I’m on the receiving end of a lot of reference calls. I try to be thoughtful and direct in my responses, but I’m increasingly annoyed by the generic nature of the . Over time, I’ve developed an approach to doing reference checks, and my approach actively avoids asking any of the following questions. questions How did you get to know Person X? What is your relationship to Person X? What were Person X’s different roles? How does Person X rank concerning leadership ability? How does Person X rank concerning analytical ability? What about Person X’s vision and ability to communicate it to others? Was Person X well respected by the people he managed? What are Person X’s strengths? What are Person X’s weaknesses or areas for development? Would you Person X again? If so, what size company? hire What other questions should I have asked? Are there any things you would want to know if you were me? I don’t know which VC or Private Equity firm first came up with this list of questions, but like many elements of a term sheet, they seem to have been passed down from generation to generation. My answer to the last question is “Do you ever get tired of doing reference checks this way?” Originally published at Feld Thoughts . is how hackers start their afternoons. We’re a part of the family. We are now and happy to opportunities. Hacker Noon @AMI accepting submissions discuss advertising & sponsorship To learn more, , , or simply, read our about page like/message us on Facebook tweet/DM @HackerNoon. If you enjoyed this story, we recommend reading our and . Until next time, don’t take the realities of the world for granted! latest tech stories trending tech stories

The Generic VC / PE Reference Questions For An Executive Hire

About Author

Comments

TOPICS

THIS ARTICLE WAS FEATURED IN

Related Stories

A Full Day At CES

10x your growth by hiring potential leaders

104 Stories To Learn About Hr

102 Stories To Learn About Human Resources

10 Proven Techniques to Improve Candidate Experience

10 Early Indicators of a Toxic Workplace

A Full Day At CES

10x your growth by hiring potential leaders

104 Stories To Learn About Hr

102 Stories To Learn About Human Resources

10 Proven Techniques to Improve Candidate Experience

10 Early Indicators of a Toxic Workplace

Light-Mode

Classic

Newspaper

Minty

Dark-Mode

Neon Noir

Minty

HN StartUps