References- They can be the difference between getting a job….or not! So, what exactly is a Reference? A reference is someone who will speak to your talents and experience. A reference is usually someone who you have worked for in the past and who knows your work ethic very well. Who can act as Reference? If you have worked before, you will want to choose your supervisor or manager as your reference. Choose a person who knows how you work the best- someone who will speak highly of your skills and abilities. Your reference could be the difference between you getting the job or not, so it is important you choose someone who knows how hard you work on the job! When you have chosen your reference, it is vitally important that you ASK them to be your reference! You must never assume someone will agree to be your reference. Furthermore, you must ASK EVERYTIME you apply for a job- asking once is not enough. You do not want your reference to be surprised by a call from your future employer- it is best if your reference is prepared and ready to answer questions about your past performance on the job. If you have never worked, you can use personal references but be sure to label these on your reference page so your future employer knows that they are personal and not professional references. Similarly, for personal references, you want to choose people who know you well and will say wonderful things about you! This could be a teacher, a coach or a family friend. You should NOT choose your Mom or your best friend! What if I didn’t leave my last job on good terms? Sometimes a job ends on bad terms- maybe you were dismissed or you quit. Depending on the situation, you could still use your last employer as a reference. If you did not get along with your manager/supervisor, you could look to ask someone else at the workplace to be your reference- perhaps a co worker, a different manager or supervisor. If you feel you can not use references from that job, simply list the employer in the employment section of your resume and do not use them as a reference. Listing your References on your Reference Page After you complete your resume and cover letter, you must complete your Reference page. This is kept with you until you get an interview. On your resume, at the bottom, you can write: “References Available Upon Request.” Always list your References in chronological order, or, by the most current reference (your employer now) to the least current. If they are all personal references, list by alphabetical order. Once you have worked out the order, list their full name, job title, email and phone number. Reference example: John Smith- Manager at Bayer’s Lake Winners [email protected] 902-123-4567 When do I give out my references? Once you have been given an interview time from a future employer, you will want to call all your references to ensure they will be a reference for you. You never know when they could be away on vacation! At the interview, you will want to bring your reference page with you and give it to the interviewer when asked. If they don’t ask, you can politely ask them if they would like to have a copy of your references.
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