Employment References

When you think about choosing employment references, you may be tempted to select your neighbor, your best friends, and/or your minister at church. Let's think about this, though. Not everyone who knows you well is going to be a great job reference.

One thing to consider is how this person is going to be able to relate your skills and accomplishments rather than just being a good character reference. How well does the person know your abilities and qualifications for the job you are seeking?

You will also want to avoid anyone as a reference who might be a potential liability. I know that it is hard to think of a friend or neighbor in this way, but remember that every person has positive and negative traits. Ask yourself a few questions:

How does this person portray him or herself? Are they enthusiastic? Do they have a good phone voice? How well does this person know what I do at work? Will they share anything they shouldn't?

Choosing employment references isn't as easy as it seems - at least on the surface. That is because your future employment situation is at stake. If you have made it far enough in the job search process to have an employer contacting employment references, then you are in the final round of job selection. Every positive interaction counts.

Who makes a good job reference?

When you have decided who would make a good job reference, get in touch with them and ask them for permission to use them as an employment reference. You should also provide them with some ideas of what they could say if they are contacted. Let them know the specific job for which you are applying. Tell them about the employer and what the needs of the position entail. Doing this will help them say the right things.

Once you have a person's permission to be one of your employment references, find out how they would like to be contacted. Some people prefer the phone while others prefer email. Keep in mind that most employers will contact job references by phone, though.

Get everything down on paper so you have it ready to provide to the employer when they ask for references. Be sure you have the individual's full name, occupation, how you know them, and how long you have known them.

Since choosing the right people and getting their information takes a bit of time, plan in advance for this. Don't wait until the last minute. People, including yourself, need time to prepare for these kinds of things.

When deciding who to choose for your employment references, your best bet is to choose people from several areas of your life: professional, academic, and personal. Avoid family members. Select people who are well respected and who will represent you in a professional manner.

Take your time when making these kinds of choices as they are very important. There will be times when an employer does not even contact your references, but it's better to be completely prepared.

Go to top of "Employment References"