Treat references and verification as two separate jobs. Verify the hard facts first: identity, right to work, qualifications, dates and any licences. Then use reference calls to test judgement, behaviour under pressure and how the person leaves a team. Never let a warm reference override a failed fact check.
References and Verification in FM Hiring is a practical guide for employers who want to stop treating the reference stage as a formality. It separates verification of facts from referencing for judgement, and sets out how to run each in the right order.
It covers what to check and when, how to choose referees who will tell you something useful, the questions that produce real answers and how to read what is left unsaid. It also looks at testing technical and compliance claims, handling consent and data protection, and resolving cases where the interview and the references disagree.
What the guide covers
- Why verification and referencing are different jobs
- The three tiers of checking and the right order
- Right to work, qualifications and professional memberships
- Choosing referees beyond the candidate's comfort zone
- Reference questions that ask for examples
- Testing FM compliance and technical claims
- Consent, timing and data protection
Related guides
Free Maxwell Stephens guides on the same subject:
- How to Reduce Hiring Risk in Facilities Management
- The Hidden Cost of Poor Facilities Management Hiring
- Facilities Management Hiring Guide
Who this resource is for
FM, estates and workplace leaders, HR directors and finance directors who are responsible for hiring and want a tighter, fairer checking process.
Talk to Maxwell Stephens
Maxwell Stephens is a specialist Facilities Management recruitment consultancy. If you are planning an FM, estates or workplace appointment, contact us for a confidential conversation, or read our case studies to see how comparable searches were run.