How to Get Great References

In my post titled How to Impress with Your References, a reader asked:

As I ponder an upcoming position change outside of my company I can't 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?

Here's how I replied:

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.

A reader who is a recruiter echoed this as follows:

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...

Here's exactly what I do:

• Ask the recruiter/employer how many references they would like (which is usually three).


• I think of the combination of past employers and current colleagues that I feel would give me great references.


• I narrow the group to the top three (or whatever is required) who I think would give me the strongest recommendations, being sure I have at least one person in each category (employer and current co-worker.) I also try to make the references as current as possible (IMO, no one wants a reference from a job you had 15 years ago.)


• I talk to these people and ask them to provide me with a good reference. Notice I said "good" reference. I don't want any sort of reference, I want them to commit to giving me a good recommendation.


• If they agree, I brief them on who will call, what will be asked (the best I can tell), what I've said in the interviews (so they can reiterate it), any points I'd like them to emphasize, and so on. If they don't agree, I move down to the next person on my list.


• I give the list of contacts to the interviewing company including name, contact information, and when and how I worked with each person.

This system has worked quite well for me for over 20 years now.

Before I move on, let me note the importance of giving references who you know will give you a good (or better yet, great) recommendation. DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING! It can be disastrous. Case in point, this story left by a reader:

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!

And another story:

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.

If you've made it far enough through the interview process that people are checking references, you are at the door to a new job offer. As long as the references are decent, you have the job. (Believe me, employers don't check references on people unless they are pretty close to hiring them.) Don't waste all the time and effort you've put in to get an offer by giving poor references. Follow the steps above to get great recommendations and help yourself to the new job offer that follows!

Comments

[everyday tips]

I also think this scenario is a great reason to be involved in professional organizations and such so you always have a variety of references to choose from. I know people that are so well known within their 'professional community' that they would have no problem finding references. If you do a good job and get yourself out there, then finding references shouldn't be a problem.

[Crystal]

Okay, this post is great but makes me feel just a little stupid. I also didn't know how to work this properly, but I hadn't thought about using current colleagues. I think "duh" is what I am feeling right now, lol. Hopefully it won't matter since I'll be working from home soon, but it is always good to learn, thanks!

[jbhk]

I always have a question how do you sure your contact information is still current after like three or five years? When I was in my last year of school, I asked some professors writing me a reference letter just in case. Who knows if they would still be teaching in this school when I needed a reference five years later? Or could they still remember what I did if I asked them after five years? Same for past bosses.

Fortunately I don't need to use a reference so far but I have a few managers/senior colleagues told me that they would be happy to be my reference if I needed one. So, I have one of them giving me a Recommendation on my Linkedin. However, two professors who gave me a writing reference letter didn't response my recommendations request from Linkedin. I think I should just glad that at least I've got a hard copy reference from them.