Professional References

How do you select the right references for your career search? Consider the suggestions below:

1. Provide recruiters and hiring companies a minimum of three references.
2. The list should include a recent supervisor, a peer, a direct report (if you manage others), and a customer (if you are interviewing for a customer-interfacing role).
3. Secure permission of the reference prior to providing them as a contact.
4. If you anticipate an offer, call your references in advance to advise them of the opportunity and the name of the individual who will be doing the referencing checking.
5. Make sure you know what your references will say about you to ensure that they are references who will be support or further enhance what the company knows about you.
6. Stay in periodic contact with your references to be sure their contact information is up-to-date and ready to go as soon as the reference list is requested.
7. List several ways to contact each reference, especially those that may be difficult to reach as a result of travel schedules. Provide, or have available, alternate references in the event one of your primary references is not available.

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