What is the point of checking references only after providing an offer? Is it an offer contingent on references? (Edit: re-reading your post, I see that is the

What is the point of checking references only after providing an offer? Is it an offer contingent on references? (Edit: re-reading your post, I see that is the case.) If so, that seems not much of an offer at all. This is an unusual practice and I have never seen it in that sequence, but then again, I am more exposed to professional non-technical services, so perhaps things work differently. I find good reference checking -- and it is hard to do it well -- is excellent to identify traits that are difficult to test for during interviews, such as timeliness and integrity. Edit number two: I do understand however not providing references until the final stage, when only two or three candidates remain.