Finance sector reference checking — FCA conduct and professional references for banking and investment placements

What finance sector references should cover

A finance sector employment reference should address professional conduct and ethics in a regulated environment, adherence to FCA conduct rules where applicable, management of client money, conflicts of interest and compliance obligations, any regulatory investigations, sanctions or disciplinary proceedings, the candidate's reputation with clients and colleagues in the market, and suitability for the specific role being applied for. Standard employment reference templates address almost none of these dimensions — they ask about attendance and general performance, which is almost entirely irrelevant for a senior finance placement.

FCA fitness and propriety and employer references

FCA-regulated firms must assess whether individuals in senior and certified functions are fit and proper — honest, with integrity and reputation, with sufficient competence and capability, and with sufficient financial soundness. Employer references are a primary source of evidence for fitness and propriety assessments. References for candidates applying to FCA-regulated firms should specifically address conduct, integrity and any matters that could bear on the individual's fitness and propriety — questions that RefAssure finance sector templates include as standard.

Finance recruitment agencies that provide clients with professionally documented references — including the right questions for regulated roles — differentiate themselves from agencies that provide informal telephone references or generic written responses. RefAssure generates professional PDF reference documentation with finance-appropriate questions for every placement. From 99p per reference, no subscription.