by Matt Chapman, Executive Search Manager at W Talent Solutions
When hiring for executive roles, the stakes are high. A misstep at the leadership level can have a ripple effect throughout an organization, impacting culture, profitability, and long-term strategy. At W Talent Solutions, we work at the intersection of companies’ expectations and candidates’ careers. One of the most critical, yet often underestimated, steps in executive hiring is the reference check.
While resumes, interviews, and assessments provide valuable insights into a candidate’s qualifications, reference checks offer something uniquely revealing: a candid, multi-dimensional view of how a leader actually performs in real-world settings.
Why Reference Checks Matter at the Executive Level
Executive roles require more than technical experience or a strong resume. These leaders are tasked with driving growth, navigating change, shaping culture, and stewarding vision. At this level, soft skills become just as important—if not more so—than hard skills. A reference check helps hiring organizations explore questions that aren’t always answered in interviews, such as:
How did this leader perform under pressure?
Were they collaborative or siloed in their approach?
Did they uplift and grow their team—or diminish it?
How did they handle conflict, politics, or resistance?
At W Talent Solutions, we know a resume tells only part of the story. Reference checks uncover patterns in behavior, leadership style, and long-term impact—insights that help determine whether a candidate aligns with an organization’s culture and goals.
Getting Past the Surface
Executive candidates are typically excellent at presenting themselves. They’ve been through the interview process many times and know how to speak to their accomplishments. But even the most polished answers can mask problematic tendencies—like micromanagement, indecisiveness, or poor delegation—that may not surface until well into the role.
References, especially when approached strategically, offer a more unfiltered perspective. When conducted one-on-one, over the phone, and with open-ended questions, reference checks reveal more than just facts—they uncover tone, context, hesitation, or enthusiasm. These are subtle but critical cues that experienced recruiters are trained to notice.
More Than a Checkbox
Too often, organizations treat reference checks as a final formality—something done quickly, often by someone removed from the hiring decision. That’s a missed opportunity.
When we conduct reference checks, we treat them as strategic conversations. We speak with a mix of former supervisors, peers, and direct reports to build a well-rounded picture. We listen for consistency—do references highlight the same strengths or raise similar concerns? Or are there discrepancies that deserve deeper attention?
These conversations aren’t about playing “gotcha.” They’re about gathering context to support a smart, informed decision.
Protecting the Investment
Hiring an executive is a major investment. A mis-hire at this level can be costly—not just financially, but in terms of lost momentum, culture disruption, and stakeholder confidence. The cost of replacing an executive can easily reach six figures when you account for recruiting fees, onboarding time, lost productivity, and internal disruption.
A thorough reference check is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce that risk. It validates the candidate’s story, reveals how they work with others, and offers clues about the kind of environment where they’ll thrive—or struggle.
Our Role as a Recruiting Partner
At W Talent Solutions, we make it our mission to be facilitators of good hires. Our job isn’t just to place executives – it’s to ensure they’re set up to succeed. And reference checks are a crucial part of that assurance.
We don’t treat this step as an afterthought. We personally speak with references, ask thoughtful and situational questions, and probe for examples that reveal character, judgment, and compatibility. Our goal is to understand how a candidate has performed—not just what they claim, but what others have experienced.
In a world where speed often drives hiring decisions, reference checks provide a moment to pause, dig deeper, and make choices with confidence.
Final Thoughts
In executive hiring, the margin for error is slim. A candidate may look great on paper and perform well in interviews, but it’s the perspectives of former colleagues that often provide the clearest picture of leadership in action.
At W Talent Solutions, we dive into those deeper conversations. We guide our clients not just toward who a candidate says they are, but who they’ve consistently proven themselves to be.
Because when it comes to leadership, character is just as important as credentials, and reference checks are how we make sure both align.
