Job references: Who, when and what

References are still the go-to quality check for recruiters and hiring managers. How else are they able to confirm that you are a fantastic candidate? Ally yourself with your most trusted acquaintances that will be able to verify all the information you have put in your CV!

Why are references still relevant?

For a recruiter or hiring manager, it’s essential to verify specific details about your career or past employment when you’re in a recruiting process. References are helpful when reviewing if you’re the right match for the role on offer because others can attest to your results, skills and teamwork abilities, thus verifying to a recruiter that the information in your CV is legit. Mainly, job references can be the main determining factor when reviewing two great candidates. They can either make or break your chances of landing the job!

Managers and team leaders

The people who know the most about your results and who are the most capable of evaluating you are your former managers or team leaders. They’re the ones who evaluated your performances based on the agreed KPIs and thus, are the most equipped to answer questions about your results, skills and cooperative skills. If you had a good working relationship with a former manager, you should ask him or her to be your reference!

Two rules when using managers as references: don’t use your current manager as a reference unless there’s some special arrangement that makes it possible, e.g. the company is closing, and don’t use your former manager if you parted ways on bad terms. First off, you don’t want to burn any bridges with your current employer, and secondly, chances are they won’t speak very fondly of you.

Coworkers are your trusted advisors

You probably have one or two close coworkers, and you might even call them your friends. If you trust your coworker, consider using him or her as a reference the next time you require one! There’s nothing wrong in using past or current coworkers. Though it’s not an approach that was deemed appropriate just a decade ago, it’s becoming more usual to use past or present coworkers as references. 

They’re the ones you’ve worked with 37 hours a week, and they have a great understanding of how you function and perform on a day to day basis. They won’t be able to tell as much about your results from a leadership point of view, but they have the best and most detailed insight on how you perform in a team setting and can tell the recruiter about your reliability, your teamwork and your skills.

Former or current clients

Using past or present clients might seem a bit weird or out of place because why should you involve an old or existing client? The answer is pretty straightforward: the client knows what you delivered and how you work on projects. A recruiter won’t get much more insightful or detailed information about your work from anyone else, even your former managers!

The client will also be able to tell them about your cooperative skills and communicative capabilities which are critical factors when working with clients. Go through some of your older projects and find a client you worked closely with. Maybe you don’t even have to look through old emails or folders if you already have a close relationship with a former or current client, call them and ask if they want to vouch for you!

How to approach your contacts

Contact your references before the job interview and talk to them about in what capacity will you use them. Some will better be able to tell a hiring manager about your hard skills and others will be more knowledgeable in your cooperative skills. Categorise your references into the following brackets:

• Can explain more about your hard skills
• Can explain more about your results
• Can tell more about you as a coworker
• Can speak more about you as a team member/ employee

If you have at least two references, which can cover the four brackets you’re good to go. You should have at least one former manager or boss as a reference, as they will be able to cover most of the crucial things that recruiter and hiring managers ask about: are you ready to do the job and how do you perform in a team?

There’s no harm in talking to your references beforehand. We recommend that you let them know that someone will call them sooner rather than later and ask about your performances. This approach will also prepare them and allow them to refresh their memory about you as an employee or coworker.

Brief your references after the job interview

Before they get a call from the hiring manager, do the courtesy of calling your contacts and let them know what you’ve told the hiring manager. Thanks to your briefing they will be better equipped to answer questions about your employment and will, in turn, be a better representative to you. Once again we must stress that there’s nothing wrong in calling your references and briefing them beforehand because you don’t want them to be caught off guard and unprepared.

An excellent reference will increase your chances of getting the job. Your CV can be great on its own, but if no one can verify your employment, job tasks and results, they’re less likely to trust your abilities on paper alone. You need one or two voices who can tell recruiters and hiring managers that you’re an excellent fit for the company and that your skillset is the best among all the candidates in the recruiting process!