The Best Reference Check Questions for Executives: A Guide for Better Hiring Decisions

When hiring for executive roles, a strong resume and confident interview aren’t enough. Reference checks can reveal the leadership style, decision-making ability, and cultural fit of your finalist candidates—if you ask the right questions. In this guide, we’ll walk through the best reference check questions for executives and how to use them effectively.

Why Executive Reference Checks Matter

Hiring an executive is a high-stakes decision that affects the entire organization. A poor hire at this level can lead to lost revenue, employee turnover, and reputational damage. A thorough reference check adds a layer of validation by providing:

• Insights into a candidate’s leadership impact

• Examples of how they handle pressure, conflict, and change

• Independent verification of accomplishments and behavior

• Cultural alignment with your company and team

Who to Contact for Executive References

For executives, references should come from individuals who had meaningful exposure to the candidate’s leadership and decision-making. Prioritize:

• Former direct reports (to understand leadership style)

• Peers or colleagues on the executive team

• Past board members or investors (for C-suite roles)

• Former managers or CEOs (especially for promotion candidates)

Always ensure at least one reference comes from someone who worked with the candidate during a challenging period—this offers valuable context.

Best Practices Before Conducting Executive Reference Checks

• Be transparent with candidates: Let them know what’s being asked and why.

• Tailor your questions to the role: Focus on what matters most—strategy, execution, people leadership, etc.

• Don’t skip references for internal hires: Internal politics can obscure blind spots.

• Use structured interviews: Keep a consistent framework to reduce bias and aid comparison.

Top Reference Check Questions for Executives

Questions About Leadership and Management Style

These questions help reveal how the candidate leads teams, manages conflict, and earns trust.

• How would you describe the candidate’s leadership style?

• How did they build and manage their team?

• Can you share an example of a time they had to make a difficult personnel decision?

• How did their team respond to their leadership?

• What feedback did they most often receive from direct reports?

Questions About Strategic Thinking and Execution

Executives must set direction and drive results. These questions get to the core of strategic impact.

• What major strategic initiatives did the candidate lead?

• How did they approach setting long-term goals?

• How effective were they at aligning people and resources to those goals?

• Can you describe a project or initiative that didn’t go as planned and how they handled it?

Questions About Communication and Influence

Strong executives are clear communicators and influencers across functions.

• How would you rate their communication skills with peers, subordinates, and board members?

• How did they handle disagreement or pushback?

• Did they inspire confidence during presentations or meetings?

• How did they build consensus among stakeholders?

Questions About Cultural Fit and Integrity

Executive hires should align with company values and lead ethically.

• How would you describe the candidate’s values?

• How did they contribute to or shape the culture of your organization?

• Did you ever observe behavior that challenged the company’s values or code of conduct?

• Would you hire or work with this person again? Why or why not?

Additional Questions to Uncover Blind Spots

• What’s something you think the candidate could have done differently in their role?

• What type of support or environment do they need to be successful?

• How did they handle stress, failure, or crisis situations?

• Were there any warning signs or concerns others had that proved significant?

How to Use Executive Reference Data in Decision-Making

Once you’ve gathered insights, compare them with:

• Internal interview notes

• Assessment data (e.g., cognitive, behavioral, leadership assessments)

• Peer reviews or 360s (if available)

• Known cultural or operational challenges in your organization

Look for consistency, red flags, and development areas. If discrepancies appear, they warrant further discussion with the candidate—not automatic disqualification.

When to Use a Third-Party Reference Check Platform

For executive hires, many companies rely on automated reference check platforms like Crosschq to:

• Increase consistency across interviews

• Eliminate delays in scheduling

• Capture quantifiable data from multiple stakeholders

• Reduce unconscious bias in the review process

Crosschq’s platform can help hiring teams collect and interpret structured, compliant, and insightful reference data at scale—especially valuable for high-impact roles like VPs and C-suite leaders.

Final Thoughts

The right reference check questions for executives can uncover more than performance—they reveal patterns of leadership, integrity, and influence. Done right, they add depth to your hiring decisions and minimize risk.

If you're ready to modernize your executive reference checks, explore how Crosschq can support smarter hiring at the highest level.