Thorough background and reference checks:

How often have you hired someone without checking (or even asking for) professional and personal references?

Yes, you can bet that the references you get will be those from whom you can expect a positive response. BUT during that conversation (after careful consideration of the legal issues involved), if you use the same probing and questioning process described in the preceding sections of this series, you will have a chance to read between the lines.

With whom should you speak, in addition to references?

Your candidate’s references will have organizations and names listed. Have you considered speaking to a variety of individuals in different roles at former employers? A production supervisor may have a little different perspective than a customer service or sales manager.

Some additional thoughts to consider:

How might you determine the differences in company cultures and how may have that influenced the effectiveness of this prospective candidate?

What were the expectations for performance in that organization? A high performing salesperson in a low expectation role may not be what you are looking for.

How was their performance measured? Revenue and margin do not necessarily a successful salesperson make.

What were the market conditions during past successes and failures? What if anything do they mean?

The better you understand the environment your prospective hire came from, the more information you will have to determine his or her chances for success in your organization, with your customers and your prospective customers.