Providing References 101

The interview went very well: The panel was impressed with your skill sets and your work experience, and you answered the questions superbly. You were able to develop yourself as a credible source of information with the interviewer and other members of the organization.

Despite the seemingly flawless recruitment process, you still didn't land the job. Why not? Everything went so well. What possibly could have gone wrong? To be honest, most job seekers are so busy polishing their cover letters and resumes that they pay little or no attention to the references they provide potential employers.

Ultimately, a stock of good professional references can elevate a suitable candidate to a top choice. So whether you're updating your CV or you're scrambling to find references at a prospective employer's request, here are some things you should know about dropping names on your resume.

Appropriate parties
You need to decide who would be the best person to offer as a reference. A high-profile leader in the company who has not worked with you may only be able to confirm dates you worked with them, but not provide details about your performance.

A department head may not be able to offer much more information either. However, a direct supervisor or colleague can give details on your past performance and contributions, and provide insight into the role you played in their organization. It is far more beneficial to use someone who is able to validate your abilities and skill sets at work rather than, say, a close friend or relative.

Getting permission
Always ask permission first. Once you have decided on the best person to offer as a reference, get in touch with them for permission to provide their contact information and to brief them on your current offer. You should also confirm their current phone number and e-mail address, as well as what contact time is preferred. Provide them with as many details as you can about your situation and the position that you have applied for.

Tell them about the new skill sets that you have acquired or your latest professional qualifications. This will ensure that they are able to give an astute description of your strengths and abilities rather than drawing a generic picture. Be open to the idea of hearing "No." And remember the SW-SW-SW-WN rule: Some will, some won't, so what, who's next?

Friends and family
Don't be a fool and try to pass your friend or uncle off as your last boss because you are likely to get busted. Also, avoid using colleagues of similar standing as references; they may not come across as credible sources of information to your prospective employers.

Here are a few categories of people that you should consider for professional references:

Educators
You could provide the name of your lecturer if you have recently completed a professional diploma or have taken a set of evening courses. The program studied would presumably be relevant to the position you are targeting, so your tutor could confirm your academic achievements and knowledge in this area.

Colleagues who have been promoted
If you are unable to locate a previous manager, you could also put forward the name of a colleague who has been promoted to a supervisory position. A supervisor would certainly be able to confirm your overall professionalism and experience within the workplace. You could also provide the name of your direct supervisor, or even a supervisor from another department who has had some dealings with you on a professional level.

Former clients
Lastly, you could contact a number of your former clients to see if they would be willing to act as references. Who better than a previous or existing customer to vouch for your commitment and work ethic? Be sure that such referrals are appropriate and stay away from using one-time customers as references.

Time frame
Occasionally, a candidate looks bad because his former HR department did not have the same job dates and title information in its file as he did on his resume. Data entry or communications errors are not unusual, so ensure that the records your reference has correspond to yours. Conflicting data will be perceived as a big negative to a prospective employer.

A reference also has to be recent and relevant. You may have demonstrated great team-building skills when you lead the basketball squad in high school, but if that was 15 years ago, it's "content out of context." Again, make sure that your reference is able to provide the prospective employer with an inventory of your current skill sets.

Anticipating references
Your references should positively and accurately reflect your work history and capabilities. You should be able to walk into any job interview with your head high and confident that no surprises could hurt your chances of securing that dream job.

A proactive approach will not only improve your chances of landing the job, but it could also save you heart burns toward the end. There are steps you can take in your current position to make asking for references in the future a lot easier. It is important to know what a potential employer may ask your references, so brief your contacts on potential questions they may be asked, such as:

Is the candidate open to feedback?
Is he a team player?
What are his key strengths?
Would you rehire the same candidate?
Any additional comments?

Obviously, you need to make sure that you don't burn bridges, so be sure to leave your old positions on a positive note. Employers will remember you as they last saw you. So if you screwed around for two years but worked your ass off for the last month, you're still leaving a positive impression.

Last but not the least, do not forget to send a "thank you" note to your references, as you may need them again. Invest in long-term relationships and the benefits will be there to see.

references and the real world

Gone are the days when the credentials on your resume could land you a dream job. The job market has evolved and you will have to change your strategies in order to stay employable. In the words of Charles Darwin: "It's not the strongest or the most intelligent but the ones most responsive to change that survive."