Employment References

While preparing for your job search you will need to put together a list of employment references. These will be managers and co-workers you have worked for in the past. Include at least one of each. Typically, providing information related to positions held over last ten years will suffice. Do not include this list with your resume unless specifically requested; use a separate document for this.

Ensuring the information is complete and updated in advance is highly recommended. It’s not uncommon for people to move on without us knowing it, so doing this early will prevent problems when you reach the offer stage. Asking for your reference's approval in advance is respectful and appropriate. You can use this opportunity to discuss the position you’re applying for and explain why you feel this is the right career choice for you. Your excitement will be communicated to the new employer through the reference.

Things to include on your reference sheet are:

• Full Name
• Company where you worked together
• Title during your association
• Dates that you worked together
• Phone numbers where they can be reached
• E-mail addresses

You want to limit the contact someone has with your reference, so I would encourage you not to provide them until you’ve reached the interview stage. If you must, submit the list with a provision that they will not be contacted until you have given specific written approval.

You might also want to review the modern tools that employers have at their disposal to conduct other types of Employment Reference checks or investigations. Sophisticated companies no longer rely on reference checks alone to make their hiring decisions. Yet another reason to make sure the information provided by you is accurate.

Finally, many employers are reluctant to do much more than verify information presented to them. So realize you can't control what they will say about you. However, you can coach your personal references to ensure their answers are consistent with yours and come to an agreement on your work history and performance. Remember to keep it real, if a prospective employer feels they are being snowed they will most likely move on to another candidate.