Richman: Let’s get real about references
Richman: Let’s get real about references
Not just any name will do when it comes to references. The trick to finding the best ones is identifying those who will best represent your interests and, once you find them, knowing how to sign them up.
You need references who will speak knowledgeably about your interpersonal and technical skills, strengths and abilities. They should be individuals to whom you have reported directly or indirectly. They should be people who can be trusted with your intention to interview at a company other than the one where you currently work.
Beware the temptation to ask people whose recommendations aren’t apt to be much help, such as:
• Character references — those who know you socially but not professionally.
• People who don’t know you and are only willing to help because they owe a favor to people you know.
• Individuals who know what you do but don’t think much of it.
• Or people who know you from your workplace but don’t know anything else about you.
Think that through and come up with a list of possible contenders.
Wait a minute — I have a problem. If I don’t use family connections I may be out of luck. Here’s why: I don’t know what my bosses thought of me. My most recent boss didn’t do performance reviews. He said if we were still employed we should consider ourselves lucky. The boss before that said I was great but he said everyone was great so I don’t know if he knew the difference. He’s retired now and I don’t know where he is. Should I list both of them and hope that neither one is called?
You can find your retired boss. He sounds like he was a likeable guy so he had friends who know where he is. Start making calls and when you reach him, be sure to ask about his well-being before you launch into yours. Let him know about your career and where you’d like to take it next. Ask for his take on what you’ve described. If he clearly remembers your work and sounds enthusiastic about your future, ask him to be a reference for you. If at that point he hesitates or qualifies his response with a throat-clearing or a “however,” thank him for his kindness and his time, but don’t include him on your list.
What should I do about my most recent boss, the one who didn’t give any of us feedback?
Find him. Ask him what you asked his predecessor and follow up in the same way. If he’s positive, he goes on the list. If he hesitates, prompt him to tell you more about what he sees as a better direction for you. You may learn more from him in this conversation than you did when he was your manager.
In this tight job market where each opening has to be justified and each applicant has to be scrutinized, more employers are checking references. As the applicant, it pays to line up references who serve you best and to sideline those whose responses do no harm, but do no good, either.
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of “Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success.” You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Richman’s latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during “The Good Morning Show” on WFMY News 2. You can find this column online by visiting www.TriadCareers.com/whois/joyce_richman.
