Jobs Seeker Advice: References
References – What You Need To Know
By VancouverJobs.ca
Bringing a list of references to an interview might benefit you when it comes to seeking a senior position and/or an entry-level position.
Vancouver Jobs has some tips on dealing with the many aspects of your references.
First Impressions Are Key
The list you provide of your references should always be on its own page. Make sure that these are free of spelling/grammatical errors and include each reference’s full name, company, position, email address, phone number and the dates you reported had reported to them in the past.
Up-to-date contacts
In some instances, your contacts for references may be out of date.Are they still in Vancouver? Maybe you have not spoken to them for awhile, or maybe it’s just that several years have gone by. You should double check their contact information by ensuring their e-mail addresses and phone numbers and jobs are current. This will avoid any unnecessary roadblocks to the reference-checking process, any out of date information can frustrate potential employers and leave a negative impression of you.
Permission Requests
You should always ask your references for permission before including them as one of your contacts. Some things to mention to them would be advising them of the position you are applying for, the skills and qualifications required for the potential job, and which companies may be calling them as this will be beneficial to both you and your reference to provide an accurate and positive outlook for yourself.
Planning Ahead
These references should also be in order. If you wait until an offer is conditional on references being completed before contacting them, you may be out of luck and the offer compromised, if they have moved, are difficult to reach or simply unaware that they were used for a reference.
Seeking Out Good References
Think of people who have known you for a long time and can attest to your skills, qualifications and experiences. Remember that good job references who can talk about your capabilities can dramatically increase your changes of you securing a job offer.
Eliminating Bad References
If you’re in a situation where you’re certain a reference is not going to provide positive feedback about you to the employer, make sure you communicate the reasons why to the prospective employer. Explaining the situation, the context, and what you learned from it, may help you look pro-active and better in the eyes of the employers. This is better than them hearing negative-speak from the reference provider.
Strive For Variety
Ask different individuals to act as references that will reflect your work and personality. There are others you can ask besides your former direct managers, try asking co-workers and as well as customers or clients. If you are just starting out in the workforce, make sure to ask current and former educational professors for a reference.
Your References Should Be Credible
Recruiters may become suspicious and have assumptions of their own if you limit references to only your only co-workers and friends. To be credible, you should consider providing names of direct managers that you reported to. It will work in your favor to secure references from management and senior levels as it may be beneficial to your credibility.
Seek Out Company Reference Policies
Sometimes, depending on the company in which you are applying for, there may be due concerns about litigation concerning those that may or will only provide references with your job title and dates of employment and little more. If this happens, think about other employers that you can approach, including managers that have left the company.
Having Multiple References
The standard amount of references to have is three, this is to reflect what each individual may say about you. If you only have one reference, this may imply to an employer that you have information to hide in which you do not want them to be aware of.
No References Available
Sometimes there may be situations where having references may not be easily obtained due to difficulties in locating that particular individual. Utilize powerful search engines such as Google and LinkedIn, it is quite often that you can track down these individuals easily by simply just searching for them and doing some cross-referencing.
Required Documents For The Interview
If you want to prove that you are serious and motivated about the position you have applied for, then you should be providing your references at the first initial interview. Yes, the employer might not have asked for them but this proves your tact, digression and commitment into the company. This upfront gesture helps to show your potential employer that you have the skills required in organization and that you know how to plan ahead.
Permission For Your References
A prospective employer should ask permission to contact your references before doing so. This is especially important if you are currently employed during the application process – as you do not want to surprise your current employer with a phone call about this. Have alternative references available if you’re not comfortable with the idea of your current employer being contacted. Generally, recruiters and employers know not to contact references, especially current ones, without your approval.
Say Your Thanks
When you are asking your references for their permission to use them on your list, always be sure to thank them for their time and consideration. Whether it is in writing as a thank you note or giving a small gift, this will leave a positive mark on their minds and will be sure to remember you in the future.
Conclusion
Try to stay fresh and up to date with your references about your job hunting as it is important to keep them in the loop about your job search progress.
Be careful to not burn your bridges with employers – Considering that at some point, you may need them as a reference and a bad reference may come back to haunt you.