As you reach the final stages of the interview process, you’ll probably have spent a considerable amount of time talking with various stakeholders in the potential company to determine if you’re a good fit. In the next step, you’ll usually be asked to provide a list of references for the employer to contact, so they can get an outsiders perspective on you as an employee and your work. Before handing over some names of past colleagues, you’ll benefit from enlisting a few choice people and steering them to give you a great recommendation.
Asking for a job reference is as easy as 1, 2, 3…
1. Keep a list of potential references of people you work with or have worked with in the past. Most hiring managers look for recommendations from previous or current employers, though references from co-workers or people you’ve managed can be helpful as well. If you’re a recent graduate, professors you know well, or supervisors in clubs or on-campus jobs serve well as references.
2. Ask your chosen contacts for permission to list them as a reference. If they hesitate in giving you an answer or seem uncomfortable with the notion, let them turn down the offer. The best references come from those who enthusiastically support your work and career, and twisting someone’s arm won’t get you the best recommendation. The goal is to solicit a positive recommendation, not a mediocre one.
3. After they accept, prepare your references. Send over your resume or link to your LinkedIn account, tell them about the job you’re interviewing for, as well as a little guidance as to what you’d like them to say. If you’re interviewing for a cross-functional role, you might want them to focus on your abilities to work with a team and manage a range of projects at the same time.
Of course, always remember to thank your references for their help in your job search. They took time to draft up a recommendation or speak to someone on your behalf. And it’s nice to keep them in the loop and thank them again if you end up landing the job. Their recommendation of you might have set you apart from the other candidates!
Do you have a set of contacts you use as references in your job search? What has worked well for you when asking contacts to be your reference? Share your experience in the comments below!
http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/01/how-to-ask-for-a-job-reference.html
Asking for a job reference is as easy as 1, 2, 3…
1. Keep a list of potential references of people you work with or have worked with in the past. Most hiring managers look for recommendations from previous or current employers, though references from co-workers or people you’ve managed can be helpful as well. If you’re a recent graduate, professors you know well, or supervisors in clubs or on-campus jobs serve well as references.
2. Ask your chosen contacts for permission to list them as a reference. If they hesitate in giving you an answer or seem uncomfortable with the notion, let them turn down the offer. The best references come from those who enthusiastically support your work and career, and twisting someone’s arm won’t get you the best recommendation. The goal is to solicit a positive recommendation, not a mediocre one.
3. After they accept, prepare your references. Send over your resume or link to your LinkedIn account, tell them about the job you’re interviewing for, as well as a little guidance as to what you’d like them to say. If you’re interviewing for a cross-functional role, you might want them to focus on your abilities to work with a team and manage a range of projects at the same time.
Of course, always remember to thank your references for their help in your job search. They took time to draft up a recommendation or speak to someone on your behalf. And it’s nice to keep them in the loop and thank them again if you end up landing the job. Their recommendation of you might have set you apart from the other candidates!
Do you have a set of contacts you use as references in your job search? What has worked well for you when asking contacts to be your reference? Share your experience in the comments below!
http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/01/how-to-ask-for-a-job-reference.html
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