Alvah Parker is publisher of Road to Success and Parker's Points, e-newsletters providing strategies to advance your business and career goals. Click here to subscribe. Alvah is a Work/life coach, who can be reached at asparker@asparker.com, or visited on the web at www.asparker.com.

By Heidi M. Allison-Shane

As you move up the corporate ladder, don't forget about nurturing the professional references that helped get you there in the first place. Senior executives actually have the most to lose with a less-than-flattering critique of a past job.

While many seasoned executives devote time to polishing their resumes, developing their networks and updating their interview skills, when it comes to their references some take too much for granted.

Sound references are important for anybody looking for a new job, but they are especially critical for senior-level executives, since prospective employers are entrusting them to provide valuable leadership and enact much needed change. People must have confidence in you - not only in your technical abilities, but also in your management skills. There also has to be the right fit. One of the best ways to determine this is through conversations with a candidate's references.

Twenty percent of AllisonTaylor.com's clients are senior-level executives with impressive titles and generous salary histories. Not surprisingly, the reference-checking process for them must be treated differently than that of a typical client with significantly less work experience.

For starters, all of the parties involved usually have healthy egos - both the person looking for his or her next position and those on their list of professional references. No matter what the situation, they are confident in their abilities and some have strong opinions. Consequently, they need to be handled carefully.

When we contact a reference on behalf of a typical client, we listen to them very closely to understand both what is and is not said. Our consultants have to be even more attentive when checking senior-level references. These persons are typically sharper and even more cautious in what they say. You must read between the lines to understand the point they are trying to make.

During the past 22 years, AllisonTaylor.com has conducted reference checks for thousands of senior-level executives, from CEOs of Fortune 500 companies to successful entrepreneurs. The following is a list of guidelines to help you leverage your professional references most effectively.

Know who likes you and who doesn't - As you approach the top of a company, you inevitably turn someone off with your ideas or approach. This could be another senior officer or maybe a member of the board of directors. Knowing who this is and what they are saying is critical in a job search.

Knowing up front what influential people think of you is an advantage, especially when it comes to your strengths or weaknesses, or if you have to explain a sensitive situation you were in during your previous position.

Prepare a broad list of references - In order to secure a total picture of a senior executive's strengths and weaknesses, prospective employers today prefer to contact persons at various levels within an organization who have worked with a candidate. Not only does this include a supervisor and colleague or two, but also direct reports.

This is a growing trend, for people who work for you often have a better idea of what you are like and can offer a company more useful insights than a boss or colleague at the same level. Employers take comments from direct reports very seriously.

Be ready for a background check - In today's litigious society, employers are overly cautious and background checks are common for all positions - virtually mandatory for senior executives. One of the most popular checks is for criminal history. Those applying for finance-related positions should expect checks into their personal finances.

The general approach employers take is to turn over every rock in a person's past, looking for trouble. Hopefully they don't find it. You need to be sure there is nothing in your background that may inhibit your job search.

Anticipate more than the standard questions - Persons providing professional references for senior executives are often grilled much harder than those for lesser positions. The questions can be tougher and the interviews last longer.

Recognize people are envious - High profile positions with power and responsibility are attractive to a lot of people. When a person lands such a job, others may be envious and may not provide you with ideal references down the road.

Check your references - Be sure you are not blind-sided. Know in advance what will be said about you to a potential employer.

Heidi M. Allison-Shane, principal with Allison & Taylor Inc., has been in the reference-checking business for over 20 years. Allison & Taylor has been featured in newspapers and magazines including The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor and Worth Magazine. Ms. Allison's books include The Academic Job Digest, The International Academic Job Digest and How to Find an Exceptional Nanny.

Factoid: Benefits comprise nearly 30% of total compensation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in its National Compensation Survey that employees in management, professional and related occupations received total compensation in March 2006 of $44.32 per hour -- $31.43 (70.9%) in wages and salaries and $12.89 (29.1%) in benefits such as paid leave, bonuses, insurance, retirement savings, and legally required benefits (e.g., Social Security).

View Previous Issues