MHM Candidate Reference & Employment Verification Guidelines

We recognize that many of our candidates work for high-net-worth (HNW) employers or within family offices, where direct contact with Principals is limited. We understand the challenges in obtaining references in the field of private service, which is why we’ve created a process that only requires your references to be verified through our agency one time, along with this guide to assist you.

Why Reference Checks Matter

Reference checks are crucial for validating your work experience and assuring potential employers that your history aligns with the position they need to fill. They also provide valuable insights into your performance in previous roles. A documented employment history and high-quality references are especially critical for roles serving high-profile families, where the risk of false references can be significant. A high-quality direct reference conducted through our agency, combined with a strong letter of recommendation, could be the deciding factor that leads a family to choose you over another candidate with similar high-level experience.

Navigating Reference Checks in Private Service

Our Agency’s Reference Check Requirements

  1. Relevance: References (at least 3 in total) must be related to the field of private service.

  2. Traceability: References must be identifiable and correspond to the work experience listed on your resume.

  3. Documentation: Work experience listed on your resume without an accompanying reference or letter of recommendation will not be considered.

Note: An NDA does not prevent you from sharing the name of your employer.

Guidelines for Providing References

If you’re unable to provide the name, phone number, and email address of a person you’re currently working for (due to confidentiality concerns) or if your previous employer is no longer available (e.g., they have passed away, are unwilling to be a reference, or cannot recall your employment), please consider the following tiers:

Tier 1: Ideal References

  • Direct References: References from employers we can contact directly.

Tier 2: Acceptable Alternatives (Best used alongside a direct reference)

  • Letter of Recommendation: A letter from your current or former employer. We recommend requesting an updated letter annually to ensure you have verification in case of management changes. A good employer will often be willing to provide a reference if the relationship ends on good terms.

Tier 3: Alternative Verification Methods (To be used only when no other options are available)

  • Copy of NDA: An NDA doesn’t prevent you from sharing your employer's name for employment verification. Our legal team is happy to review and keep your NDA on file.

  • Pay Stubs or Bank Statements: Provide recent documents showing paystubs with direct deposits from your employer, confirming your ongoing employment and role.

  • Placement Agency Verification: The agency that placed you can confirm employment details while maintaining confidentiality.

Unacceptable References

  • Coworker References: Only acceptable in emergency situations (e.g., the death of an employer) and must be from the last 7 years. They are valid only alongside official employment verification during a background check and do not count toward our three-reference minimum.

  • Character References

Final Note

Please be aware that the candidate screening process with our agency will not be considered complete until we have received three high-quality references that meet these standards. This thorough verification is essential, particularly for roles with high-profile families, to ensure the integrity and trustworthiness of every candidate we place.