Job Reference List
Now that you have an interview, you must concern yourself with a job reference list. Finding and providing the best possible references to your potential employer.
Job Interview References
| Who should you include as a reference? | |
| Add people to your list that will present you in a positive light. Add those that know of you while at work. | |
| - | Include past employers because they'll know of your reliability, initiative, communication skills, and your ability to work with others. |
| - | College and high school teachers will know about your academic ability, productivity, and timeliness, and some of your ability to work with others. |
| - | Advisors and coaches may also be aware of information about you that could be relevant to a potential employer — such as maturity, initiative, interpersonal skills or leadership qualities. |
| - | Social acquaintances should be avoided. Generally, employers don't value these types of references, including family members. Of course they'll have nice things to say about you. |
| - | Stay with positive references. If you think someone may be negative or even neutral, try and find someone else. |
| Getting permission from your references | |
| - | Be sure to contact EVERYONE that you intend to use as a reference! |
| - | Don't assume that someone will serve as a reference. Even if they do, it doesn't look good when a reference is surprised that an employer is calling. |
| - | As you are calling everyone, it'll be a good time to verify details relating to contact information; such as spelling of names, titles, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. |
| - | Give each person who agrees to serve as a reference for you a copy of your resume (or vita). This lets your references know about your interests, abilities and experiences. A faculty member may know your academic skills and an employer may know your on-the-job characteristics, but each may not be aware of the other facets of your background. Keeping your references well-informed will help them serve as better references for you. |
| - | Bring references up to date on your affiliations with clubs, professional organizations, and other affiliations that will further qualify you for a job. |
| - | Thank each reference in writing for his/her assistance. |
| - | Communicating makes it easier for your references to help you. Serving as a reference is often viewed as an honor and your communication is usually not a bother to most people. |
| When do you give your reference list to a prospective employer? | |
| - | Provide reference information when you are asked to provide it. If you reach the interview stage and have not been asked for references, you may offer your reference list. |
| - | Generally do not mail reference information with your resume unless it has been specifically requested. |
| - | No matter when you give your reference list to an employer, always be prepared to offer it prior to submitting your resume and application. If this isn't possible, you risk offering a list that is not prepared properly or is haphazard. |
| About the Reference Page | |
| - | DO create a reference page to list your references. |
| - | For each reference person, include full name, title, organization with which the person is affiliated, complete address, phone number and email address. |
| - | Make absolutely sure you have spelled your references' names correctly. |
| - | Your name and contact information should be at the heading of the page — just like it appears on your resume. |
| - | See sample reference page |
| What should references say? | |
| - | Avoid bland words such as: nice, good, fairly, reasonable, decent, satisfactory Use powerful words such as: articulate, effective, sophisticated, intelligent, observant, significant, expressive, creative, efficient, cooperative, imaginative, assertive, dependable, mature, innovative |
| - | A recent national publication (1991 ASCUS Annual) listed the following eight intangibles as important when evaluating teaching candidates:
|
| - | The capacity in which they know/knew you (i.e., you were a summer intern and she was your supervisor) |
| - | Time frame of the relationship (i.e., summer of 1995 or has known the candidate for four years) |
| - | Positive qualities demonstrated in the capacity in which they knew you (i.e., trained other employees, designed floor plans on CAD, and presented proposals to clients). |
| What about generic letters of recommendation? | |
| An individual might offer to write a generic letter of reference for you, perhaps addressed "To whom it may concern" or something similar. Is this useful? | |
| - | If a potential employer requires letters of reference with your application (typical for positions in academia, for example), it is preferrable for the reference letter to be written directly to the recipient, rather than a generic "to whom it may concern" letter. |
| - | An individualized letter is generally taken more seriously. |
| - | However, if you are uncomfortable about asking a reference to write a number of personalized letters, or if your reference will be out of reach (on sabbatical, assignment abroad, etc.) during your job search, a "to whom it may concern letter" could serve your purposes. |
| - | Be aware that in general, employers will consult references after screening resumes and interviewing. Some potential employers prefer to call your references and speak directly with them. So while a letter written in advance by your reference, and offered to the employer by you at the time of the interview (along with your reference list), doesn't hurt, it is not neccessary to solicit these. |