Posted

PrideStaff Akron

As you put your job information together, you’ll obviously need a list of references; nearly every company will want to speak with others who can vouch for you, and they may dig deep. However, you need to take some consideration into exactly whom you choose. And there are some people you simply should not use as references.

 

  • Someone you haven’t had contact with for years.

Sure, you may have done some great work at that job from ten years ago, but companies want to hear from someone whom you’ve worked with far more recently. Plus, if the reference doesn’t remember you well, that will simply become embarrassing and unhelpful for you.

 

  • Someone you don’t know well (or at all).

The point of a reference is to have a potential employer speak with a fellow colleague or manager who worked closely with you and can vouch for your quality of employment and character. An acquaintance can’t give any of that information because, quite simply, they don’t have it. You want someone who can recount specifics of projects they’ve worked on with you, for example. A reference who obviously doesn’t know you will also make an interviewer wonder why you chose that person to speak for you.

 

  • Someone who hasn’t worked for ten years or more.

This person may have worked closely with you and could sing your praises, but if they’re no longer in the industry, they won’t know the trends and can’t speak to your performance in relation to them. Again, the more current, the better.

 

  • Someone who fired you.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but some employees think they must use their immediate supervisor, even if that person let them go.  In this case, you may use a supervisor from a previous (but still recent) position or perhaps another supervisor or colleague. No rule exists that says you have to use your direct supervisor, especially if that person fired you.

Long story short, put those on your reference list who can make you look best and whom you worked with most recently. For help putting your list together and finding your next position, look to the experts at PrideStaff.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *