Reference Check

A reference check is a standard step in hiring, fellowship selection, and security clearance processes in which the prospective employer contacts individuals nominated by the candidate—or sometimes third parties—to verify claims made in a CV, cover letter, or interview. For Model UN delegates, IR students, and junior think-tank researchers, reference checks are typically conducted at the final stage of recruitment for internships, research assistantships, or policy fellowships.

Reference checks generally cover:

• Employment verification: dates of service, job titles, and core responsibilities.
• Performance assessment: the referee's evaluation of analytical ability, writing quality, reliability, and teamwork.
• Conduct and integrity: any concerns about professionalism, discretion, or ethics—particularly relevant for roles involving sensitive briefings or government liaison.
• Rehire eligibility: whether the former employer would work with the candidate again.

In the policy and IR sector, referees are often professors, supervising researchers, or senior delegates. Strong references usually require sustained contact—single-semester instructors or one-off committee chairs tend to give thinner endorsements than supervisors who have read multiple drafts or managed a candidate over months.

Reference checks may be conducted by phone, email, or via structured online forms. Some organisations, including many U.S. federal agencies and certain UN bodies, run background investigations that go beyond listed referees and contact prior employers directly; candidates for positions requiring security clearance (such as roles touching on classified material under U.S. Executive Order 13526) should expect this.

Legally, the scope of what a former employer may disclose varies by jurisdiction. In much of the United States, employers limit disclosure to dates and title to reduce defamation risk; in the EU and UK, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) constrains the processing of personal data shared during reference checks, and candidates retain rights of access to information held about them.

Best practice for candidates: ask referees in advance, share the job description, and keep contact details current.