I was surprised to learn that LENA had a strict process that requires supervisor references prior to an interview. I found this to be an extremely inequitable practice (confirmed by longtime HR professionals I asked) as it puts the burden on the candidate rather than the organization. No one wants to use coveted supervisor references until they have a job offer - you can’t reasonably ask working people for an unlimited number of references. It not only requires candidates to “use up” their references, but the candidate isn’t given the opportunity to vet the organization at all to understand if it’s the right fit. In my opinion, it is purely a lazy practice. I did ask about it and appreciate they spent time to explain that it was “based on data”. Of course it’s better for LENA, but for better or for worse, norms exist in this country regarding hiring processes such as using references at a later stage of an interview process and it’s an unfair ask of candidates.