{"id":7418,"date":"2017-02-17T15:50:07","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T15:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monsterindia.com\/career-advice\/heres-how-to-pick-the-perfect-job-reference-7418\/"},"modified":"2023-09-28T13:59:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-28T08:29:44","slug":"heres-how-to-pick-the-perfect-job-reference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/heres-how-to-pick-the-perfect-job-reference\/","title":{"rendered":"Here’s how to pick the perfect job reference"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/span><\/p>\n

A job hunt puts the focus on things you deem most important \u2013 the resume<\/a>, cover letter, interview questions<\/a>, outfit, demeanor and handshake. <\/span>
\nBut there\u2019s one important thing that we don\u2019t spend as much time prepping for: The list of references that most prospective employers ask for.
\n<\/span>
\nIt\u2019s a big mystery as to why many of us don\u2019t properly vet the list of people who will vouch for our professional accomplishments. After all, a glowing reference could be what gives you an edge over the competition. Jeff Shane, founder of Allison & Taylor, a US-based reference checking and employment verification firm, says bad references are \u201cfar more common than most people realise\u201d. About half the reference checks his firm performs comes back with negative comments.
\n<\/span>
\nJim Giammatteo, author of No Mistakes Resumes and a headhunting veteran with more than 30 years of experience believes that bad hiring \u201ccosts a lot of money\u201d and \u201calso ruins careers\u201d. \u201c[Much of this could be eliminated if reference checks were handled better,\u201d he has written.
\n<\/span>
\nHere\u2019s how to ace your job reference check:
\n<\/span>
\nStart by choosing the right people<\/span><\/strong>
\nZero in on people who know your strengths and abilities and will make the strongest recommendations for you. Your reference\u2019s reputation may also be questioned by a prospective employer, so do an online search to ensure nothing stands out as inappropriate<\/a>. Choosing a person who is also a close friend is avoidable — remember that your relationship can be traced on social media. <\/span>
\n
\nLook for varied connections<\/strong><\/span>
\nApart from a supervisor you reported to in your last job, most employers also accept other kinds of references. A manager who also knows about your work could reveal certain facets of your personality. Consider putting peers or clients, or one of each, on your list \u2013 they may be aware of some details of your work that even your boss may not know. People reporting to you can offer a different perspective about your day-to-day performance. Someone you know in the HR department will carry a lot of credibility with hiring managers checking references.
\n<\/span>
\nMake your request in person<\/span><\/strong>
\nWhile emails are acceptable, it\u2019s much nicer to ask someone in person \u2013 or over the phone \u2013 if they can be put down as your reference. Bonding and brainstorming with them over lunch will make them feel personally invested in your job hunt and success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t tire out your references <\/span><\/strong>
\nDon\u2019t overwhelm your references by naming them in every job application. Make a list of people you\u2019re likely to ask to be a reference and connect with them all. But list down the same person on no more than three job applications. \u201cIt\u2019s a time commitment, and you don\u2019t want to disrespect your former co-worker\u2019s time by putting that person in a position where that colleague resents talking about your skill set,\u201d Giammatteo says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prep them for the task<\/span><\/strong>
\nMake sure your former boss or colleague knows exactly what you need them to do. Give them details like the position you\u2019re applying for, the skill sets that are mandatory, the name of the person who may be calling, etc. Ask them how they would like to be contacted i.e. would they prefer an email\/text message setting up an appointment before getting the call? Respecting your reference\u2019s time is sure to work to your benefit. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tackle any negativity proactively<\/span><\/strong>
\nChances are that things didn\u2019t end that great with your boss at the last job. That\u2019s no reason to burn your bridges. Hiring managers start looking for reasons to cross people off their list as their screening process ends. Be proactive before you leave a job and ask your boss what s\/he would say about you. Try and address all unresolved issues before you leave. In case you find that you are getting negative references from the former manager, send a strongly worded cease-and-desist letter to the company head. Name the person who gave the negative reference, and suggest that they simply confirm dates of employment and job titles.<\/span><\/p>\n

Follow up with a thank-you<\/span><\/strong>
\nInterview etiquette demands that you send the hiring managers a polite thank-you note after an interview, so why should your reference not get your thanks? It\u2019s polite to send a personal note or email every time your reference speaks up for you. Over time, mix things up \u2013 you could send some flowers or a coffee gift card to show your appreciation. Small gestures can reap big dividends in the long run. <\/span>
\nAlong with a winning search strategy, it\u2019s imperative you look for jobs in the right place. Start here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A job hunt puts the focus on things you deem most important \u2013 the resume, cover letter, interview questions, outfit, demeanor and handshake. But there\u2019s one important thing that we don\u2019t spend as much time prepping for: The list of references that most prospective employers ask for. It\u2019s a big mystery as to why many […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[154],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7418","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-networking-tips"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20868,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418\/revisions\/20868"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}