Reference Checks

Certified Martial Arts

All applicants for Registered or Certified Martial Artist status are required to undergo a background investigation that relies partially on the opinions of non-family members who have known the applicant for at least three years. References may include co-workers and friends, but at least one of the references must be either a direct student, instructor, or peer martial artist who is familiar with the applicant in a role as an experienced martial artist.

We always contact references. A licensed private detective will contact each reference by telephone.

Reference checks are usually performed by telephone and take between five and ten minutes. They may require additional verifying information about the reference, especially if the phone number listed is not registered to the named reference or his/her place of employment.

If you are acting as a reference for an applicant, we appreciate your time and your honest answers. Please understand that it is in the applicant's best interest for you to be truthful and forthright, as we verify all information against multiple sources and inconsistencies could delay or forfeit the application. By representing a martial artist for certification or registration you are contributing to a process that makes the world a safer place and improves the quality of martial arts instruction. You are also a key component in helping the applicant earn a valuable certification that he or she can use with distinction throughout his or her professional martial arts career.

If the three references are not all qualified to act as a reference for the applicant, or the overall result of the reference check is inconclusive, then the applicant is given the opportunity to submit up to three more references. Should a reference fail to cooperate with the investigation without citing a specific reason, than the applicant may provide an additional reference. Applicants are in no way penalized for references who do not wish to cooperate, unless the reference provides specific information against the applicant.

Telephone conversations with references are sometimes recorded for quality and/or legal purposes. The interviewer will always notify the reference if the conversation is being recorded or monitored by another party.