Take references at the right moment
Contacting references too early in the process wastes valuable time. Find a balance so you avoid calling too soon and unnecessarily.
So how many is enough?
There is no fixed number. The recommendation is to pick a few finalists who look particularly promising. The number can vary – perhaps two candidates in one process and four in another.
Who should you contact?
As a rule it is standard to contact two references per candidate. Reaching out to a former manager and a former colleague typically gives you two different perspectives and a good picture of what the candidate is like to work with.
