The Importance of References and How to Obtain Them
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When applying for a job, it’s not uncommon for potential employers to ask you to supply them with letters of recommendation (or references) from your previous employers. After all, they want to find out more about what makes you tick, how you differ from the other candidates, and what you could potentially bring to the company if they were to hire you.
What are References?
References are documents that typically contain the following information provided by your previous employers: your skills, your attributes, your experiences, your successes, the position(s) you held while in their employ and how you contributed to the workplace during the period you worked for them. Essentially, they are more or less vouching for you.
In other words, references could potentially make or break your chances of getting hired, or at least help you progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.
But how do you go about acquiring these documents from previous employers?
What You Need to Do
If potential employers request that you supply them with references, remember to keep these five pointers in mind:
- Reach Out to The Right Person
Typically, the person who directly oversaw you, ie. who knew you best – such as a manager, supervisor, etc – at your previous place of employment is the one who is best suited to write a letter of recommendation. After all, they know your strengths, are familiar with your qualities and/or skills (particularly if they helped you develop them), and are able to provide concrete examples regarding when and where you were able to exercise all of these.
Of course, there are fears regarding obtaining references: perhaps you left your previous place of employment on bad terms or you were fired from the position for specific reasons. Maybe even the person you wish to obtain a reference from refuses to supply you with one.
In either of these situations, reach out to them anyway, as they may still be willing to assist you. Alternatively, you can either approach an HR representative or a more senior colleague – as they may hold no ill will towards you and/or will maintain a neutral attitude – or simply seek a reference letter from another previous employer altogether.
- Be Polite
Whether you’re reaching out via telephone or email, it’s crucial to always be courteous, polite and positive when requesting references. After all, there is nothing to be gained from acting entitled, rude and casual towards the people who could possibly set aside time in their own busy schedules to help you out.
Whether or not they can help you, never forget to show your former employer appreciation for their time. Remember to also keep open a line of communication, eg. “Thank you for taking the time to read my email/take my call regarding this matter, I look forward to hearing from you.”
- Be Specific
When communicating your request for a reference, it’s important to be as clear as possible. Start by telling the person that you are applying for a specific position at a certain company. Politely ask them to highlight your past and present experiences, as well as your strengths, skills and qualities, so that potential employers can see if these align with the requirements of the aforementioned position.
To help the person who is writing the reference letter (especially if it has been a couple of years since you last worked with/for them), you can also send them a copy of your CV, as well as a list of achievements that you accrued while working for them.
Let them know if the reference needs to be written in a certain format (email, online form, etc) and to whom they must send it.
- Be Time-Conscious
Potential employers may want you to supply them with references by a certain date. As such, you should never leave this matter to the last minute.
Let your previous employers know when the deadline is. That way, it will give them time to recollect your time working for them, sift through the additional documents you gave them and craft a properly-structured reference letter without feeling rushed.
- Follow Up
If you’re still awaiting a response regarding your request, follow up with your previous employer by writing another email or telephoning them. Open the email or call with a polite introduction, refer to your previous interaction and restate your purpose for reaching out.
For example: “Dear sir/madam, I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to follow up on the email I sent last Monday about obtaining a reference letter from you in support of my job application.”
Referred for Success!
Use these pointers as a guideline to help you obtain references from previous employers. Hopefully, this will serve you well on your journey towards getting your dream job – good luck!