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The Art of Using References in a Job Hunt By Anne McKinney, Prep Publishing You probably already know that you need to provide references during a job hunt, but you may not be sure of how and when to use references for maximum advantage. You can use references very creatively during a job hunt to call attention to your strengths and make yourself “stand out.” Your references will rarely get you a job, no matter how impressive the names, but the way you use references can boost the employer’s confidence in you and lead to a job offer in the least time. You should ask from three to five people, including people who have supervised you, if you can use them as a reference during your job hunt. You may not be able to ask your current boss since your job hunt is probably confidential. A common question in resume preparation is: “Do I need to put my references on my resume?” No, you don’t. Even if you create a references page at the same time you prepare your resume, you don’t need to mail, e-mail, or fax your references page with the resume and cover letter. Usually the potential employer is not interested in references until he meets you, so the earliest you need to have references ready is at the first interview. Obviously there are exceptions to this standard rule of thumb; sometimes an ad will ask you to send references with your first response. Wait until the employer requests references before providing them. An excellent attention-getting technique is to take to the first interview not just a page of references (giving names, addresses, and telephone numbers) but an actual letter of reference written by someone who knows you well and who preferable has supervised or employed you. A professional way to close the first interview is to thank the interviewer, shake his or her hand, and then say you’d like to give him or her a copy of a letter of reference from a previous employer. Hopefully you already made a good impression during the interview, but you’ll “close the sale” in a dynamic fashion if you leave a letter praising you and your accomplishments. For that reason, it’s a good idea to ask supervisors during your final weeks in a job if they will provide you with a written letter of recommendation which you can use in future job hunts. Whom should you ask to serve as references? References should be people who have known or supervised you in a professional, academic, or work situation. Prep-Pub.com (Opens New Window) Source: Prep Publishing
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