I don’t know how many times I have answered my phone in shock only to hear the caller requesting a job reference for someone I had not heard from in years. I have even had people I know give my name as a job reference and they never even worked for me.
I once gave a young lady a reference for a job. She ended up getting the job and she never let me know about it. One day I walked in the place where she worked and I ran into her.
When giving prospective employers your job references, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Get the person’s permission before giving their name to a job prospect.
- Make sure you let the references know someone will be contacting them.
- Tell the references what type of job you are applying for.
- If giving the name of past employers to prospective employers, make sure you have a good relationship with your past employer.
- If the references are contacted by the prospective employer, be courteous enough to let them know whether you got the job or not.
- Send the references a thank-you card whether you get the job or not.
