Check those references/exec search

My guess is that most of you have experienced huge frustrations in attempting to obtain accurate references on a prospective employee. Like many aspects of the hiring process, reference checking has become a minefield. Concerns of being sued by former employees, who have been denied employment because of negative references, cause many employers to give nothing more than "name, rank and serial number" to reference checkers.
Despite these frustrations, I'm sure that you, as an employer, will agree that checking references is essential before extending an offer of employment. This is because past job performance is the best predictor of future job performance. Speaking openly with previous employers about on-the-job performance is the single most important way for you to validate past performance and thus predict what future performance will be like.
Here are nine steps you can take to improve your reference checking:
Conduct reference checks only after in-depth interviews have been held. Checking references before the interview can be an effective screening device. However, checking them after the interview is a better selection tool. Only after interviews have taken place, do you have an understanding of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses. Take note of these and target your reference checking accordingly.
Do not delegate the important task of reference checking. Most employers agree that references are best checked by the manager to whom the new employee will report. The hiring manager is the best person within your organization to understand and verify technical matters related to the job. Typically, human resource and administrative departments should only be used to verify basic facts like employment dates, positions held, salary, and education levels.
Prepare reference questions in advance. Reference checking can support the interviewing process but only if you approach it in a targeted fashion. Prepare and ask questions that are directly related to the job. For instance, if the position requires the person to be attentive to detail, ask the referee to give you an example of a situation when the candidate was particularly attentive to detail. Like interviews, reference checks become more reliable if they are specific to the position.
Concentrate on work-related references only. You should always try to speak with individuals who have prior knowledge of the candidate's work history. Former bosses, employees, peers, customers, suppliers, and others who may have had close dealings with the candidate are in the best position to give you objective assessments of work experience. Generally personal references like friends, relatives, teachers and professors can be omitted, as they are not likely to provide you with any job-related information.
Verify accomplishments Candidates want to make a good impression during the interview. In doing so, some will exaggerate their accomplishments or take credit for more than they are due. You can verify the accuracy of these statements simply by asking: "The candidate told me in the interview that through his efforts and leadership, his branch achieved a 20% growth in sales last year. Is this true?" You will soon find out the accuracy of the statement.
Build rapport with the referee to get better information The best type of referee is one you know personally. Professional colleagues, acquaintances and friends will feel an obligation to you. They are more likely to give you a complete and accurate picture of the candidate because they do not want you to make a wrong hiring decision. Unfortunately, you may not be lucky enough to know all the referees all the time. How then do you ensure you are getting the right information? Establish a rapport with the referee. Be open, honest, courteous and professional. Because reference checking takes time, always ask the referee if they have a few minutes to spare before asking the questions or could you call them back at a later time.
Listen for non-verbal cues Pauses, voice tone, volume, stammering and hesitation may tell you more about the quality of a referee's response that what they are actually saying. Listen to your intuition. People are naturally hesitant to say bad things about other people, particularly in a reference. Also, most referees are quick to pass difficult references to their HR department, a move known as passing the reference. If this happens, dig deeper. Do not hire the person until you are satisfied with the accuracy of the information.
Don't be oversold by the referee Some referees may unintentionally oversell a candidate. Typically, these referees are so impressed with a candidate's past work history that their perspective becomes clouded. Don't let this fool you. The best way to guard against this is to simply have a good understanding of the job and clear questions about what you need to know.
Ask the proverbial question: "Would you re-hire this person?" Listen carefully to the answer. What's not said may in fact tell you more than what is said. For example, a long pause before answering, even though the eventual answer might be 'yes' can be a strong indication the referee would hesitate before hiring this person again. Dig a bit deeper. Ask the referee why he or she hesitated. If you still feel unsure about the person's answer, probe deeper.
Reference checking is frustrating, time consuming and costly. Yet hiring the wrong person for the job is worse. Carefully planned and properly executed reference checking will increase the probability of a good hiring decision.