Recently in References and Recommendations Category

Pablo writes:

Hello, just a quick question: How do employers typically go about checking references? Or more importantly, what is the process they use to check a potential employee’s work history?

The Career Doctor responds:

First let me address the “how,” but let me also address the “when.”

The How: When checking references, employers usually start at the top of your list and go down, favoring professional references over personal references. They use the contact information you provide — usually by phone or by email. To check on work history, employers simply call the human-resources departments of the companies you list on your resume or job application and ask that they verify the dates of your employment; they may also ask about job titles and any other legally allowed tidbits about you.

If you’ve had some employment gaps or other problems, it is better to address them in other ways then to fudge start or end dates of employment.

The When: I know you are going to think I’m evading the answer, but the when really depends on the employer, the economy, the industry, and a few other factors. Because of recent scandals, my sense is more employers than in the past are carefully checking employment histories and references. Remember, though, that employers don’t usually start checking references until you made it into the group of finalists … so you have a positive head start.

Some employers will only call one or two references, and if they give glowing comments about you, then the employer often stops there. However, if you are getting only lukewarm references, not only are you in trouble, but the employer will probably go a little deeper into your background. Please remember to always ask people if they are willing to be a reference, and then always keep your references in the loop about the progress of your job-search,.

The bottom line: NEVER lie or mislead on your resume and always strive for the best references possible.

Read my article, published on QuintCareers.com: References: The Keys to Choosing and Using the Best Job References in Your Job Search.

Patrick writes:

I have a problem: 2 months ago I was terminated from my job on conflicts on a safety issue where I knew I was right about it. Well, finding a new job has been both depressing and not going well at all. It makes me wonder if my past employer is giving me a bad reference and reputation to where the prospective employers don’t want to sit down with me for an interview. Is there anything I can do about this?

And what should I say when asked on the applications why I left or reasons for leaving? The 20 or so rejection letters I can handle, But what will it take for someone to give me a chance and let me show them that I’m not what my old boss says I am??

The Career Doctor responds:

It’s certainly possible your former employer is giving you a negative recommendation, but it’s more likely that you have not properly dealt with the issue from a psychological and job-hunting perspective.

First, from the psychological perspective. Being fired is a traumatic experience. I don’t care what anyone says. Being fired hits us right in the ego. Our self-esteem takes a shot and it takes a little while for us to get over the shock and the hurt. It’s during this time that our mental well-being can affect our job-search efforts.

Second, from the job-hunting perspective. It’s not uncommon for people to give off signals even when we’re trying not to, and after being fired and feeling mentally hurt, we often do not do our best job-hunting, oftentimes signaling our fragile condition to prospective employers. What can you do about it? First, try and get over the disappointment and move onward with your life and your career. Next, make sure you have all your job-search materials in good order and that there are no indications of your termination in your cover letter or resume. Remember that you c ontrol what prospective employers learn about you; and on job applications, simply state that you left to seek new opportunities.

If you are not getting any interviews, it’s probably more to do with your job-hunting techniques or materials than your previous employers. References are usually not checked until an employer becomes a little more serious about you as a candidate. And if you’re really curious, you can always hire one of the companies that calls your former employers and tells you what they’re saying about you.

I suggest you read my article, Getting Fired: An Opportunity for Change and Growth.

Finally, if you’re interested in one of these reference-checking services go to the Job References & Career Portfolio Services section of Quintessential Careers.

Anonymous writes: I have a question about job references. I have had bad reports from two previous employers and want to know how to combat that in job interviews. I have always heard it said that you should never badmouth a former employer and that you should always give two weeks notice. However, I don’t plan on lying about why I left a certain job and hate fudging over the facts. I don’t want to blame a certain employer but I want the interviewer to clearly realize why I left the company. And I don’t see how companies, especially these days, can expect the courtesy of two-weeks notice when they can lay people off at will. In my own case, I was laid off with TWO days’ notice.

Your comments are appreciated.

The Career Doctor responds: No matter how strongly you feel about it, please do NOT rationalize, justify, or bad mouth any poor decisions made by your previous employers. Doing so will immediately label you as disgruntled in the eyes of your interviewer — and you might as well stop the interview because for all practical purposes it ended with your comments.

You might dislike not be completely honest about your feelings about a previous supervisor or employer, but in reality, no one really cares how you feel. You’re in a job interview — it’s a chance to sell yourself to the employer, not complain about previous experiences. Leave the baggage at home when you go to interviews.

It really sounds as though you have a chip on your shoulder, so beyond not talking about previous bad experiences, I would suggest you try and block them from your memory during job interviews. Attitude is a crucial element - and you need to project a positive one in interviews.

Are these things fair to us as job-seekers? Of course not, but in job interviews, the employer has the upper hand.

As for references, do you know for sure your former employers are giving you bad references? More to the point, who are you listing as references on your reference page? If you are concerned what former supervisors might say about you, ask colleagues and former coworkers, a mentor, and other people in your network to be a reference.

Finally, if you are truly concerned (or just plain curious) about what those former supervisors are saying about you, hire one of the reference-checking services (such as MyReferences.com) and find out. You can find links to all the major services in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job References & Portfolio Services.

Dave writes: I was digging around your career site looking for information on how to make best use of references. I am considering asking 2 former managers and 1 personal friend to be references for me but want to know how much coaching I should give them.

Do you have any articles or advice on this topic?

The Career Doctor responds: We offer two articles: How to Get and Use References and Recommendation Letters and The Keys to Choosing and Using the Best Job References.

First, never ever put names of references on your resume. References belong on a separate sheet of paper that matches the look and feel of your resume, but is simply titled “References.” And never give references to employers until they request them.

Second, think strategically about reference choices. You want the people who are going to make the strongest recommendations for you. Former supervisors do not have to be references, especially if they did not know all your accomplishments or you fear they will not have glowing things to say about you. Sometimes former co-workers make the best choices. Again, the key is people who will say positive things about you.

Third, you ideally want about three to five references — people who can speak highly of your accomplishments, work ethic, skills, education, performance, etc. For experienced job-seekers, most references should come from previous supervisors and co-workers, though you may also choose to list an educational (mentor) or personal (character) reference. For college students and recent grads, there is a little more flexibility, but ideally you have several references from internships or volunteer work in addition to professors and personal references. Avoid listing family members; clergy or friends are okay for personal references.

Fourth, get permission. Before you even think of listing someone as a reference, be sure and ask whether the person would be comfortable serving as a reference for you. Most people will be flattered — or at least willing to serve as a reference — but you still need to ask to be sure.

Fifth, get complete information from each reference: name, title, company, address, and contact information (daytime phone, email, cell phone, etc.).

Sixth, keep your references informed (and perhaps coached). Make sure each reference always has a copy of your most current resume, knows your key accomplishments and skills, and is aware of the jobs/positions you are seeking. Again, the best references are the ones that know who you are, what you can accomplish, and what you want to do.

Seventh, be sure to thank your references once your current job search is complete. Some companies never contact any references, some only check the first one or two, and some check all. Regardless, these people were willing to help you, and thanking them is simply a common courtesy.

Al writes:

My career has been sidetracked because my supervisor for the last 3 years is not supporting the accomplishments on my resume. I have tried using other references, but omitting my supervisor stands out because of my management position. I do great on the interview, but my references do not support my resume.

The Career Doctor responds:

Al, I think there are a couple of different issues here, so I will try and sort through them.

First, we’ve all had bosses that were unsupportive at best and conniving at worst. I’m sorry you are in this situation and you really need a plan to move on to a better situation — something it sounds as though you’ve been trying to do. I don’t know why you would keep using this person as a reference if s/he does not give you a good recommendation.

Second, there must be plenty of other people you can use as a reference — other managers and colleagues at your level who know your accomplishments or a supervisor from another division. You might also use a subordinate that you worked closely with. Or, try and find someone you worked closely with who is no longer at the company. If asked why you haven’t included your current supervisor, simply respond that s/he does not know you are currently looking for new employment — and that you would like to keep it that way.

Third, and this one is the hard one — have you been totally truthful about your accomplishments? Have you really accomplished all the things you say you did on your resume? Remember that a resume is a statement of facts. While you can put a spin on your accomplishments, the bottom line is that they all must be truthful statements.

Fourth, if you really want to know what your supervisor is saying about you — and you’re willing to pay for that information — you could consider using one of the reference-checking services listed at Quintessential Careers: Job References & Portfolio Services.

Best of luck in finding new employment.

Gilbert writes:

I understand that you have to put your supervisor down on the application but what happens if you worked for a terrible boss who never had anything nice to say about your work. Should I use someone else instead who knew how well I did or try to explain to the interviewer the situation?

The Career Doctor responds:

Don’t confuse the question of asking for your supervisor’s name on a job application with offering references. You need to be honest on your application and put your direct supervisor’s name on it, but, by all means, do not use that person as a reference if he or she will not say anything good about your work performance. And don’t leave that part blank on your application — that will only draw attention to the deficiency.

Remember that job-hunting is all about marketing yourself — you are the product, and you need to put the best polish on the product. Do not offer any negative information. Your goal should be to get a job offer, so keep that focus in mind. And if, during the interview, the interviewer asks why your current boss is not one of your references, simply state that the you feel the people on your reference sheet can do a better job of discussing all your unique qualifications. Don’t ever say that you are having problems with your current boss — and certainly NEVER say anything bad about your current (or former) boss. And stick to the truth; don’t ever lie.

Andrew writes:

I was curious how familiar you are with the process the HR or recruiting department goes through prior to making an offer?

Reason is, I have left a couple interviews with confidence I would get an offer. After a couple a weeks I received an ambiguous rejection letter. I am in middle management and would transfer as a Director or VP.

What do they check? Should I run a background check of myself based on what you tell me to see if there is anything out there hurting me?

The Career Doctor responds:

There could be any number of reasons why you have not had the success that you thought you would have in these interviews. Here is my list of the things you need to review:

• Think back to those interviews. First, why did you feel so confident? Was it rapport? Was it the answers you gave to the interview questions? Second, why were you interviewing with the human resources department and not someone in upper management? Were you getting a courtesy interview, or were you being screened for the next round of interviews? Third, think back to your body language and other nonverbal cues (such as how you were dressed, hand gestures, eye contact, etc.) — were you sending the right message?
• Did you do any kind of follow-up after the interviews? Did you send thank-you notes/letters to all those who interviewed you? Did you call the people who interviewed you and ask them about the next step in the process? Were you proactive or reactive in your approach?
• Do you have something in your background that could hurt you? How are your references? Do you have bad credit or other personal problems? (There are places that run background checks for you and give you the results — for a fee.)

Without knowing more about your situation, my guess is that you failed to be proactive and follow-up with these companies/positions. In job-hunting, you cannot wait for things to happen to you — you need to be aggressively pursuing the job/career opportunities that interest you. But, there could be other issues that you need to address, so please spend some time reviewing my list of things you need to review and make sure you are doing all that you can do to get that new job.

You may also want to read our article, Job Interview Post-Mortem: Deconstructing Your Job Interview’s Highs and Lows.

Greg writes:

I am in the process of locating a position after being employed for nine years with one employer. I have my resume completed, but I need to know what information to include on my references for the interviews.

The Career Doctor responds:

References are a funny thing. Most employers ask for them, but depending upon the position, only a small percentage of employers really bother to call all the people on a job-seeker’s reference list.

Here are a couple of tips regarding reference lists:

1. Never put references on your resume. Make a list on a separate sheet of paper that matches your resume (and cover letter).
2. Never include references with your resume and cover letter, unless specifically asked by the potential employer.
3. Choose people who know you professionally and can speak well of your skills, abilities, and accomplishments. Always list your strongest reference first.
4. Make sure you ask people if they mind serving as a reference for you — and then contact them again when you think they may be contacted by a potential employer.
5. Try to use people who know you professionally, but if you are a recent college graduate or someone returning to the workforce, you can list a personal (character) reference.
6. Make sure you completely identify each reference, including name, title, company, address, phone number, e-mail address.

Anonymous writes:

After leaving a company more than a year ago, is it a good ideal to go back to your former boss and ask for a letter of recommendation?

The Career Doctor responds:

It totally depends on how you left your old job and your relationship with your old boss. Have you been keeping him or her informed of your progress? Did you leave on good terms? Did you have a good working relationship with your old boss?

Assuming a “yes” answer to all the above questions, then definitely contact your old boss about a recommendation. There is no time limit or expiration on recommendations.

Joyce writes:

What can I do if I can’t find a reliable reference? I am about to graduate for the second time (2nd college degree in social work, first is in sociology), and I cannot seem to find anyone willing to write letters of reference for me or either be a reliable reference. I live in a small town where jealousy appears to run rampant. What can I do?

The Career Doctor responds:

Wow, you raise an interesting question. For college graduates, college would be the ideal places to get/request people to be references:

1. College professors. Any professors you have worked closely with, had for several classes, or was an adviser to an organization you belonged to would make a great reference.
2. College administrators. Any management-level administrators who you worked closely with would make a great reference.
3. Internship/Volunteer Work supervisors. Anyone who has supervised your actual work patterns would make an ideal reference.
4. Former employment supervisors. As long as your employment does not go too far back, those people who supervised your work — even if the work were waitressing or working in retail — would be a good reference.
5. Character references. Anyone who can discuss your character as a person, such as a family friend, clergy person, etc., would make a good reference.

Some other comments about references. Requesting people to be a prospective reference is much better than asking them to write a generic letter of recommendation, which many employers discount. In this case, you simply need the name (with correct spelling), title, and contact information for each person who is willing to be a reference. Then let the employers contact the people directly. Finally, never put actual references on your resume. Have a separate piece of paper (that matches your resume format) that lists your references — and make sure the people you list know they will be on your reference list.