I applied for a competitive position at a nonprofit back in April and had my final interview in mid-May. They mentioned they aimed to make a decision by the end of last week, but that didn't happen, and now I'm waiting to hear back. On Saturday, I received an email from the executive director asking if my references were still valid. I'm feeling anxious because this role is my dream job. I've heard that reference checks usually indicate I'm a top candidate or one of the final two, which is encouraging. I'm curious about how long this process might take now that references are being contacted.