Then again, who reported to you? It’s often the people who work for you that know you best. 5. What’s the correct format for references? Always provide the pertinent contact details. There’s nothing more frustrating for an employer than trying to contact references with incorrect or outdated information. If they have to hunt down your references, you’re much more likely to wind up in the discard pile - wrong information projects (your) lack of attention to detail. References should include company name, reference title, name, email, mailing address and phone. Also, include a quick blurb regarding your relationship to the reference. Once you’ve created a great list of references, stay in their good graces. Always follow the “Golden Rules of Job Reference Etiquette”: 1. Call your former bosses and ask them if they are willing to provide favorable job references on your behalf. As an additional courtesy, offer them an update on your career. 2. Let your references know each and every time you give out their contact information and thank them for their efforts. 3. Keep your positive references informed of your career and educational progress. They will be more inclined to see you in a stronger light as you progress. 4. Note that spending time communicating with your prospective employer takes valuable time from your references’ workdays. If you plan to use these positive references over the years, you need to give something back. For instance, each time your reference supports you with a new prospective employer, send them a personal thank-you letter or (at a minimum) an email. Better still, send a thank-you note with a gift card for Starbucks, or offer to take your former boss to lunch/dinner. 5. If you win the new position, call or email your former boss and thank them again for their support. Also, let them know your new contact information. Present your references in the best light and then treat them like the valuable commodities they are. They will truly be invaluable assets in your search for that new job. CHAPTER 24 In recent years, the reference-checking landscape has changed dramatically for prospective employers and job seekers alike. The advent of social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook allow prospective employers to quickly research reference data on a prospective candidate, says professional reference checking company Allison & Taylor Reference Checking. This is a boon from the hiring manager/recruiter perspective, as vast personal and professional networks can be accessed - the membership of LinkedIn alone exceeds 135 million members. Social media opens the candidate pool; estimates suggest that a significant majority of hiring managers recruited through social networks in 2011- and that this trend will continue. In addition, many hiring managers use social media such using as LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook (in addition to general Google searches) to check a potential candidate’s background. An employer can type in the candidate’s name, previous employers and dates of employment and might well come up with the names of a wide variety of current and former associates. What’s more, prospective employers can access the information on these sites even before a candidate is interviewed in person. What are the ramifications for you, the job seeker? For one, a prospective employer might be able to access former references that are not those you would normally provide as references. Simply offering up the name of your former Human Resources representative, or of your immediate supervisor, might not be sufficient if an employer is able to utilize social media tools to access the names of your second-level supervisors or other key associates. 5 Steps to Manage Your Job References in the Social Media Age How to Use Social Media to Your Advantage in The Job Market
Resumes Win Interviews References Win Job Offers
28
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online