Candidates often overlook the importance of a great professional reference. By the time an employer is asking for references, you are usually a couple interviews deep and among the final four candidates. However, the majority of employers shift their opinion of a candidate after speaking with a reference, with 47 percent of employers having a less favorable opinion than before. So what should you consider when choosing a professional reference?
The Full Picture
Giving a standard list of your most recent supervisors isn’t always going to give a hiring manager the best overall idea of who you are as a worker and a person. Maybe you were close with a particular co-worker or coach that may not know all of your professional skills, but could attest to your character. It’s important for employers to feel as though they know you and can see exactly how you would fit into their company culture.
Recent and Relevant
If you are applying for a traveling nurse position, your boss from your call center job right out of college isn’t going to be able to speak to your relevant skills as much as your bosses from the healthcare jobs that you have held.
It is beneficial to give the most recent experience you have, not only because it should reflect the most knowledgeable and skillful you, but it’s also a better indication of who you are as an employee at that time. Be sure to include a recent boss or co-worker on your reference list at all times.
A Good and Willing Reference
These people may be harder to find than you think. Even if you never rubbed a previous supervisor the wrong way, if you don’t have a close enough rapport with them to notify and prepare them for a phone call, then it won’t matter how highly they think of you. If one of your references is caught off guard and doesn’t know what position you are applying for, they won’t be able to speak to your strengths that would be most pertinent to that given role.
Find someone you will be able to notify, and prepare this reference for how the conversation should go. Be sure not to overstep and inundate any reference to the point of annoyance, otherwise you may burn a valuable bridge.
To find the right job, utilize another invaluable resource – a trusted staffing agency like Management Registry, Inc. We are a leader in healthcare hiring, traveling healthcare jobs, HR positions, finance roles, IT staffing and more. To take your career to the next level, contact MRInc today.