Three times this year I have
been told stories how a company had selected a final candidate for a position
only to change their mind after talking with their references. Just image having the perfect job
within your grasp only to have it ripped out of your hands by something your
reference unknowingly says. My
emotional reaction is to blame the reference, but this is not fair or correct. The true mistake is on the part of the
candidate for not doing their homework and preparing the reference for the
phone call.
When selecting your
references you should follow a careful process of selection, preparation and
follow-up. Selection and
preparation should be completed very early in your job search while the
follow-up takes place when an employer asks for references.
Selecting References
Start by constructing a list
of potential references. The goal
is to have a minimum of six references, five professional and one personal, but
having eight or ten to choose from is even better. As you brainstorm your list of references write down your
relationship with them, how long you have known them and what transferable
skills and personal characteristics they could verify about you to a potential
employer. Based on this
information you would select which people to contact to ask to be a reference.
Preparing Your References
Call each reference to
update them on your job situation and ask if they would be willing to speak on
your behalf. When they say yes thank
them, confirm what phone number and email address they prefer, and ask them
what they would say when a potential employer calls. Listen and take notes, as you will use this information later
in the process. Ask them if they
are comfortable speaking about the transferable skills and personal
characteristics you identified. At
the conclusion of the conversation tell them that you will put together a draft
of what you will provide an employer and send it to them for their agreement.
Draft your reference
document with two specific differences.
First, do not include email addresses. You do not want an employer sending questions to your
references by email, you want them to talk directly to each other. Second, under each reference write two
or three sentences explaining your relationship with the person and what skills
and characteristics they can verify.
What you write is a summary of your notes from the phone conversation
you had with your reference.
Send this document to each of
your references. Explain this is
what you will be providing to a potential employer and you want to receive
their agreement that it is accurate and they are comfortable speaking to the
specific points listed. If they
say yes you are set. If they would
like changes confirm the changes, redraft the document and resend it to
them. Once you have confirmation
from all your references you are prepared.
Follow-up
You have completed three
rounds of interviews and an employer asks for references. Never bring references with you to an
interview. You want to be able to
select the best references based on the company, position and hiring
manager. When asked for references
ask how many they would like and that you will email the list to them as soon
as you return home.
Review your list of
references and select the ones that will best represent you for this specific
situation. Cut and paste your
selections to a separate document, which you will send to the employer. At the same time send the same document
to each reference along with the name of the company, what they do, the job
title and brief description of the job you are applying. This prepares your reference for the
call so they are not surprised, they have information about the company and job
and most important it provides them your agreed upon script of what they will
say about you. The chances that
the reference will be able to find the original document that you sent,
possibly months ago, is remote so make it easy for them to be prepared.
Call each reference to let
them know you have provided their name as a reference and that you have sent
the information they will need when they are called. Ask that they notify you if they are contacted so that you
can be briefed on the conversation and that you will follow up with them in the
next week regardless.
Remember this is your job
search and your responsibility to be prepared. Always know what you will say or others will say about you
before the questions are asked.
Frank
Danzo is President of Career Networking Pro and author of the book People Hire People – Not Resumes.
