What references should i use for jobs

From Your email address. Your email has been sent. Thank you. When you apply for jobs, you will be asked for references. What types of references are important? Employment references include past employers, co-workers, subordinates, or clients. They can speak about your specific employment experience.

You can also list people for whom you perform volunteer activities, babysitting, lawn mowing, and other odd jobs. Professional references are people who know you on a professional basis.

They may include contacts from business and sales, clubs, or professional or community organizations. Academic references are instructors and vocational counselors. They can speak about your academic activities. These are most appropriate for current students or recent graduates. Personal references are people who know you personally and can describe your skills. Only use this type of reference if you do not have the other types.

Use the names of people who can tell an employer you can be depended on to do a good job. How do you choose people? Select people who honestly know you and will speak objectively.

Avoid using family members or close friends as references. Avoid references that may be controversial or may concern the employer. This includes clergy, counselors, or social workers, less they are relevant to the job. Someone who is influential in the community or business may be an effective reference, if they can speak about you related to employment. How can you prepare a reference for the employer's contact? Find out how the reference would prefer to be contacted. Get permission to give out his or her contact information: name and phone number or e-mail address.

Find out the best times to reach her or him. Discuss your job search goals and the specific employers who may be calling. Many references prefer to see the job description and your resume so they can answer specific questions. What other documents might help? Job Search. Top Questions. How do I get started looking for a job? Where can I get help with my resume? Character references can substitute for work references if there are no other alternatives. They can be friends, a landlord, clients or anyone who can speak to your good personal qualities such as your honesty, dependability, good nature, etc.

If they have firsthand knowledge of your work skills, that is even more useful. Close relatives are not generally acceptable references and neither are people who do not know you well. You may not want to include references from areas of your life you prefer to keep private or that may conflict with your interviewer's values. For example, personal counsellors, therapists, religious leaders or leaders of political or military parties in your home country may not always be appropriate references.

If you still do not have enough references, you may want to consider taking a course in your field of interest. If you participate in class and make a good impression, the teacher or other program staff may be willing to act as a reference for you.

Volunteering is also a good way to develop references. However, some organizations do not provide references for volunteers, so it is a good idea to check what the policy is. Once you have good references, you should try to keep in touch with them frequently.

Let them know how your job search is going and thank them for their efforts. You should ask someone if they will be a reference for you before you give their name to a potential employer.

For academic references, it can be useful to remind teachers about your projects or grades. After creating your list, consider what each individual might say about you, including their stance on your work ethic. For example, if you had a previous disagreement with one of the coworkers on your list, that may have an impact on how they respond to questions. In other cases, depending on the job, some references may have better information regarding your skills than others.

Study your list carefully and understand what each reference brings to your application. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. Finding a Job. What is a reference? Why are references important? Types of references. Work-related references. Current coworkers are one of the best options to choose from because they know how you work at the moment of your new application.

Previous coworkers are familiar with working with you and understand the way you handle tasks. They're also one of the best options, although they cannot account for any recent changes in your behavior or work habits. Supervisors provide excellent feedback because they see you from the same perspective as your new supervisor or hiring manager will.

These individuals can vouch for your behavior as an employee, such as punctuality, and your method of addressing conflict. Employers sometimes have little direct contact with you, but they can report on your overall performance. They know your background, and in some circumstances, provide details they remember from your reviews.

Other connections such as teammates and mentors provide beneficial information if you cannot access individuals listed above. Teammates speak on your behavior within a team environment and about your work ethic. Any mentors that trained you can explain your determination and willingness to learn. Character references. Long-time friends provide in-depth information on your character, your background and more. They know how you react in challenging situations and vouch for your reliability.

Family friends are individuals who are close to you and know you on a more personal level with family. They address your communication skills and how you interact with others. Academic references. Professors are viable options in place of managers. Professors discuss your performance as a student and your overall character and ways of thinking.