Often references are an afterthought in your job search. You may be so focused on making your resume stand out from your competition or practicing hard interview questions that you forget that employers may want to check your references. Then when you see this ask on an application or after an interview, you scramble to come up with names and contact information.

Reference checking is still a step in most employers' hiring process. HR.com reported in 2018 that a survey sponsored by the National Association of Background Screeners (NABS) found that 95 percent of surveyed employers used one or more types of employment background screening. An employer might conduct criminal background checks, educational background checks, reference checks, or a combination.

Why Do Employers Want to Conduct Reference Checks?

While some employers limit the types of information that their employees can give as a reference, reference checks can still be an excellent tool to discover whether the candidate has the knowledge, skills, and experience that they claim to have. Many employers feel that checking into this helps to reduce the risk involved with a hire. Candidates do lie on the resume. Candidates do exaggerate what they have accomplished and the experiences they have had. Reference checks can be a tool to discover this.

Who Can Be a Professional Reference?

Many people can be on this list. 

Professional References

Present Boss (work of volunteer) 

Former Boss

Peer

Direct Report

Teacher/High School or College Advisor or Counselor

Client

Vendor or Supplier

Most employers would prefer references from those that have supervised you. That is because they would best know how you work, your strong and weak skills, and your general attitude. Some employers will even specify that they need a certain number of people that fall into this category on your reference list.

On an application form, you may be asked whether they can contact your current supervisor for a reference check. Whether you agree to this is up to you. Most people will say no because they do not want their current supervisor to know they are in a job search. Yet, if you have talked with your current supervisor about your job search and know they know they would support you in finding another job and provide a positive reference, go ahead and add their name.

Personal References

Personal references can vouch for your character but do not have experience working with you in a business setting.

Family

Friends

Religious Officials

Sport Coaches

Personal references may be appropriate for teenagers with no work experience. Still, most employers will not desire this type of reference unless they can learn about your personality or values. 

How to Determine Who Should Act As a Reference

Think long and hard about who you wish to act as a reference for you. You want someone who knows you and can attest that you have the skills, knowledge, and experience that the prospective employer desires.

Here are a few things to think about when pondering who should act as a reference for you.

The Recency of Your Interactions

All things being equal, you will want someone that has worked with you recently. That way, they can attest to the skills, knowledge, and experience you have currently. Plus, they are better able to recall examples of accomplishments.

Quality of Relationship

Did you work with the person every day or once a year? Did you spend hours daily working together on a project or just a few total hours? Did this person sit next to you, and they could observe your interactions with others, or were they across the country, and you only spoke to them via conference call? The quality of your relationship matters. Try to find someone that knows you and how you work.

Can the Person Attest to Skills, Knowledge, or Experience Important to the Employer?

The best people to be references can speak to what the potential employer values in you. If the employer is very interested in your problem-solving ability, find someone that has seen you problem solve. If knowledge of specific software is vital to the potential employer, find someone that can attest to your expertise in that software. Make sure the reference can talk to what the employer would value in you.

What Information Do You Need to Give?

Most employers will ask for the following.

Name

Where the person lives

Telephone number

Email address

Relationship with the person (supervisor, peer, teacher, etc.)

If the person goes by a nickname, you should try to include this information. If the person has a difficult to pronounce name, you can help the prospective employer by providing the name's correct pronunciation.

Should You Put Reference Information on Your Resume?

Don't do this. While this used to be common on resumes many years ago, this has gone out of favor. It takes up valuable space, and the employer can always ask for it on an application or later if you will be seriously considered for a role. Also, you are giving the HR team access to the contact information of others. It is better not to do so unless it is needed. 

What Will Be Asked In a Reference Check?

Typically, the checker wants first to confirm that you worked at the employer during the dates indicated on your resume or application. Often, if the reference check is done with a former supervisor, there may be a question of whether you are eligible for rehire and whether the person would rehire you. You want to ensure that your reference will provide a "yes" answer to this, or you have explained during the interview process why the answer might be "no," especially if your employment was terminated for cause.

There will then be a set of questions that they will ask to solicit feedback. These will be questions either asked of all potential hires or devised specifically for the role or your unique background and experience.

These are common areas of inquiry.

Experience

Skills

Knowledge

Teamwork

Character

Work Ethic/Dedication

Typical questions might be the following.

"Tell me about working with (Name)."

"Can you tell me about (Name's) strengths and weaknesses?"

"How did (Name) work with others?"

"Tell me about (Name's) work ethic."

"Tell me about the work challenges that (Name) faced."

"What prompted (Name) to leave the organization?"

"Anything else you want to tell me about (Name)?"

So How Do You Ask Someone to Be a Reference?

The best way, if possible, is to have a phone conversation with the person. That way, you can catch up with the person before making your ask. You might also find out that the person is not in a good position to give you a reference due to poor health or travel commitments. You can also get a sense of how receptive the person will be to your ask. If they do not remember you well or are not particularly friendly on the phone, they may not be the best person to vouch for you. This is something you may not pick up if you are communicating by text or email. 

When you make the ask, be direct. Tell the person that you would like them to act as a reference for you if they are willing. Always phrase you ask in a way that you give a polite way to back out if the person is not interested. You never want someone to give you a reference unwillingly. That can backfire on you.

How to Prepare Your Reference for What They Might Be Asked

Preparing your reference for what might be asked is extremely important and often overlooked. You should always give your reference information about the position and company so that the answers given show your value to this employer. This means that as you get to the final stage of each interview, you should let your references know about the opportunity and what you have learned through the process.

Here is my advice on what you should do.

-Tell the person about the job. What will be your day-to-day responsibilities and the work environment.

-Provide a job description to the reference so they also can read about the job and any information about the company.

-Talk about what you have been learned through the hiring process

-About the job

-About the organization

-About the supervisor

-If there is a specific experience or accomplishment you think is important for your reference to talk about, let them know. Most references find it easier to answer questions if you give some guidance on what to talk about.

Letter of Recommendations

A personalized letter of recommendation from your reference to the hiring manager for a job your really want can set you apart from your competition. This is a big ask of your reference, but many will be happy to do this. This is best asked of former managers or important customers or clients. To make this as effective as possible, provide you reference information about what the hiring manager and company values so the writer can speak directly to this. These letters should not be long, at the most one page. 

An employer may be happy to take this type of communication instead of a reference check phone call. Advise the writer, though, to include how they know you, what role you had (and they had), the company where you worked, and approximate dates.

Conclusion

As part of your job search plan, do not overlook your references. While some employers are getting away from references, as they do not find them of great value, many employers still do them. Don't wait until the last minute to think about this. Get your list together now.

Your references might want to know your value proposition for this employer. Don’t know what that is? Read more about developing a value proposition.

Shelley Piedmont is a job search coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume preparation, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.