Professional References Your Go-To Guide

Professional References Your Go-To Guide If youve ever conducted a gestaltal job search, youve come across employers asking forprofessional references, whetzu sich its upfront during the application process or after youve interviewed, when theyre about to make their final decision about hiring you.What are professional references?If an employer wants you to submit a list of professional references oftentimes the request is for at least three professional references thats their way of double-checking you.Who do you list as a reference? They want a recommendation from several former employers, colleagues, or clients, to check on your qualifications and past performance, learn more about the qualities youll bring to the table, and feel reassured about spending time and money to bring you on board.If youre wondering, Can I use a classmate as a professional reference?orCan you use a friend as a reference?, the answer is yes. So you might be wondering How many professional references sho uld I list? As many as necessary just remember that amediocre reference can lead to losing a job offer, just like a glowing one can lead to one, so read on for all you need to know about professional referencesWho are the best professional references?If youre trying to score a new job, there are a number of people you can ask for a professional referenceA former employeeA colleagueA supervisor or managerA teacherAn HR representativeWhat are partal references are they the saatkorn as professional references?While there may be some overlap between professional and personal references, personal references, also known as character references, are not necessarily the same as professional references. Personal references are not required to be people with whom youve worked with before they can be a teacher, or even a friend. Personal references are sometimes required if youre applying to buy an apartment in a co-op, for example. If youre applying for a job and they ask you to provide pers onal references or personal reference letters, be sure to ask for clarification on whether you should be getting recommendations solely from people with whom youve worked (which would technically make them professional references)When listing professional references, youll want to include the names and contact information of three to five people who have worked with you in some capacity. Usually, it will be your current/former supervisor/manager or co-worker in work, volunteer, or internship roles.The best references are people whoWorked with you recently.It looks suspicious if you only list people you worked with 10 years ago and no one from your most recent positions.Use your resumeas a guide when compiling your reference list your most recent positions, toward the top of your resume, should each have a reference from your time there listed.Worked with you directly.A former supervisor/manager or direct colleague is always best that person can speak more specifically about your ski lls and abilities than the managing director who only met you once. Theyre also better than, say, a teacher or a trainer while these educational references can work for those without recent/much work experience, its always better to list people whove actually worked with you, if possible.Worked with you in a position/role/industry similar to the one youre applying to now. If you have a choice of who to list from recent jobs, choose the people whose work with you is most similar to what youre applying to now. That way, the employer will be able to see even more direct connections between your hintergrund and ability to perform this new job.Will gush about you.If you have a choice between listing a colleague who absolutely loved you and will give 30 examples of how incredible you are, list her over the colleague whos a bit shyer or less talkative on the phone. Same regarding professionalism choosing people who will answer the phone/email back professionally will always play out better than listing someone who answers the phone unprofessionally.Are in good standing/impressive in their own right.If you worked closely with a former director with an impressive title, or youve worked with someone well-known in your field, a little name-dropping never hurt anybody Just make sure this person, if theyre better-known, is going to be available to give a reference for you. I once listed a former director with an impressive new job who was going to be getting married in France during myreference-check, so I made sure to also list a back-up with a note for the employer just in case they couldnt reach her (but they did... and I got the job).Dont list family or significant others (past or present) theyre thought to be biased regardless of your performance. And dont list friends or neighbors those people are personal character references, and you only need to list personal references if/when asked. Also, be careful about asking to list current bosses/colleagues you should have a trusting enough relationship with them that you feel theyll keep the fact that youre job searching under wraps.Asking for permission.After youre done compiling a list of names, reaching out and asking for permission iskey. You want to make sure the person not only remembers you, but that theyre excited to give the reference, and that they can target it to the new position youre applying for.Heres a great example from The Museon how to strategically reach out as a job seeker and ask someone to serve as a reference for youHi name,I hope all is well How have things been with you and the persons company, organization, or personal interest?Im reaching out because Ive been interviewing for a position name role at company, and Id love to list your name as a reference, if youre willing. I thought of you because weve ways in which youve worked together, and you could speak to my key skills and abilities needed in the new position.Ive attached my current resume and the position description for your reference. I know the hiring team is particularly looking for someone who very short description of key elements of the role, so specifically, Im hoping you can talk about1-2 skill, abilities, or talents that are key to the positionSpecific project you worked on thats relevant to the roleKey differentiator between you and other candidatesPlease let me know if youd be willing to serve as a reference and, if so, your preferred contact info and any other details you need from my end. I believe the call, email will come from hiring manager or recruiters name at company around time frame.And, of course, if youre busy or not comfortable, I completely understand. Thank you in advance for your time, and let me know how I can return the favorAll the best,Your nameThe key here is the pre-coaching you want to make sure your reference knows what youve been up to recently, has a copy of your resume on hand, and knows exactly what youd like them to say to help win over your potential new employer.Its also a great best-practice, when leaving a job, internship, etc., to ask when youre leaving if you can list the person as a reference in the future. That way, theyve already said yes and will only need a reminder/update when the time comes. Different forms of reference checks and do they really check?Its important to understand how employers are checking references these days. Most hire managers no longer require a reference letter, which is a (sometimes vague/general) letter stating how awesome you are. This is great news, since reference letters can be challenging to get from busy past employers, and are usually not as targeted for each new position.Many employers today will call your references directly. Some may email your references first to set up a time to talk via phone, or some may do it all electronically, by sending an email and asking for written feedback in response to specific questions.Some larger companies may use a reference check company or reference check services to carry out these checks, or some may send a link to an online form the reference can fill out about you. The online form is popular for bigger institutions that may not have time to check thousands of candidates references, such as hospitals one leading NYC hospital I know of uses skillsurvey.com.Its good to know how the employer will reach out, if possible or at the very least, make sure to give less tech-savvy references a heads-up to make sure to check their email during the reference-checking time-frame.Regardless of the way the prospective employer goes about checking your references, theyll usually ask about the same types of things and you should familiarize yourself with some sample reference check questions so that you have a good sense of who you should ask to serve as a reference for you.Prospective employers may ask your references about your knowledge of specific industry- or job-related functions/tasks, or they may ask your reference to rate or descr ibe your soft skills, such as your ability to communicate, be on-time, take initiative, follow up on projects, etc. I like asking my references after the fact what they were asked so that I can learn from the experience as I continue to grow in my fieldAnd dont lie.A question I get asked a lot is, Cant you just get a friend to pretend theyre a former boss and lie for you? How would the employer know? The employer may not know, but I always recommend not fabricating any part of the job search process, from your resume to your application info to your interview and your reference checks. I like to say that polished honesty is your best policy you want to be honest, but of course not bring up anything negative (or list someone who you clearlydid not get along with).Can a previous employer disclose why you left?In short, yes. There are no federal regulations that stipulate what a past employer can and cant disclose in situations like this. Thats why its always important to leave a prev ious job with class and dignity. And it is also important to choose your references wisely.But what if I dont have any references? HelpMost people, when they dig, can usually find at least three job references. A best-practice is to do your best to stay in touch with past colleagues so that this doesnt become an issue But if you havent worked much before, or have lost touch or ended on bad terms, do your best to find three people whether its a volunteer supervisor, an editor you worked with on a freelance gig, or an instructor from a recent professional development course you took who can share positive first-hand knowledge about you.FormattingFor your job reference list, use the same heading at the top as on your resume/cover letter for uniformity/branding purposes. You can also put Professional References at the top. Then,format your references info as seen below, replacing the vorlage wording with the actual information itself (no need to keep the categories listed)First Last Name of ReferenceTitle at Current OrganizationCurrent Organization NameCity, State of Current OrganizationReferences Preferred Phone References Preferred Email AddressReferences Relationship To You (ie, Former Manager at X Company)Remember to pay it forward.Whenever I work with someone closely and we have a good relationship, I always make sure to offer, usually if/when theyre leaving, to serve as a reference for them. Writing professional references or providing professional references doesnt take much time, and Ive found that volunteers, interns, and other more entry-level folks especially appreciate this, as they are sometimes hesitant about asking about reference checking.It never hurts to pay it forward by writing a good reference for someone, and Ive maintained many great professional relationships that way. You never know when that person may be able to help you, as wellHappy reference-checking may you give and receive glowing references (and job offers) for the rest of your days--Chelsea Fonden is a career coach and resume writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Over the past 5 years, she has worked with countless jobseekers across industries and professional levels, and holds a passion for womens advancement in the workplace. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Maryland and has worked for several NYC non-profits, as well as in freelance roles.