Job References: Are You Firing Up Your Cheering Squad?
Get the Job
By Dawn Rasmussen, CMP
Years ago, I received a phone call from a colleague whose company was in the final stages of the hiring process and conducting due diligence on one of the finalist’s job references. No problem, I told the caller, silently wondering who it was, because no one in my network had given me a heads up about any upcoming job interviews/reference checks.
I was then stunned when the caller said the name of the person. I had never worked with the person directly, and the applicant hadn’t even asked my permission to be a reference. On top of that, the person in question was someone I only knew vaguely, but personally regarded as pretty creepy. And some of the applicant’s business tactics didn’t match my values and ethics.
“Ew,” I thought, and quickly added the person to my very small “not-so-happy” list. There aren’t many people on there, but I have worked too hard to build my professional integrity to let someone use me for personal gain when they don’t have any themselves.
Trying to recover and cognizant of the fact that you have to be ever careful about legal context, I replied to the colleague’s inquiry: “Gosh, I wish I could provide a job reference for this person, but I am a little surprised to be listed in that capacity. I haven’t worked with the applicant directly, and therefore I can’t provide any kind of insight from that perspective.”
Some people sure have a lot of guts, don’t they? But the truth is that the majority of us would never be this unethical about our job references.
Here’s the nugget: A job applicant can spend hours working on resumes and cover letters, prepare exhaustively and nail the interview, but if you fail to submit a strong reference list or neglect to inform job references about specific openings and potential interviews, game over.
The job interview process has many layers, and your professional and personal references have a huge impact as the final say about your viability as a candidate. Many of us have a list of references that we’ve developed for just that purpose, but ask yourself if you are really firing up what should be your ultimate cheering squad by answering the following questions.
1) Have you thought strategically about the types of references you listed? What aspects of your background can each person speak to? Think: education, skills, work ethic, character, initiative, accomplishments and performance.
2) Did you ask the references whether you could list them and mention specifically why you chose them?
3) When was the last time you talked to your references? Have you refreshed any contacts lately?
4) Are you still on good terms with each of the people listed?
5) Do the references know what you are up to, in terms of your career?
6) Did you contact them about any upcoming interviews that you are having?
7) If so, did you let them know some of the key points that you’d like them to speak to if they are called?
8) Do you have current/updated contact information? Complete information is critical to helping the prospective employers reach references quickly.
9) Have you listed your references on a separate sheet of paper? (This should not be listed on your resume…ever!)
10) Have you thanked your references for their help? A simple note is a great way to express your appreciation for them being in your corner. Better yet, treat them to lunch, and use this as an opportunity catch up/refresh that connection.
Remember, your job references are your A-team, ready and willing to help you land your next job. These are the people who will put the icing on your interview-resumé-cover letter cake. With a simple phone call, you can give them the courtesy heads up so that they are prepared to put you in the best light possible to prospective employers. The important thing to think about is that these folks are your cheering squad members. Go team!
DAWN RASMUSSEN, CMP, is the president of Portland, Ore.-based Pathfinder Writing and Careers, which specializes in hospitality/meeting professional resumés. She has been a meeting planner for more than 15 years and an MPI member since 2001.