How to Ask for Recommendations

Although you're not required to list references on your resume, recruiters will generally start asking for letters of recommendation or the contact information for your references when they call you for an interview. Having a solid reference letter or two at hand can improve your chances of landing the job you want. Here are a few tips for asking for letters of recommendation from bosses, coworkers, professors, and others.

At a minimum, you should get three recommendations because employers call an average of three people when checking references for candidates. However, you should be selective about whom you ask to write a recommendation for you. While a person may say good things about you in the letter, if he or she doesn't truly support you, the individual may put a stop to the opportunity when speaking to the recruiter in person or on the phone. Be certain you're asking for letters of recommendation from people who can sincerely speak positively about you and your abilities.

Many people feel that asking for letters of recommendation in person is the best way to go about getting them, but face-to-face contact may put undue pressure on individuals to commit to the task. It's best to send a written request via email or postal mail. This gives people the ability to politely decline without having to deal with the social pressure of looking you in the face while doing so. This increases the likelihood you'll get people who truly support your job-hunting efforts.

Rather than simply asking people if they can write recommendations for you, ask them if they know your work well enough to write good but honest references. Unless you have worked with the person recently, you should offer to provide a reference writer with an updated copy of your resume and the job description of the position you're applying for. You'll have a much better chance of getting the job if your letters of recommendation specifically address the skills and knowledge needed to perform well in the position.

If you're asking for letters of recommendation for social media sites like LinkedIn, be sure to include a link to your profile. It's important to note that some people are uncomfortable having their names online because of privacy issues. Therefore, you should make sure people are okay with having the letters used in this way before posting them online.

A reference letter from the right person can be your ticket to the job of your dreams. Though it can be challenging asking for letters of recommendation, doing so can prove to be highly beneficial to your career.

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