on the direct manager, gather insights from peers, cross-functional teams, and even subordinates. This gives a more balanced, 360-degree view of the candidate. 2.Dig deeper into specific achievements and contributions: Ask references to share real examples of how the candidate impacted projects, teams, and business results. This makes the feedback actionable and meaningful. 3.Don’t be swayed by one negative comment: A single negative review from a manager—who may be a poor fit with the candidate—should not outweigh all the positive feedback from others. Look for patterns, not isolated opinions. 4.Use reference checks to complement, not dictate, hiring decisions: Treat reference checks as a verification tool, not the ultimate determinant. They should support your interview process, but not define it. Relying too heavily on old-school practices could make an organisation miss out on top talent. www.eduonn.com #Drhrofficial #fractionalchro #ReferenceChecks #RecruitmentBestPractices #Hiring #HRconsulting #globalchro #organisationculture #UAEHR #SHRM #NHRDN #big4consulting #familyrunbusiness #CEO #cxocoach #hiringmanagers #UAEbestemployer #globaltop25university

Most candidates treat reference checks like a formality. Sonam used them to gather intel and control the narrative. Result: +$15K on base and a clearer view of the job. Two weeks into final rounds at a Fortune 500, HR said, "We're ready to check your references." She didn't just say "great." She asked: "Before you call them, what red flags are you checking for? What would make you hesitate on my candidacy?" Silence. Then: "Our last hire struggled with cross-functional influence. We need someone who can navigate ambiguity without formal authority." Gold. She prepped her references that night: Manager: "Open with the roadmap story where I aligned engineering and sales." Peer: "Mention how I handled pushback on the new workflow. Use 'navigate' once." They echoed the signal HR was listening for. After the checks, she made one more move: "I'd like to speak with 2–3 future peers to ensure I can add value from day one." Those chats revealed the real job: VP micromanages for 90 days Budget approvals need 3 sign-offs Last hire left after promised resources never arrived Final call, she priced the friction: "Given the 90-day ramp and multi-layer approvals, I'm targeting 115K to offset delayed impact." They closed at 110K. Takeaway: most people hand over references and hope. Winners use them as an advance team and as reconnaissance. Steal this (10 minutes) Before checks: ask HR, "Which risks are you validating?" Write down the exact words. Prep your references: 1 story each that proves you beat that risk. Include scope, stakes, and outcome. Request peer calls: "To hit the ground running, I'd like to speak with 2–3 peers." Use what you learn to calibrate your offer. Ethics note: brief, don't script. Ask peers for a candid read, then decide. Have you ever asked, "Which risks are you validating?" before a reference check? ♻️ Share this with someone in final rounds ➕ Follow me (Yogi G.) for strategies that actually get you hired faster

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝗚𝗖 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀. Many companies still treat the reference check as a confirmation step. By the time they make the calls, the decision is largely made and the questions are predictable. Can this person do the job? What are their strengths? Would you hire them again? The answers are almost always positive because the candidate chose the references. That process confirms competence. It rarely surfaces what's hardest to assess in a GC hire: how the person exercises judgment when the situation is ambiguous and the wrong call costs the company. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: Each of these conversations requires the candidate's consent and agreed parameters. Run them without that discipline and you create exposure for everyone in the process. • Ask about a specific moment of disagreement. "Tell me about a time this person told you something you didn't want to hear. What happened next?" The answer reveals whether the candidate has the courage to deliver difficult messages and the skill to preserve the relationship. If the reference can't name a single instance, that silence is informative. • Speak with opposing counsel or a counterpart from a transaction. Candidates rarely list these references themselves, which is why most companies skip them. How did the candidate behave during a high-pressure negotiation? Were they fair? Did they know when to push harder? People who sat across the table see dimensions of character that colleagues rarely observe. • Talk to someone the candidate managed. Upward references show how the candidate presents to authority. Downward references show how they lead when senior leaders aren't in the room, how they handle underperformance, and whether their team would follow them to the next company. • Listen for specificity. Strong references produce detailed stories. When a reference says "she is a great leader," follow up: "Can you walk me through a situation where you saw that leadership?" If they can't, the reference is a character endorsement with no supporting evidence. The GC role demands judgment calls that blend legal risk, commercial stakes, and reputational risk, often in the same week. A reference process designed to test judgment surfaces how a candidate makes hard calls under pressure. One designed to confirm competence tells you they can do the job and leaves the rest to play out after they're in the role. #ExecutiveSearch #GeneralCounsel #RetainedSearch

I used to think reference checks were fluffy and a check the box exercise. Now I treat them like gold. Because if you ask the right questions, they tell you everything. Most reference checks are wasted. You ask a few generic questions, hear “They were great,” and move on. But those 15 minutes are gold. It’s one of the few chances you get to talk to someone who’s actually worked with the candidate. Why wouldn’t you use that moment to learn something meaningful? Sure, major red flags are rare. But that’s not the only reason to do it. The real value is in understanding how this person operates: how they take feedback, what kind of environment they thrive in, where they may need more support. That context can make all the difference once they join your team. If you don’t ask the right questions, you’re wasting a very precious 15 minutes. Some of the questions I always ask: - What should I do in the first month to set them up for success? - What's the best way to give them feedback? What falls flat? - Would you want to work with them again? Why? The goal isn’t just to confirm they’re good. It’s to make sure you’re ready to set them up for success.

99% of reference checks are worthless. They all ask generic questions like "Tell me about [candidate], what role did they perform, how was their performance, greatest strengths, etc?" Here's how to get signal that actually predicts performance - ask specific behavioral questions about situations they'll face at your startup. There's a simple framework to follow: 1. Set context first "[Candidate] would be our 3rd engineer, scaling from 10k to 100k users. Based on working with them..." 2. Ask scenario-based questions "How did they handle working with incomplete requirements?" "When speed and quality conflicted, what did they choose?" "How did they communicate technical tradeoffs to non-technical stakeholders?" 3. Get specific examples "Can you give me a time they had to balance tech debt vs feature velocity?" 4. Understand their ideal environment "What type of company would be their best fit vs worst fit, and why?" References should tell stories, not give generic praise. If a reference can't provide specific examples, dig deeper or find someone who worked more closely with the candidate. Most reference checks reveal more about culture fit and work style than any interview round. The key is asking questions that force the reference to think critically about real scenarios. References should add value and uncover blind spots from the interview process, not be a box check after you've already decided to extend an offer.

Most people get Reference Checks wrong! Here's how to get them right 👉🏻 Throughout my journey, I've had to make 1000s of hires and often struggled with evaluation through the standard interviewing processes. I read somewhere that ~60% senior hires go wrong even after the most meticulous processes so I wondered how to improve the odds. 🤔 What I discovered is that there's no substitute for spending time with the candidates and conducting ‘unnamed’ ref checks through your own network. But what I also learnt is that not every ref check is the same and you can end up with very different outcomes depending on how it’s done. So, through reading and experience, I came with the best practices that I christened with the acronym "PEARL", and here it is for the FIRST time🔥 P - Promise Reciprocity Busy professionals don't dole out intel freely. So, you must offer to return the favor – something as simple as “If ever you need my help for a ref check or otherwise, I'd be happy to help". A senior leader will immediately see its value & perhaps become more ‘available’ on the call. E - Ensure Confidentiality This is critical, especially in India. Candor is not part of our culture, so assure the referrer that you understand the sensitivity of this call and will keep it 100% confidential. Also that you'd expect the same if they ever choose to call you for a reference. If you still sense some hesitancy, maybe throw an ‘offer’ of a good-faith NDA. Don’t worry, nobody ever takes it up but it makes them less guarded. A - Ask questions that force specificity (close-ended & open-ended) Broad questions like – "How was their work ethic?" “Does she work hard?” - are a complete waste of time. You need to ask 2nd order questions that make it comfortable for the referrer to answer without feeling like they're maligning the candidate. For eg - “How do you think we can help the candidate grow?" is better than "Can you tell me about their weaknesses?” R - Retrieve critical insights Actively listen and probe for specifics. Did the candidate consistently meet deadlines? Why or why not? How did they handle pressure? Did they run towards solving problems or look for directions to carry out? These details paint a picture beyond the resume. L - Learn rehire potential And finally, the golden question – "Are you willing to re-hire or work with the candidate again? Why or why not?" Regardless of what the referrer may have said up to this point, most senior folks will have a hard-time giving you a false or misleading response to this one. This is the true gauge of the candidate’s potential and one I put a lot of weight in. To conclude, thank the referrer for their time, assure confidentiality again and commit to a quid pro quo. This leaves the door open for other ref checks you might wish to do in the future 😏 So, there you have it - A PEARL from my collection🙌🏻 Do comment with something that’s worked for you that I may have missed :) #hiring #startups #leadership

This was me doing a reference call during our last offsite. 📞 When I made my first hires at N26 in early 2015, Valentin challenged me to always do a few reference calls before making a final decision. Sometimes, these calls revealed critical insights that we didn’t have before, leading us to decide not to hire the candidate. Ever since, reference checks have been something I do for almost all hires towards the end of the process. Ideally, you know someone the person worked with, but often this isn’t the case. So, you ask the candidate for specific contacts like a manager from company X, or a co-worker from their time at Y. Here’s a short template and my preferred questions that you might find useful when reaching out for references: [Candidate] is in the final stage of our hiring process and they mentioned you as a reference to provide us with a more profound understanding of them. We have the following questions. (If there’s a question you can't or don’t want to answer, we can skip it): - In what relation did you work together? - What are her/his biggest strengths? - What might be most surprising for us after working with her/him for a few months? - What do you think about her/his decision-making quality? - What challenges did you encounter working with her/him? - How would describe her/his leadership style? (Optional) - What weaknesses does she/he bring we should be aware of? - How does she/he behave under stress and pressure? - If you are CEO of a company and need a [role], would you hire her/him? - Compared to all other [role] you worked with in the past, where do you see her/him? - Is there a question I didn’t ask? Anything I should have asked? We want to make it as easy as possible for you to provide the reference. You can reply via email, or preferably we can have a short 15-minute phone or video call. I’m happy to call you at your preferred time. Just provide your number and let me know what time works best for you. You can also share a calendar link with me or pick a 15-minute slot from [my calendar]. Whatever you prefer. We are very grateful for your support in helping [Candidate] and our company to ensure we make a great, long-term match. What questions have you found most insightful during reference checks? 🤔 By the way, if you’re on the lookout for your next adventure, we at Flinn.ai have exciting opportunities in engineering, product, sales, and people. Check out our career page (link in the comments) and see if there's a role that sparks your interest. 🚀 #Hiring #FlinnAI

Every hiring manager should make time for reference checks, especially for leadership roles or those heavily requiring soft skills. While interviews offer insights into a candidate’s background and skill, they only provide one side of the story. Reference checks provide an external perspective, allowing you to make more informed hiring decisions. I recommend asking candidates for references and also seeking out objective references they may not directly provide. Schedule at least 30 minutes to ensure plenty of time to ask questions. Before the call, do some research on each reference’s relationship with the candidate, how long they worked together, and their professional connection. Top 5 Reference Check Questions 1. Why do you think the candidate chose to leave your company? This question offers valuable insight into the candidate’s motivations and career aspirations. It can also provide the other side of the story if the exit from the previous company was at all contentious. I prefer to work with people who do their best to leave places in good condition and not burn bridges. 2. Is this person one of the top 5 people you’ve ever worked with? Why? Ranking forces specificity and offers a clearer sense of how this candidate measures up. I find this more insightful than simply asking if they’d work with the person again, as it provides a more direct assessment. If a candidate provides a reference that does not absolutely put them in their top 5 that is a red flag. 3. What’s one area this person improved in while working with you? I put a lot of weight on a candidate’s ability to grow and adapt. This question can reveal how quickly they enhance their value on a team. It’s often helpful to follow up by exploring the process they undertook to improve and how much help the team or company provided. 4. Can you give an example of a time they made a difficult decision or tackled a tough problem? This question is essential for assessing resilience and problem-solving. It’s important to hear about specific challenges the candidate handled, which reveals their grit and determination. I really look for an example of the candidate doing a hard thing that helped the team or company succeed. 5. What was the best thing about working with them? And the most challenging? Unlike traditional strengths and weaknesses questions, this phrasing highlights the candidate’s impact as a teammate. It can reveal aspects of their work style, personality, and how they interact and communicate with others. I love to hear that a candidate is a joy to work with because of their positive attitude, which often has nothing to do with their skill in the role. BONUS: What did you learn from them, and what did they learn from you? I love this question because it often brings out unexpected answers. It reveals the candidate’s openness to feedback and their potential for growth. I want to work with people that are coachable and love to learn, but also enjoy teaching others.

When I received a call from Allison Yamamoto, who was considering hiring a former team member of mine, I expected the usual 15-minute formality. Instead, I found myself 45 minutes deep in the most thorough and insightful reference call I'd ever experienced. Allison's approach was refreshingly different. She dug deeper, asked probing questions, and skillfully navigated beyond my prepared responses. Her technique forced me to pause and truly reflect on my former colleague's strengths and growth areas. Impressed by her method, I knew this would make an excellent episode. Top Learnings: 1. Reference checks: Not just a box-ticking exercise, but a goldmine of insights (if you know how to dig) 2. Red flags in references? As rare as a unicorn riding a bicycle. Backchannel for the real dirt! 3. Opening question magic: "In what capacity did you work with this person?" - It's like a crystal ball for the rest of the call 4. Decoding reference responses: From "I barely knew them" to "They're my BFF!" - every answer tells a story 5. Friend references or 'sellers': Great for boosting your ego, not so great for unbiased feedback (who knew?) Links to listen in comments! If you've enjoyed this, please consider signing up for my free newsletter: https://theesteeshow.com/ #ReferenceChecks #HiringProcess #RecruitmentTips #TalentAcquisition #HRBestPractices #InterviewTechniques #HiringManagers #EmployeeScreening #CareerAdvice #LeadershipSkills #WorkplaceCulture #TalentManagement #ProductManagement