A professional reference can make or break a job opportunity. When employers request references, they’re asking for an endorsement of your skills and experience from a qualified source. When a reference provides a great referral, it confirms your strengths and abilities. But if a reference provides a less than stellar review, it can be detrimental to your job opportunity.
Be prepared to provide trustworthy references who can vouch for your work to potential employers with these best practices for professional references.
Who to List as a Reference
A reference should be someone who has witnessed your best work and who would do a great job speaking to your strengths, talents, and characteristics. A mentor, coworker, or former boss who you have maintained a good relationship with may serve as wonderful professional references.
Family and friends generally shouldn’t serve as references, unless a personal reference is requested. In that scenario, choose your reference very carefully and make sure you ask someone who is willing and able to speak positively of you in support of your career goals.
When might a reference be needed?
References are commonly requested on job applications and may require providing your reference’s name and contact information. This is the most common method of providing references, but you may also choose to list references as “available upon request” on your resume.
A timeless letter of recommendation can also serve as a testament to your skills. A letter of recommendation may be requested from someone such as a company executive you’ve worked closely with who may not be available to take reference calls, or from a professor if you’ve pursued higher education.
Best Practices to Request References
- Ask permission to list a contact as a reference. Some references may allow you to list them on any application at any time, while others may prefer to know the specifics of jobs you’re applying to so they can customize their message.
- Communicate what you’d like your references to share if they’re contacted. Would you like your reference to highlight your soft skills, examples of collaboration, or your project management capabilities?
- Stay in touch. Maintain a relationship with your references and share your wins and coachable moments with them. If you have the type of relationship that you trust them enough to list them as a reference, it’s likely a relationship worth continually investing in.
The best way to ensure you have great references for future job opportunities is to invest in building relationships. Cultivating positive relationships while proving your skills, characteristics, and work ethic can prepare you to succeed. If you’re unable to identify connections who can provide professional references, consider providing a character or personal reference.
It’s never too late to improve your professional network, so take advantage of networking events, professional development, and learning opportunities. Interacting with like-minded individuals may open the door to cultivating relationships with others who want to see you succeed, and who may be willing to serve as a reference once they get to know you.
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