Asking for a Reference

In some cases, having the right professional references can make or break the chances of you getting a job. Employers rely on references to give them insight into your personality, work history and talents, so it's important to choose your job references carefully. Follow these tips to choose the right professional references during the hiring process.

Before you ask anyone to serve as a professional reference, review the job description carefully. Not all of your references can talk knowledgeably about every one of your qualifications. If the job calls for project-management experience, a good reference would be someone who supervised you when you led a year-long project. That person can tell the hiring manager if you met deadlines, kept the project under budget and did a good job of leading the project team.

The people who serve as your professional references are doing you a favor, so common courtesy is a must. Alert your references ahead of time if you expect a potential employer to call them. If you feel comfortable doing so, write a letter of reference that highlights your skills and achievements. Give a copy to each of your professional references to refer to before they speak with potential employers. If writing your own reference letter feels a bit awkward, give your job references a list of your professional skills, educational achievements and job accomplishments.

Make it easy for people to provide strong references for you. Every time you ask someone to be a reference, you should provide a copy of your resume and a copy of the job description. If the job description mentions organizational skills and experience working in a high-pressure environment, your references can focus on those things when they talk to hiring managers. The more closely your references match the requirements of the job opening, the better your chances of getting the job.

Once you identify suitable professional references, it's important to remember that you shouldn't use the same references for every job. This is a common mistake. Each time you apply for a job, you want to use professional references who can vouch for your ability to do that particular job. Your manager from your first job might be able to talk about your personality or punctuality, but she won't be able to talk about the skills you've developed since you left that job. If a reference doesn't mention certain skills, the hiring manager might just assume you don't have those skills at all.

It's important to maintain good relationships with past supervisors and colleagues, even if it's been several years since you've worked together. If you have positive relationships with people, it is much easier to choose the right professional references for each job opening that interests you.

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