How to Run Reference Checks on a C-Level Hire: The Buyer’s Guide to Tools and Approaches

Why Are Executive Reference Checks Different from Standard Hires?

Hiring a C-level executive is a bet on the future of the company. Unlike mid-level roles, executives shape strategy, culture, and financial outcomes. As Crosschq’s team writes, “A poor hire at this level can lead to lost revenue, employee turnover, and reputational damage.” The cost of getting it wrong is enormous—enough that Wade Foster, co-founder of Zapier, says he “aim[s] for 20 ‼️ reference calls per executive hire” (Wade Foster LinkedIn). That number dwarfs the typical two or three calls, but it reflects the complexity of assessing leadership style, strategic thinking, and cultural fit.

Standard reference checks often rely on a handful of carefully chosen contacts who are unlikely to share negative feedback. For executives, you need a wider net that includes former bosses, peers, direct reports, and even board members. Ferreting out blind spots requires structured questions, multiple perspectives, and a willingness to dig deeper when answers are too polished.

Jacob Kaplan-Moss recommends asking for two or three

Jacob Kaplan-Moss recommends asking for two or three references and keeping phone or video calls to 15–20 minutes to respect the reference’s time (source). For senior roles, however, Foster’s target of 20 calls remains the standard for depth. Patriot Software outlines six steps for conducting a reference check, including verifying the candidate’s name and confirming how the reference knows the candidate (Patriot Software). Yale’s reference check guide also notes that hiring managers should retain all reference check notes for 3 years and references a 90-day probationary period for new hires (Yale Reference Check Guide).

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What Makes a Reference Check “Thorough” for a C-Suite Role?

Thoroughness means triangulating data from multiple sources. Wade Foster’s approach is instructive: he first asks, “When did you work together, and what was going on?” then lets the reference talk. He follows with questions about the candidate’s biggest impact, and then the critical pair: “When I talk to their biggest fans, what will I hear? What about their toughest critics?” Asking these questions together “lets them celebrate the person while safely flagging possible weak spots,” Foster notes.

Another hallmark of thoroughness is the “10/10” question. Foster asks references to “think of the best leader you’ve ever worked with. That person is a 10 out of 10. Tell me the difference between this person and your 10/10.” He explains, “What you hope to hear is, ‘They’re the 10 out of 10. This is the best person.’” If the reference rates the candidate a 7 out of 10, Foster says “That gives me more questions than answers.” This kind of scaling forces an honest comparative judgment that vague praise rarely provides.

Structured questioning also matters: Yale’s hiring guide requires

Structured questioning also matters: Yale’s hiring guide requires that “every hiring manager/supervisor is expected to secure references on the prospective employee(s) they wish to hire” and recommends using “job related questions to be asked of all final candidates.” Consistency across interviews reduces bias and makes it easier to compare candidates side by side. Yale also advises hiring managers to retain all reference check notes for 3 years to maintain documentation (source).

Patriot Software recommends using a scale ranking from 1-10 for skills like communication, but warns “don’t be fooled by references that give the candidate all 10’s” (source). The JRG Partners editorial team suggests asking, “Can you describe a situation where the candidate successfully led a team through a major challenge?” to assess composure under pressure (JRG Partners). Patriot Software also provides five tips to kick your reference check process into high gear, including taking the process seriously and planning questions ahead of time (Patriot Software).

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How Many References Do You Really Need?

The number depends on role complexity. For entry-level positions, two verbal checks may be sufficient. Patriot Software advises employers to “conduct at least two verbal checks” before making an offer (Patriot Software). But for C-level hires, Wade Foster’s target of “speak with at least 10 (ideally 20) people” is the gold standard (Wade Foster LinkedIn). That range—10 to 20—covers former managers, peers, and direct reports, with at least one person who worked with the candidate during a challenging period, as Crosschq suggests.

In practice, many executives can provide 2–3 references (as recommended by Jacob Kaplan-Moss source), but a thorough check will solicit additional names through a snowball technique: after each call, ask “Who else should I call?” Foster writes, “Finally, and maybe most important: ‘Who else should I call?’ You do this across 10 to 20 people, and you really have a good dossier on that person’s past experience.” If a candidate balks at this approach, it may signal an unwillingness to be scrutinized—a red flag in itself.

Aiming for 10+ calls also mitigates the risk

Aiming for 10+ calls also mitigates the risk of “sandbagging” where references sugarcoat. As Jacob Kaplan-Moss observes, references are “doing a favor – two favors, actually, one for the candidate and one for you.” They often hesitate to share negative feedback, so hearing from a wider circle increases the probability that someone will mention a genuine weakness. Kaplan-Moss notes that 99% of the time the answer to his final open-ended question is “nothing”, underscoring how rarely references volunteer criticism (source).

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What Are the Best Questions to Ask for Executive References?

The best questions are open-ended, behavior-based, and structured to reveal leadership patterns. Crosschq recommends starting with: “How would you describe the candidate’s leadership style?” and “Can you share an example of a time they had to make a difficult personnel decision?” These invite storytelling rather than yes/no answers. JRG Partners’ editorial team suggests asking, “Can you describe a situation where the candidate successfully led a team through a major challenge?” to assess composure under pressure (JRG Partners).

To uncover blind spots, Wade Foster uses a comparative framing: “Think of the best leader you’ve ever worked with. That person is a 10 out of 10. Tell me the difference between this person and your 10/10.” This question encourages honest differentiation. He also asks, “What environments help them thrive? Where do they struggle?” which reveals whether the candidate is adaptable or needs a perfect setup.

Jacob Kaplan-Moss advises a five-question script: “In what

Jacob Kaplan-Moss advises a five-question script: “In what capacity did you work with them?” “What were their core job duties?” “What were their strengths?” “What did they need to improve upon? Did you see them improve?” and “Would you hire/work with them again?” He calls the last “the one million dollar question” and listens for an unequivocal “yes” or better, a “hell yes.” He recommends keeping email-based checks to 5-7 short questions to respect the reference’s time (source). He finds that “if the reference has to think about it, if they’re not sure, there’s something potentially bad there.”

Avoid questions that yield one-word answers. Instead, weave in rankings: Patriot Software recommends using “a scale ranking from 1-10” for skills like communication, but warns “don’t be fooled by references that give the candidate all 10’s” (Patriot Software).

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When Should You Use a Third-Party Reference Check Platform?

Third-party platforms shine when you need to run consistent, scalable checks across multiple executive candidates—especially when your hiring team is small or you want to reduce unconscious bias. Crosschq’s blog positions their platform for “executive hires” because it can “increase consistency across interviews, eliminate delays in scheduling, capture quantifiable data from multiple stakeholders, and reduce unconscious bias in the review process” (Crosschq blog). For organizations conducting many executive searches per year, automated platforms save time and provide structured data that interviews alone don’t capture.

However, platforms cannot replace the depth of a live conversation. Wade Foster’s 20-call method is impossible to automate fully. But a hybrid approach works: use a platform for initial structured surveys (e.g., rating scales, open-ended responses) and then follow up with phone calls to the most important references. The key is to avoid leaning too heavily on email-only checks. Jacob Kaplan-Moss admits, “I’m a huge hypocrite here… sometimes I don’t have the energy for anything more than an email. You should try to do what I say and not what I

Last updated 2026-07-20.