Everything You Need to Know About References

References for Job Search

A glowing resume and top-notch interview skills may place you ahead of other candidates, but a reference check will seal the deal. A reference check is an important part of any hiring process as it helps validate your work ethic and suitability for the position. In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about references.

All about references

References are individuals that can vouch for you and recommend you for employment. They’re a point of contact for your prospective employer to verify and ask questions about your work performance. When considering who to select as a reference it is a good idea to consider the relationship you have with the people you are listing. For example, it isn’t a good idea to list friends or relatives. Instead, you should stick to individuals who have been in supervisory/leadership roles or co-workers. Some suitable examples could be employers, supervisors, managers, professors or landlords.

A good rule of thumb is to stick to references you have met in a professional business environment.

How to select and use references

When considering who to select for your references keep in mind that the people you list should be individuals who can persuasively communicate your strengths, work experience as well as work ethic.

Here are some tips to help you create a reference list that works in your favour:

• Select a minimum of three people who you are confident will give you a positive reference

• Always call and check beforehand with your references to get their permission to be on your list

• Notify your references about the jobs you’re applying for so they can prepare ahead of time

• Provide clear contact information for your references and indicate the nature of your relationship with each individual.

Reference letters

Sometimes an employer will request that you provide reference letters which assure that you were employed at an organization. For this reason, it’s crucial to have these prepared in advance. The most common reference letters are academic, professional, and personal reference letters.

An academic reference letter is usually a recommendation from a teacher or professor, while a professional reference letter is from a past manager. Personal reference letters are to attest to your character. A personal letter is ideal for people who are looking for their first jobs and likely have no professional reference. For such individuals, a personal (character) reference letter can boost their applications.

If you don’t currently have any references letters, it is a good idea to start requesting these to add to your portfolio.

Listing your references

An employment list of references doesn’t have a rigid format as the aim is to provide the contact information of your references in a way that’s easy to read. Simply write the first and last name of your reference, the company they work for, and the position they hold. If the person you are listing is no longer in the same role, it is a good idea to identify ‘former position’ as well as ‘current position’.

You should also include their contact information such as an email address and phone number.

Conclusion

A reference list is crucial to your job search as they are people who can vouch for your strengths and abilities. When you create a list of your references, be sure to express your gratitude to the people who agree to serve as your references and keep them updated on the progress of your job search.