Are you unsure if you are providing the best references to your potential employers? Let's discuss how to provide professional references, the importance of good references, and why it is important to stay in contact with your past employers.
Ask yourself, “When was the last time I reached out or spoke with this individual?” If you don’t remember the last time you spoke with them, it is time to reach out to them. It is crucial to reach out to your references before you send their information to a potential employer to ensure they are willing to be your reference.
We highly suggest not to provide a family member as a reference. More likely than not, your family will be biased when a potential employer calls them for a reference. Even if you aren’t the best employee, family members will do their best to only highlight your best traits, and avoid discussing your worst ones.
It is essential to always have at least three professional references to present to employers during the job search process. A lack of references can be worrisome for potential employers because it can show that you did not make a great impression on your co-workers or employers.
You should always ask someone for permission to list them as one of your references. Job seekers will sometimes list references in hopes that their potential employer will not reach out to them, but this is setting yourself up for failure because 87% of employers do reference checks as part of the hiring process. With almost 90% of employers checking references in 2022, reaching out to references before including them in your job search is no longer optional – it’s necessary.
You should always update your references regularly. Most employers will like at least one reference from your most recent position. If your reference list is over a year old, you may want to update it. Update the list by adding a co-worker or manager from your most recent job experience.