How to Impress with Your References

The following is an excerpt from RecruiterGuy's Guide to Finding a Job.

Now let’s discuss how to impress with your references.

A very strong reference can make the difference between receiving an offer that you will absolutely accept and not receiving an offer. Enlightened companies and hiring managers understand the importance of an effective reference check.

Don’t let people tell you that reference checking is dead. Too many times I’ve heard managers say the reference check is a waste of time. Legally, it may be regaining importance as the final due diligence before hiring a candidate; therefore, it is important to be able to contact a number of people who can discuss you as an employee or different skills you have demonstrated. Companies usually require three professional references who can intelligently discuss your professional abilities. If you are a college recruit and have not worked part-time during college, they may take references from professors or a personal reference from someone who has known you for a long time.

I once interviewed a female programmer/analyst. Her responses demonstrated that she knew what she was doing professionally. She offered me several references. So I called her most recent reference, a female manager, and mentioned that the candidate had given me her name as a reference. When the manager burst out laughing, I thought, “That’s not a good sign!”

The manager asked me if I had met the candidate in person. I replied that I had. She said, “You probably noticed that she was gorgeous.” I replied that I did. The manager said she had hired the candidate. She was very talented; however, after working there for a short period of time, she began to date one of her coworkers. After an intimate relationship that lasted several months, she broke off the relationship — and began dating another co-worker. Evidently, she whispered some of her previous relation’s interesting preferences to her new friend.

Shortly after, the manager found the two males fist fighting in the hall over this woman. All three were looking for new jobs after the fight.

Obviously this was not a person I would introduce to a client. Be sure to check with your references prior to giving their names to a potential employer. If they are excited to be a reference, that’s a great sign. If they are reticent, it’s best to move on.

It is a good idea to coach a reference just prior to the call from either a manager or human resources representative. How do you coach a reference? As an active listener during your interview, you generally can tell if the manager is concerned about your ability to perform one or more of the required duties of a position. Suggest to the reference that they bring up a specific success that you had while working with them to demonstrate that skill. References appreciate this type of guidance. Otherwise, they are trying to remember examples that may be several years or more in the past.

The references that you choose to discuss your abilities should be people who have seen you successfully perform related, required duties while working with them; therefore, one reference may be able to discuss your management capabilities. Another reference may be able to focus on your technical abilities. (In this case, “technical” means your day-to-day functions, whether you are a nurse, recruiter, CFO, writer, mechanic or software engineer.) The final reference may focus on your strategic abilities (project planning, long-term planning, budgeting, etc.). Management references are best. Sales or sales-support professionals may want to use one or more clients as references. Just be careful if this is a confidential search.

When you forward your references for a position, note where the person may be able to give the best feedback on your abilities. This information will help coach the person conducting the reference check. Obviously, all references need to be able to discuss your fit within their organizations and whether they would hire you again.

Once you reach this point in the series of processes, you are nearing a successful conclusion to your search.

Comments

[Brandon]

As I ponder an upcoming position change outside of my company I cant help but fear the reference request.

If i give my current management as a reference it will lower my standing and perhaps affect the potential projects i could be assigned.

My next employer would be found 4 years later. I should be able to find a decent reference for that. Any advice on what to do in reference to the last 4 years?

[FMF]

Here's what I've done in the past:

Use past bosses (from 4+ years ago) as well as colleagues who are friends (usually at the same level as you) within your current company. Make sure the latter can keep a secret and will give you a good reference.

I would always explain it to the new company as, "I can't give you a reference from my current employer because they do not know I'm looking for other employment." Any reasonable person will accept this explanation. Then say, "But I do have a couple (or one) colleague who's a peer of mine, who can speak to my skills and accomplishments, and who will be discreet so I have included him on the list."

This has always worked for me.

[Money Beagle]

I always put references that I've asked to be references and who I'm pretty sure will say great things about me. It amazes me that there people that don't. A friend of my sister-in-law quit her job one day by calling in one morning and saying that she wasn't coming in...that day or any day. She then listed her boss as a reference! On top of that, she even had the nerve to call her boss a couple of weeks down the road and ask her to send a pair of shoes that had been left behind. The boss got one reference call and you can well imagine how that went!

[Walden]

I am recruiter and it's hard to believe how often this happens. Just a few days ago a candidate listed her current supervisor as a reference, and he did NOT have very inspiring things to say. It's such a red flag for a potential employer, that A) you haven't performed well in the past, and B) that you're not smart enough/realistic enough to recognize that this person isn't going to give you a glowing review. >

In terms of how to give references if you don't want your current employer to know you are looking - that's really not a big issue. If you're a strong candidate and have the right qualifications for the job, most employer will be happy to speak with current colleagues and former supervisors. In those cases, I'll usually ask for a few more references to contact, just so I can make sure I'm getting the most accurate picture possible. As long as you're up front about it, it shouldn't be an issue. Making me hound you for more references on the other hand, bad sign...