10 Tips for Managing Your Employment References
It would seem that sharing your employment references should be a pretty straightforward ordeal. They ask, you give, end of story. However, how you provide your references, who you should choose and how you manage the relationships with these people are vital to your career success! Below are 10 sure-fire ways to make sure your references work in your best interests:
- Some companies will check your references; some won’t. Prepare your references for the companies that do, as well as for the companies that ask for your references, but never use them. The first step is identifying who you should consider to be your references. References should be people who know you well.
- Select three to seven individuals to be your references. These can include current or former managers or supervisors, co-workers, team members, current or former customers, vendors or suppliers and people you have supervised. You can also ask professors, faculty members and advisors.
- Don’t wait until you are getting called for interviews before you start assembling your reference list. It can take time to track down and reach references, so start contacting your prospective references right away.
- Always ask for permission to list someone as a reference. Call your reference; don’t just email them. Assess whether they’d be a good reference for you. You want a reference who can be as enthusiastic about you as you are about getting the job. It’s fine to ask a reference to support you, but then not use them as a reference for particular jobs.
- Send a letter or email to your reference, thanking them for agreeing to serve as a reference, and provide a current copy of your résumé.
- Prepare a written list of references to give to prospective employers (or to email to them). It should match the format, font style and font size of your résumé.
- You can also prepare an additional page that includes excerpts from — or reprints of — your LinkedIn Recommendations, but in hard copy format.
- Companies should ask your permission before contacting your references; however, simply providing contact information for references can be construed as permission to contact your references, in many cases.
- If you are asked to sign a release form for references, read it carefully, as it may authorize the company to contact unnamed references as well as the references you’ve listed. The release form may also authorize the company to conduct a background check (to see if you have any criminal or civil legal issues), and/or a credit check.
- Prepare your references to be contacted. Before an interview, re-contact them to make sure you can still use them as a reference. If you use their name as a reference for a particular job, contact your reference right after the interview. Give them the company name, position you’re seeking and the contact information for the person who will be contacting them. Let them know some of the specific skills, experience and achievements the reference checker may be interested in knowing about you.
As a general rule, “It’s all about who you know,” still holds up as the most important career advice you will ever get. It’s important that you build and manage relationships throughout your career. It’s also key that those people who you know actually know you. They need to be reminded about the great work you did with them in the past and they also need to know what you have been up to since you last worked with them, and what you are trying to do in the future. Taking the time to gather your references, and to have conversations with these people, is a critical step toward managing a successful career.
Dave Isbell is the Assistant Director of Alumni Professional Enrichment in the MSU Alumni Office. In this role he facilitates opportunities for alumni to engage in career content. Dave proudly graduated from MSU with a Master’s in Social Work in 2013. He is a Licensed Master Social Worker, Global Career Development Facilitator, Certified Online Instructor and Certified Human Resources Specialist. In addition to his part-time employment with MSU, Dave owns a private Mental Health and Couples Therapy practice and is the founding President of Mid-Michigan Emotionally Focused Therapy, a Not-For-Profit training and development organization.
Karen J. Reiff is an alumna of Michigan State University who recently retired from a 30+ year career as a Career Coach, Executive Resume Writer and Licensed Practical Counselor and is currently enjoying “life after work.” She was Dave Isbell’s GCDF Instructor early in his career and decades later remains a source of inspiration and friendship.
Contributing Writer(s): Dave Isbell ’13, LMSW, GCDF, COI, CHRS and Karen J. Reiff '77, ACRW
